Hiking Stewart Canyon in Banff National Parkmonkeysandmountains.com /hiking-stewart-canyon- in-banf f -national-park

Despite being to Banf f hundreds of times, I had never heard of Stewart Canyon.

This is in part due to my hiking snobbiness. I tend to turn up my nose at “easy hikes” preferring off- trail scrambleswhere I’m using both my hands and feet to claw my way up a mountain for hours on end. But on this day I was close tobed- ridden with a bad cough and cold. OK I should have been bed ridden, and believe me Brewster’s Mountain Lodgeis the place you want to be if you’re stuck in bed. But I was in Banff. There was no way I could be in Banff and not getout for a hike…even if it was only an easy one.

Despite the lack of elevation, I still coughed the entire way, but was glad to be out. The trail for Stewart Canyon starts atthe Lake Minnewanka Day Use Area. The hike is officially 1.5km each way, but that just takes you to the start of thecanyon where Cascade River flows into Lake Minnewanka. We hiked further along the ice- filled canyon, catchingthe occasional glimpse of running glacier blue water. The extension is worth it as the canyon is beautiful. On the returntrip hikers are treated to views of Cascade Mountain looming over Lake Minnewanka – and yes I have scrambledCascade :).

Despite

Br idge acros s Cas cade River to Stewar t Canyon

Despitebeing aneasy hike, IenjoyedhikingStewartCanyon . Perhaps Ieven (gasp)lost a bit ofmy hiking

Cas cade River in Stewar t Canyon

Stewar t Canyon is beauti fu l in win ter

snobbiness as I was reminded that in Banff you can get amaz ing views for very minimal effort.

Know Before You Hike Stewart Canyon in Banf f :

We hiked in winter and saw only one other couple, but as the trail head starts from a popular area, I imagine itwould be quite busy in summer months.

The trail to Stewart Canyon is well-marked, making it a good choice for beginner hikers.

Elevation is minimal. The trail is officially 1.5km long, but I recommend extending it by a kilometre or two into thecanyon.

You can find info about Stewart Canyon and more hikes in Banff on Parks Canada’s website.

Visit Banff and Lake Louise Tourism for more information about Banff.

I also recommend staying at Brewster’s Mountain Lodge located in the heart of Banff.

I also recommend hiking Sunshine Meadows which offers a wide variety of hiking options ranging from easy withminimal elevation to multi- day hikes.