Parking
Park at the Redearth Creek Trailhead off the Trans-Canada Highway. Start at the signed Redearth Creek trailhead; arrive prepared for a long backcountry outing and lock any bike before the foot-only Pharaoh Creek section.
Overview
About Pharaoh Creek Trail
This is an out-and-back to Egypt Lake Campground. Plan on about 24.4 miles (39.2 km) total, or roughly 19.6 km (12.2 miles) each way. The stored line follows the physical one-way corridor once; the visitor distance includes the return trip. The Redearth approach is relatively efficient and many hikers bike part of it, but the full route is still a long backcountry outing. Strong hikers may do it in a very long day; most parties use a backcountry campsite and split the trip.
Why go
- Quieter route into the Egypt Lake basin with a bikeable Redearth approach.
- Reaches the Pharaoh Creek and Egypt Lake backcountry camps with access to nearby alpine lakes.
Heads up
- Very long out-and-back with limited services and a remote backcountry finish.
- Steep, rugged sections and a signed reroute require careful footing and navigation.
Pharaoh Creek is the long, quieter Redearth Creek approach into the Egypt Lake basin. The route starts at the Redearth Creek Trailhead, follows the bikeable Redearth Creek corridor, then turns onto the Pharaoh Creek Trail and continues to Egypt Lake Campground (E13). Expect a remote backcountry day or a multi-day trip, with forest, creek crossings, rugged singletrack, and the dramatic lake basin beneath the Pharaoh Peaks.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike itMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,407–2,010 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureRed Deer River valley closed during ceremonial bison harvestThe Red Deer River valley bottom is closed to the public during an Indigenous ceremonial bison hunt taking place through November, for public safety during the harvest.Official details
- ClosureJohnston Canyon closed for constructionJohnston Canyon Trail and Day Use Area, including the washrooms and P1 parking lot, are closed to all traffic and travel through December 11, 2026, for construction work to ensure public and worker…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Pharaoh Creek 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 area
Highway Rest Stop with a Wildlife Crossing ExhibitListen
“The rest area just ahead is a convenient highway stop with some wide-open views across the Bow Valley. What makes it interesting is the interpretive exhibit about Banff’s famous wildlife crossings.”
Plays on the road 1.7 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bow Valley Parkway: A Road for Wildlife
- Cliff Runners: Falcons and Eagles of the Bow Valley
- Waterfall Ghosts: Black Swifts of Johnston Canyon
- Johnston Canyon's Famous Catwalks and Waterfalls
- 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 Pharaoh Creek Trail
What you’ll seeThe lower Redearth corridor is forested and follows an old fire-road-style trail through the…
The lower Redearth corridor is forested and follows an old fire-road-style trail through the valley. After the Pharaoh Creek junction, the route becomes narrower and more rugged as it follows the creek through forest toward the Egypt Lake basin. Egypt Lake Campground is the endpoint represented here; Pharaoh Lake, Scarab Lake, Pharaoh Peak, and the Healy Pass network are nearby side destinations, not branches included in this line.
Difficulty and conditionsThe distance, backcountry setting, elevation changes, and limited services make this a…
The distance, backcountry setting, elevation changes, and limited services make this a difficult hike even though the route is non-technical. The Pharaoh Creek section includes steep pitches and a signed reroute away from flood-affected creekside tread. Weather can change quickly, and early-season snow, mud, or high water may slow travel. Carry navigation, layers, food, water treatment, and bear spray.
Logistics and permitsPark at the Redearth Creek Trailhead off the Trans-Canada Highway and begin at the signed…
- Park at the Redearth Creek Trailhead off the Trans-Canada Highway and begin at the signed trailhead; the primary trailhead point is at the start of the stored line.
- Bicycles are a common way to shorten the Redearth approach. Lock bikes before continuing on the foot-only Pharaoh Creek section where signs require it.
- Egypt Lake Campground (E13) requires a Parks Canada backcountry reservation and permit for overnight stays. A park pass is required for day use.
- Dogs must be leashed and under control. Treat creek and lake water before drinking.
TipsCarry bear spray and make noise in dense forest and near water.
- Carry bear spray and make noise in dense forest and near water.
- Trekking poles help on the steep reroute and uneven sections.
- Do not count side trips to Pharaoh Lake, Scarab Lake, or Pharaoh Peak in the distance above; they are separate excursions from the represented route.
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.
