Parking
Bow Summit/Peyto Lake Day-use Area on the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93N); toilets are available at the lot, with no food or water. Parking fills quickly in peak season, so use only designated spaces.
Overview
About Peyto Lake Upper Viewpoint Trail
Why go
- Classic Peyto Lake view with a short, clearly signed approach
- Paved paths and viewing decks keep the route simple to follow
Heads up
- Parking fills quickly and tour traffic can crowd the first deck
- A steady climb, stairs and exposed weather make it more than a flat stroll
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation2,080–2,125 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureRed Deer River valley bottom closed for ceremonial bison harvestThe Red Deer River valley bottom is closed to the public during an Indigenous ceremonial bison harvest taking place through November.Official details
- ClosureLake Minnewanka and Aylmer area closureLake Minnewanka Trail, Aylmer Pass Trail, and campgrounds Lm8, Lm9, Lm11, Lm20, Lm22 and Lm31 are closed to all users because black bears are displaying food-seeking behaviour.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Peyto Lake Upper Viewpoint Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Banff National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Bow Summit: Highest Point on the ParkwayListen
“You're now climbing toward Bow Summit, which is the highest point along the entire Icefields Parkway. This is the location of the famous Peyto Lake viewpoint, where you can also see the Peyto Glacier in the distance.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Famous Wolf-Shaped Peyto Lake Viewpoint
- The Rockies’ Hidden Ice: Rock Glaciers
- Wild Bill Peyto: The Man Behind the Lake
- Historic Num-Ti-Jah Lodge at Bow Lake
- 178 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 177 trails, 236 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…Loved the commentary as you drove thru. I’m sure the app can do more than I know but the tips were very helpful. I’m gonna use it when we go to Banff next month.”
Trail guide
Hiking Peyto Lake Upper Viewpoint Trail
A short loop with a big viewPeyto Lake’s famous blue-green basin is the payoff here. The 1.
Peyto Lake’s famous blue-green basin is the payoff here. The 1.2-mile loop starts at Bow Summit, follows the signed path to the viewing deck, and uses the access loop on the way around. Allow 45–60 minutes, including photo stops.
Take the upper approachThe paved route climbs steadily, with a few stairs near the viewing platforms.
The paved route climbs steadily, with a few stairs near the viewing platforms. Continue to the signed upper viewpoint if the first deck is busy. This is a viewpoint walk, not a trail down to the lake.
Look for the colourGlacial rock flour gives the water its turquoise colour.
Glacial rock flour gives the water its turquoise colour. For photos, include some deck or trail so the lake’s scale reads on a phone; the wolf-head outline is easiest to recognize from the signed viewpoint.
Plan around the parkingThe day-use area has toilets but no food or water; parking fills quickly.
The day-use area has toilets but no food or water; parking fills quickly. Bring layers for changeable summit weather, stay on designated paths around fragile alpine vegetation, and keep pets leashed. A Parks Canada pass is required for the park and Icefields Parkway.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
122 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
150 sightingsBrown BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
44 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
12 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
67 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
465 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
