Parking
Park at the signed Smith Lake lot off Highway 93S near Castle Junction. The turn onto the access road is easy to miss. The trail begins across the creek bridge; the access road may be gated in winter, so check before driving in.
Overview
About Smith Lake Trail
Why go
- A short forest walk ends at a tree-lined lake.
- The ridge opens a view down toward the lake and surrounding peaks.
Heads up
- The final climb and drop to shore are steep.
- Several nearby trail forks serve Copper Lake and Twin Lakes.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,443–1,592 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Banff Tour Guide
Your drive to Smith Lake 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.
See the Banff audio tourRecorded for this area
Castle Junction Bridge Viewpoint0:00 / 0:17
“You're coming up on Castle Junction Bridge Viewpoint, a quick stop for the Bow River beneath Castle Mountain. Allow ten or fifteen minutes if you want a mountain view without a hike.”
Plays on the road 0.7 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- A Beak for Opening Cones
- Silverton Falls or Rockbound Lake
- Castle Cliffs Lookout: A Short Parkway Stop
- The Ridge at the Glacier’s Edge
- 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 Smith Lake Trail
A short lake walkSmith Lake Trail is a 2.
Smith Lake Trail is a 2.0-mile out-and-back from the signed Smith Lake parking access near Castle Junction. It runs about 1.6 km each way through evergreen forest to a small, tree-lined lake, with a view from the ridge above it. Allow about 1½ hours. It is a good choice for a short forest hike with a lake at the end, though the last climb and drop make it feel harder than the mileage suggests.
Stay on the Smith Lake branchStart across the creek bridge and follow the signed Smith Lake route at the forks.
Start across the creek bridge and follow the signed Smith Lake route at the forks. The shared approach also leads toward Copper Lake and Twin Lakes, so use the Smith Lake signs rather than relying on left-or-right directions. Small ponds on the way are not Smith Lake. The trail climbs over rocky, rooty ground, then opens at the ridge before descending to the shore. Skip the Copper Lake spur to keep this outing to the shorter Smith Lake route.
At the ridge and shoreThe ridge looks down to the lake, with Copper Mountain rising beyond the far hills.
The ridge looks down to the lake, with Copper Mountain rising beyond the far hills. A small clearing reaches the tree-lined water; when the surface is still, it can reflect the surrounding forest. The final descent to shore is steep and can be slippery when wet. There is no food or water service on the trail, and no toilet was reported at the parking area. Dogs may accompany hikers on summer trails unless a restriction applies, and must stay leashed. The access road may be gated in winter, so check access before driving in.
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.
