Spray River East Trail (11.3 km, Easy) – Banff National Park

Overview

About Spray River East Trail

Why go

Quiet, forested route along the Spray River
Covered benches at the bridge provide a natural turnaround
Usable year-round for hiking and other permitted trail activities

Heads up

Limited big-view scenery compared with alpine objectives
Shared with cyclists and horseback riders; winter users also share the track
Loose rocks, roots, and muddy conditions near the east trailhead when wet

Map & elevation

The route

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Full map

Elevation1,370–1,430 m

TrailheadSpray River East Trailhead51.16496, -115.55312

Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Park at the Bow Falls Day-use Area, walk past the gate and across the bridge, then follow Golf Course Road about 350 m to the Spray River East trailhead kiosk. Limited parking; a Parks Canada pass is required. The trailhead is also about an 8-minute/600 m walk from the summer Roam Route 4 stop at Bow Falls.

Best time to visit

Safety

Multi-use route: yield to horses and faster riders, and give skiers and fat bikers space in winter. The first 250 m can be muddy in wet conditions; expect loose rocks and roots. Carry bear spray, stay wildlife aware, and plan for limited cell service.

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

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.

Banff Tour Guide

Your drive to Spray River East 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

Bow Falls, Surprise Corner, and the Waldhaus

Listen

“The area you're entering has a few popular spots all close together, centered on Bow Falls.”

Plays on the road 0.4 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel: Castle in the Rockies
Banff Centre: Arts, Views, and Elk
Tunnel Mountain: Banff's Quick-Hit Summit
Tunnel Mountain's Lower Trailhead

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.”

tesja22App Store review

4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Wildlife

Wildlife in Banff

All Banff wildlife maps

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 map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Banff. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Spray River East Trail