8 LARCH HIKES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
Words by Wildly
Looking at larches has become its own season in the Canadian Rockies and it’s one hikers look forward to as soon as summer comes to an end. Before it officially gets cold, these coniferous trees turn gold, lighting up the landscape. If you’re making a larch-hunting list, here are some of our favourites forests where you can find them.
Skoki Valley, Banff National Park. Photo: @corriekiddo
#1: Skoki Valley
Banff National Park
Duration: day hike / overnight / multi-day
Elevation gain: varies
Distance: varies
You can slice Skoki a few different ways: loop, out and back, hike a la carte. Either way, there is an almost 4 km hike up the Lake Louise Ski Resort access road to the trailhead. From there, you can access Hidden Lake, Baker Lake, Merlin Lake and others, all of which will be lit up with larches. Another long haul hike idea is to go up Deception Pass and down to Skoki Lodge for a hikers happy hour. Bring cash and card.
Floe Lake, Kootenay National Park. Photo: @hannahkeiver
#2: Floe Lake
Kootenay National Park
Duration: day hike / overnight / multi-day
Elevation gain: 715m
Distance: 21km (return)
Doable in a day, but even better as part of the continuous Rockwall Trail, Floe Lake is one of Kootenay National Park’s most beautiful locations. You’ll find plenty of larches just beyond the shores of this gorgeous alpine lake. Hikers should consider continuing to Numa Pass to take in the expansive views and the brilliantly golden hues of the larches below.
Photo by Paul Zizka.
#3: Chester Lake
Spray Valley Provincial Park
Duration: day hike
Elevation gain: 315m
Distance: 9.8km (return)
The shortest larch hike on our list is also one of the most popular, so try to go on a weekday once those larches have changed colour. The trail to Chester Lake is relatively easy, first winding upwards as a logging road before giving way to forested trail, open meadows, and finally the lake itself – banked by larches and the cliffs of Mt. Chester. Take the trail to the left of the lake and scramble your way up “Elephant Rocks” for even better views.
Gibbon Pass, as seen from the air. Photo by Paul Zizka.
#4: Gibbon Pass
Banff National Park
Duration: overnight
Elevation gain: 300-400m
Distance: 6km (return)
More easily accessed on a side-trip from Shadow Lake campground, Shadow Lake Lodge or Twin Lakes campground, Gibbon Pass is a easily forgotten part of Banff National Park that is well worth visiting during larch season. On a clear day, the pass – flanked by forests of larches – offers impressive views of peaks along the Great Divide.
Healy Pass, Banff National Park. Photo: @brookewillson
#5: Healy Pass
Banff National Park
Duration: day hike / overnight
Elevation gain: 655m
Distance: 18.4km (return)
Once above tree line, the trail to Healy Pass offers wonderful views along the Great Divide, including Mt. Assiniboine in the distance. The area is speckled with small lakes and stunning larches, and can be accessed on a day trip (9.2 km one-way) or as part of a multi-day trip into the Egypt Lakes area (view our Egypt Lake Trip Report).
Mary Lake, Lake O’Hara. Photo: @jeffbiro
#6: Lake O’Hara
Yoho National Park
Duration: day hike / overnight / multi-day
Elevation gain: varies
Distance: varies
There are so many larch-laden hikes in the Lake O’Hara region it’s worth lumping them all together. Opabin Plateau, Big Larch Trail, Schaffer Lake, and Lake McArthur all offer fantastic larch viewing experiences along some of the Rockies’ premier hiking trails. If you can’t book the campground, Lake O’Hara Lodge or Elizabeth Parker Hut, you can do this in a long day trip. Bus reservations for day-use can now be made online.
Yoho National Park | #lakeohara
If you are unable to get a bus reservation, it’s an 11km walk up to the road to the lake.
Larch Valley, Banff National Park. Photo: hannahkeiver
#7: Larch Valley
Banff National Park
Duration: day hike
Elevation gain: 724m
Distance: 11.6km (return)
No list of larch hikes would be complete without Larch Valley. Now very popular, especially on weekends, this trail begins from Banff’s famous Moraine Lake and switchbacks up to an area forested with larch trees. The Ten Peaks provide a panorama in the distance, making this one of the most scenic larch hikes on our list. Moraine Lake Road is now closed to personal vehicles, but there are several commercial operators available. You can also book a seat on a Parks Canada shuttle or on Roam Public Transit.
Pocaterra Ridge, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Photo: @bearlyfocused
#8: Pocaterra Cirque/Ridge
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Duration: day hike
Elevation gain: varies
Distance: varies
Hikers praise Pocaterra Cirque/Ridge of Kananaskis Country as the best for larches during the autumn. The cirque (located below Mt. Tyrwhitt) and the ridge can be accessed via an unofficial trail beginning at Highwood Pass. The ridge walk provides some of the best views in Kananaskis Country – at its highest point reaching 8,750 feet. In autumn this vista includes far-reaching spreads of larch trees in the valley below.
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park | #pocaterracirque
RESOURCES
Resources
A note from Wildly: You, the reader, are responsible for your own safety and gathering all the information you require to tackle these autumn hikes, including current trail conditions! We cannot be held responsible should you choose to venture out in search of these larch-filled areas. Please adventure safely, and use these suggestions as just that: suggestions.
Any hike, at any time, may be subject to trail closures, depending on local conditions and weather events. Please check the status of each trail prior to venturing out.