Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), AB
An easy lakeshore walk with Bow Lake and Crowfoot Mountain in view.
Overview
Bow Lake Lakeshore Trail is an easy, mostly level out-and-back from Bow Lake Parking Lot A to the foot of the stairs at the far end of the shore. The mapped line is about 2.4 miles (3.8 km) round trip; another published GPS figure is 3.4 km, so treat the total as approximate. Allow about an hour. I’d choose this when you want a leg-stretch beside the water: the roadside viewpoint takes less time, while Bow Glacier Falls is a much longer outing.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the walk for you?Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Icefields Parkway Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Icefields Parkway (Highway 93). 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 Icefields Parkway audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Bow Lake: Shore Walk and a Bite“You're nearing Bow Lake's north-shore access, by The Lodge at Bow Lake. I'd stop here for a short walk down to the water, with Crowfoot Mountain across the lake.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Icefields Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
The path stays close to the water for most of the walk, with open views across to Crowfoot Mountain. The far end can be marshy. For this short route, turn back at the foot of the stairs; continuing beyond them leads toward Bow Glacier Falls or Bow Hut and becomes a different, longer hike. Dogs are allowed, but Parks Canada requires them to stay under control on a leash no longer than 3 metres.
Meltwater from Bow Glacier carries fine glacial silt into Bow Lake, giving it that opaque blue-green color. Crowfoot Glacier has retreated from the three-toed outline that gave it its name, though a small piece of the old shape remains visible from the far end of the shore. On a calm day, look for the surrounding peaks reflected in the water.
The lodge sits beside the starting lot. Jimmy and Billie Simpson began building it after the Icefields Parkway reached Bow Lake in 1937. It had six guest rooms by 1940, then grew into a 16-room log-and-stone hotel by 1950. It’s a good bit of Parkway history to notice as you start and finish.
Wildlife
12 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
127 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
16 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
100 sightingsElkMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
34 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
53 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Icefields Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateBow Glacier Falls Trail9.1 km · 4 hr · At the trailheadBow Lake’s shore opens to a steep climb beneath the glacier.
ChallengingBow Hut Route15.6 km · 5.5 hr · At the trailheadA rough alpine approach to a hut above Bow Lake.
ModerateHelen Lake Trail11.8 km · 4.5 hr · 2.4 km awayA long climb opens to a high meadow beneath Dolomite Peak.
ChallengingDolomite Pass Trail17.7 km · 6.5 hr · 2.4 km awayA long alpine climb to two lakes and an unmarked pass.
ChallengingCrowfoot Pass and Balfour Viewpoint Trail15.4 km · 6 hr · 3.5 km awayA river ford leads to pass tarns and a tucked-away ridge view.
EasyPeyto Lake Lookout Trail1.2 km · 30 min · 4.8 km awayThe lake’s turquoise outline comes into view after a short climb.
ModerateBow Summit Viewpoint Trail6.8 km · 2.5 hr · 4.9 km awayContinue past Peyto Lake for Bow Lake and wider mountain views.
ChallengingPeyto Lake Trail2.4 km · 1.3 hr · 7.5 km awayA steep, rough descent to Peyto Lake’s actual shoreline.
Sight · At the trailheadBow LakeA short shore walk gets you to turquoise water beneath glaciers.
Lodging · 0.2 km awayThe Lodge at Bow LakeA historic red-roofed lodge with a day-visitor shop by the lake.
Picnic area · 1.2 km awayBow Lake Viewpoint and Day-use AreaA glacial lake view, with a lakeside picnic stop below.
Scenic pullout · 2.5 km awayCrowfoot Glacier ViewpointA roadside glacier view with a vanished third toe.
Sight · 3.4 km awayBow Summit ViewpointA longer hike beyond Peyto's platform into a high alpine lookout.Sight · 3.6 km awayBow Glacier FallsA glacier-fed cascade at the end of a half-day hike.
Sight · 5.2 km awayPeyto Lake ViewpointLook for a wolf's head in the turquoise lake below.
Campground · 10.6 km awayMosquito Creek CampgroundA 38-site unserviced campground with water, shelters and food lockers.Parkwolf’s Icefields Parkway ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
