Parking
Park at the Two Jack Lake Day Use Area; summer parking is limited. Roam Route 6 provides seasonal service to the area from May through September.
Overview
About Two Jack Lake Trail
Why go
- Easy lakeshore walking with strong Mount Rundle and water views
- Good picnic and sunset option on the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive
- Seasonal Roam Route 6 access can reduce summer parking pressure
Heads up
- Out-and-back route repeats the same shoreline on the return
- Day-use parking is limited during the busy summer period
- Uneven dirt and gravel sections are less comfortable for wheels and strollers
This is an easy Rocky Mountain shoreline walk with bright water, lodgepole forest, and a clear view toward Mount Rundle. It is a good low-effort add-on to the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive and works well for a picnic or a sunset stroll.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy goMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Banff map
Full mapElevation1,474–1,493 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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 Two Jack 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.
Recorded for this area
Two Jack Lake: Reflections and Calm WatersListen
“You're approaching Two Jack Lake, a spot known for its incredible reflections of Mount Rundle on calm days. It's an easy place for a lakeside picnic or for paddling a canoe or kayak.”
Plays on the road 0.3 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Two Jack Main Campground: Quiet Forest Camping
- Bankhead Ghost Town: A Historical Walk
- C-Level Cirque Trail from Upper Bankhead
- Lake Minnewanka Hikes for All Levels
- 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 Two Jack Lake Trail
Route and distanceThe route is an out-and-back from Two Jack Lake Day Use Area to Two Jack Lakeside Campground:…
The route is an out-and-back from Two Jack Lake Day Use Area to Two Jack Lakeside Campground: about 2.1 miles (3.4 km) total, with roughly 1.06 miles (1.7 km) of mapped corridor each way. The stored line follows the physical corridor once; turn around at the campground and return along the same shore. The path is mostly easy, nearly level walking on dirt and fine gravel, with some uneven lakeside sections.
What you’ll seeThe trail stays close to Two Jack Lake, with frequent openings to the water and the Rundle…
The trail stays close to Two Jack Lake, with frequent openings to the water and the Rundle Range beyond. Pine forest, picnic clearings, and the campground-side shoreline give the walk enough variety without turning it into a strenuous hike. Elk, bighorn sheep, and bears are all possible in the Minnewanka area.
LogisticsPark at the Two Jack Lake Day Use Area and follow the shoreline path toward Two Jack Lakeside…
Park at the Two Jack Lake Day Use Area and follow the shoreline path toward Two Jack Lakeside Campground. Summer parking is limited; Roam Route 6 provides seasonal access to the area from May through September. Bring water and food because there are no cafés along the walk. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Bottom lineA scenic, forgiving lakeshore outing for visitors who want big Banff views without a major…
A scenic, forgiving lakeshore outing for visitors who want big Banff views without a major climb. The tradeoff is that it is an out-and-back rather than a true loop, so the return covers the same shoreline.
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.
