Parking
Start at the Fish Creek trailhead access by Lake Louise Ski Area. Roam route 8X serves Lake Louise Village, about a 3.5 km walk from the trailhead. Public vehicles cannot use the 4 km Temple access road that the route follows on foot.
Overview
About Skoki Loop
Why go
- Two reserved camps link Baker Lake, Merlin Meadows, and Skoki Lodge in one trip.
- Ptarmigan Lake and Halfway Hut make the shared approach more than a long access road.
Heads up
- The 36.8 km route includes two passes and a 4 km access-road walk before the backcountry trail.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,704–2,414 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Banff alerts
- ClosureBaker Lake and Hidden Lake campgrounds closed to campingMentions Baker Lake, referenced in this guideCamping 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
- 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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Skoki Loop, 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.
See the Banff audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Fish Creek: The Way into Skoki0:00 / 0:33
“You're coming up on Fish Creek trailhead, the walking gateway to Skoki's alpine lakes and historic lodge.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Moraine Lake Shuttles at the Park and Ride
- Lake Louise Village: Advice, Lunch and the Old Tram Route
- The Sea Duck in the Mountains
- Lake Louise Campgrounds: Choose the Right Section
- 185 audio storiesacross Banff’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear, Gray Wolf, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 162 trails, 90 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 Skoki Loop
A three-day backcountry loopThe Skoki Loop is a 36.8 km (22.
The Skoki Loop is a 36.8 km (22.9 mi) round-trip backpacking route from Fish Creek, planned over three days and two nights. It climbs the Temple access road and Boulder Pass, passes Ptarmigan Lake, then drops to Baker Lake for the first night. The second day goes around Fossil Mountain and past Skoki Lodge National Historic Site to Merlin Meadows; from there, the route returns over Deception Pass to Ptarmigan Lake and Fish Creek. This is a hard, remote trip with long stretches between camps, not a day hike.
Plan the access and campsThe route begins with a 4 km walk up Temple access road, which is closed to public vehicles.
The route begins with a 4 km walk up Temple access road, which is closed to public vehicles. Book a backcountry permit and both campground nights before setting out: Parks Canada lists Baker Lake (Sk11) for night one and Merlin Meadows (Sk18) for night two. Roam route 8X serves Lake Louise Village; the trailhead is about a 3.5 km walk from the village. Allow roughly 16 hours of hiking spread across the three days, with more time if you take long breaks or move slowly on the passes.
Two passes, changing conditionsBoulder Pass and Deception Pass are the high points of the route.
Boulder Pass and Deception Pass are the high points of the route. Snow can keep mountain passes and higher trails snowbound into late June, and streams run highest in June and July; remote crossings may require wading. Snow and ice can also make the route harder to follow. Treat all backcountry water before drinking, and check current trail conditions before leaving.
Hut and lodge landmarksHalfway Hut sits right beside the shared Skoki approach trail in Ptarmigan Valley, making it an…
Halfway Hut sits right beside the shared Skoki approach trail in Ptarmigan Valley, making it an unmistakable landmark on the way through. Farther into the loop, Skoki Lodge is a National Historic Site in a remote alpine setting; it is a landmark on the route, not a trailhead service stop.
Use a current mapParks Canada gives the itinerary and a 36.8 km distance but no downloadable GPS track.
Parks Canada gives the itinerary and a 36.8 km distance but no downloadable GPS track. Some of the middle backcountry line is traced from its older printed route map and mapped trail segments, so treat the app line as an orientation aid, carry a current topographic map, and follow signs and current Parks Canada directions at junctions. Dogs are allowed on summer trails unless a restriction is posted; keep them leashed and under physical control.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Banff
123 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
69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
466 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 9 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
