Wenkchemna Pass Trail (19.2 km, Challenging) – Banff National Park

Overview

About Wenkchemna Pass

Why go

Full-length Valley of the Ten Peaks route to a Continental Divide pass
Eiffel Lake provides a natural turnaround if the upper route is beyond the day's conditions

Heads up

Long, steep day with rocky and scree-covered terrain and less certain route-finding near the pass
Moraine Lake access requires shuttle, transit, commercial-operator, or cycling planning

Wenkchemna Pass is the full-length hike into the Valley of the Ten Peaks from Moraine Lake, ending at a spectacular high-alpine pass on the Continental Divide. The route is 9.6 km one way (about 11.9 miles/19.2 km round trip) and typically takes 7–8 hours round trip, with roughly 1,015 m of elevation gain.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike it

Map & elevation

The route

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Full map

Elevation1,875–2,609 m

TrailheadMoraine Lake51.32806, -116.18155

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Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round. Use the Parks Canada shuttle, Roam Public Transit, a licensed commercial operator, or cycle to Moraine Lake; begin just beyond Moraine Lake Lodge. There is no regular private-vehicle parking at this route start.

Safety

Difficult alpine hike with roughly 1,015 m of gain, sustained climbing, rocky and scree-covered upper terrain, and route-finding that becomes less certain near Wenkchemna Pass. Snow can linger and alpine weather changes quickly. Grizzly habitat: carry bear spray and travel prepared. There are no services beyond the trailhead area; do not continue beyond the pass without appropriate mountaineering experience.

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 Wenkchemna Pass, 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

The Famous 'Twenty-Dollar View' at Moraine Lake

Listen

“You're getting close to Moraine Lake, and the first thing you'll want to find is the Rockpile Trail.”

Plays near this trailhead in the Parkwolf Banff Tour Guide.

Hiking Wenkchemna Pass

Route and highlightsBegin just beyond Moraine Lake Lodge and follow the common Larch Valley access trail before…

Begin just beyond Moraine Lake Lodge and follow the common Larch Valley access trail before taking the Eiffel Lake/Wenkchemna junction. The route travels the length of the valley past Eiffel Lake, then climbs through increasingly rocky alpine terrain and switchbacks to Wenkchemna Pass. From the pass, look back across the Valley of the Ten Peaks and Moraine Lake; the pass itself is the turnaround for this out-and-back visitor hike.

Difficulty and conditionsThis is a difficult, long mountain day with sustained climbing, rocky and scree-covered…

This is a difficult, long mountain day with sustained climbing, rocky and scree-covered terrain, and less certain route-finding near the pass. Snow can linger on the upper route, and alpine weather can change quickly. Eiffel Lake is a sensible turnaround if the upper route is beyond the group's conditions or daylight.

Access and preparationMoraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round.

Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round. Plan to reach the Moraine Lake trailhead by Parks Canada shuttle, Roam Public Transit, a licensed commercial operator, or bicycle, and arrange access in advance when required. There are no services beyond the trailhead area. Carry food, water, warm layers, navigation, and bear spray; this is grizzly habitat.

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.

Wenkchemna Pass