Packer Pass Trail (5 km, Challenging) – Banff National Park

Overview

About Packer Pass Trail

Why go

Direct, scenic alternative to the Deception Pass approach
Skoki Lakes and a high pass in one crossing

Heads up

Unbridged creek, headwall scramble and faint talus tread
Long backcountry approach before the route starts

Choose this for the high pass and lake views if you are comfortable with route-finding, scrambling and rough ground. Skip it if you want an easy, clearly marked path. Snow can linger on high passes into late June and may appear at elevation even in summer; early-season creek flow is also strongest in June and July. Poor visibility makes the faint tread harder to follow.

Parkwolf’s verdictWho should take it

Map & elevation

The route

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Full map

Elevation2,137–2,437 m

TrailheadSkoki Lodge trail fork51.52290, -116.07768

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Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Use Fish Creek Trailhead near the Lake Louise ski area. Packer Pass starts at Skoki Lodge, about 11 km on foot from Lake Louise via the Temple access road and Skoki approach; vehicles are not allowed on the Temple road. The Packer Pass mileage excludes this walk-in.

Safety

A fast, unbridged creek; a steep waterfall headwall with short scrambling; loose talus where the tread can disappear; and an exposed high pass. Snow can linger into summer. Parks Canada recommends hiking in groups of four in the backcountry and keeping bear spray accessible.

8 active Banff alerts

ClosureJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area closedJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, because construction work requires protecting public and workers’ safety.Official details
ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingCamping is prohibited at Baker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds through December 1, 2026, because a grizzly bear entered campsites and investigated tents and gear; the closures reduce risk to…Official details

See all 8 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

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Trail guide

Hiking Packer Pass Trail

The route in one linePacker Pass Trail is a roughly 3.

Packer Pass Trail is a roughly 3.1-mile (5 km) point-to-point crossing from Skoki Lodge to the main trail beside Ptarmigan Lake. It passes the Skoki Lakes, climbs the high Packer Pass col, then descends to the Ptarmigan-side junction. It is the more direct, more rugged link between those areas than taking Deception Pass. Mileage is approximate: one field account measured 5.5 km from the lodge to the col, while the mapped lodge-to-junction line is about 5 km. Allow around five hours for this segment, then add the roughly 11 km walk-in from Lake Louise to Skoki Lodge and your onward route.

The climb from the lodgeTake the fork from Skoki Lodge toward the Skoki Lakes.

Take the fork from Skoki Lodge toward the Skoki Lakes. The first stretch stays in the valley woods; after about a kilometre it opens toward Ptarmigan Peak. A fast creek has no bridge, then the route scrambles up a steep headwall beside waterfalls on rough rock steps and through a narrow rock chimney. It is a serious change from an ordinary valley walk.

Lakes, talus and the colAbove the headwall, Myosotis Lake sits beneath Ptarmigan Peak and the Wall of Jericho.

Above the headwall, Myosotis Lake sits beneath Ptarmigan Peak and the Wall of Jericho. The path continues by the Skoki Lakes, including Zigadenus, before climbing open meadow and rocky slabs to the pass. Tread and cairns can fade in the talus, and the route is marked only from the lodge side. From the 2,470-metre col, look north over Zigadenus Lake and the Wall of Jericho; south are Ptarmigan Lake, Redoubt Lake and a sweep of surrounding peaks.

A porter’s shortcutThe pass is named for the porters who carried supplies to Skoki Lodge before the 1960s, often…

The pass is named for the porters who carried supplies to Skoki Lodge before the 1960s, often with 75-pound loads for about a dollar a day. Some used this more direct crossing instead of Deception Pass. The lodge itself dates to 1931, when it was built to serve skiers.

Plan the backcountry accessThe Packer Pass segment starts at Skoki Lodge, not at a roadside lot.

The Packer Pass segment starts at Skoki Lodge, not at a roadside lot. Use Fish Creek near the Lake Louise ski area; reaching Skoki Lodge takes about 11 km on foot, beginning with the Temple access road, where vehicles are not allowed. The 5 km above excludes that approach and anything after the Ptarmigan-side junction. For an overnight itinerary, reserve the required backcountry campground and permit. Dogs are allowed on summer trails unless a specific restriction is posted; keep them leashed and under control.