Parking
Use Cobb Lake parking lot on the south side of Highway 93S, about 17 km east of Radium Hot Springs; this lot is the trailhead.
Overview
About Cobb Lake Trail
Why go
- Quiet lake at the end of the walk
- Mostly shaded forest route
Heads up
- The same trail climbs back after descending to Swede Creek
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Kootenay map
Full mapElevation1,231–1,388 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Kootenay alerts
- ClosureWatercraft and angling prohibitedWatercraft and angling are prohibited on every waterbody in Kootenay National Park until March 31, 2027, to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS), including whirling disease.Official details
- ClosureSinclair Canyon construction closures and delaysRepairs to the Sinclair Creek Rock Tunnel and rehabilitation of the retaining wall at Sinclair Canyon require construction closures; expect alternating single-lane traffic on Highway 93S and…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Kootenay Tour Guide
Your drive to Cobb Lake Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Kootenay 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 Kootenay audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Cobb Lake Trailhead: A Forest Lake Walk0:00 / 0:24
“You're approaching the Cobb Lake trailhead, for a mostly shaded walk to a lake ringed by forest. Allow about two hours for the five-point-four-kilometre return hike.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Kootenay Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Kootenay Valley Viewpoint: A Quick Panorama
- The Living Crust on a Rock
- Olive Lake: Both Boardwalk Lookouts
- Kindersley–Sinclair: Plan the Shuttle
- 49 audio storiesacross Kootenay’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Gray Wolf, Moose, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 38 trails, 29 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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
Hiking Cobb Lake Trail
The lake walkCobb Lake Trail is a 3.4 mi (5.
Cobb Lake Trail is a 3.4 mi (5.4 km) out-and-back from the roadside lot to a quiet lake ringed by forest. The route descends to Swede Creek, crosses it, then follows the creek toward the shore. Allow about 2 hours for the return; the walk stays mostly under trees and the lake is its payoff.
The way backThe lake-bound leg drops to Swede Creek, climbs the opposite bank, then eases along the creek…
The lake-bound leg drops to Swede Creek, climbs the opposite bank, then eases along the creek toward the water. Turn around at Cobb Lake and retrace the same path, so the return is an uphill climb back to the highway. It is a short hike, but not a flat stroll.
At the lakeCobb Lake is a quiet, forest-encircled lake rather than an open alpine lookout.
Cobb Lake is a quiet, forest-encircled lake rather than an open alpine lookout. Take a break by the water before turning back; the shoreline is the destination, and the route returns by the same trail.
Access and dogsStart at Cobb Lake parking lot on the south side of Highway 93S, about 17 km east of Radium Hot…
Start at Cobb Lake parking lot on the south side of Highway 93S, about 17 km east of Radium Hot Springs. Dogs are allowed on leash. Kootenay National Park has no cell service, so save directions before driving in.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Kootenay
41 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
31 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
22 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
84 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
522 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
65 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Kootenay. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
