Hiking to Bow Glacier Falls is the perfect pit stop on the Icefields Parkway to stretch out your legs as you head towards Jasper. The trail hugs the lake and river as you near the falls and the view is uniquely different for your journey there as well as back to the starting point. The trail is quite easy to follow if you aren’t a bag of rocks like us (read on to hear how we ignored ALL signs of wrong entry…) and you’ll want to wear footwear that can withstand some water crossings!

A view of Bow Glacier Falls beyond Bow Lake

The Details: The trail to Bow Glacier Falls is out-and-back for a total of 9km starting from Num-Ti-Jah Lodge with elevation gains of about 600m. Parking is relatively easy here, and we started our hike in the late morning. Cars are always moving in and out of here as most people are stopping just to see Bow Lake for a brief period, so snag any openings that you see. Once we made it beyond the trail head, we were in the company of very few others.

Luke checking out his camera settings before taking off

The trail starts out along the shore of Bow Lake and is a nice, leisurely stroll with stunning views of the mountains ahead. The water is a dazzling emerald color as it is freshly pouring in from the glacier. The closer the water is to the glacier, the more emerald the color from the glacial silt. You will notice this most drastically at Peyto Lake, so keep your eyes peeled as you check out the local lakes! As you get further around the shore, you will come up on an alluvian plain. This is built-up sediment from the trickling of water from the waterfall, and offers you lots of options to jump around for photos and exploration. Make sure you still have the shoreline in view, as you will need to jump back onto solid land as the creek widens.

Hug the shoreline as you make your way towards the falls

So. Here is where we made a HUGE mistake and added 45 extra minutes to our hike… When the trail looks like it could be washed out and you think you want to stay right into the forest - don’t. Don’t do it. We paused here and went against our better judgement by walking through a little lean to of branches because we thought it was cute and clever. Our biggest mistake was trusting a group of girls who were returning from that way, so we assumed they clearly knew what they were doing… Wrong. You will have to make a few water crossings, but always always hug the shoreline and you will save yourself tons of time. Fortunately, we were not the only ones to have ever made this mistake, as the trail was overgrown - but still slightly there from other silly souls like us. We even tracked some plastic bags tied to trees to find the best way back to the water. Go Girl Scouts for at least teaching me one thing? I was leaping with joy and running back towards the stream once the trees cleared again. So please, do not be like us and stick to the left always on your way to the falls.

The wrong trail, before we realized our mistake…

The trail when we knew we made a wrong turn…

The view of where we emerged from once back on the proper trail

After our little misadventure, we finally made it to the big stairs and I was relieved to know we were on the right trail. These steps are fierce and surrounded by massive boulders and a canyon on the left with raging water. As a short person, it was a bit of a challenge, but there are plenty of opportunities and space to pull to the side for a break and a look back over your shoulder at the lake behind you. Once you are about halfway up, check out the rock wedged into the canyon to the left and you might notice a trail forms just beyond the raging current below. We watched someone jump onto the rock to head that way and my heart dropped just thinking about it. If you have a thing about heights, don’t plan to make your way to Bow Hut. That is a trail *never* for another day in my book.

Canyon viewable from the stairs, with the rock wedge at the top as an access to Bow Hut

Look back as you climb! View of Bow Lake

Once you pass the canyon on your left, you will start to see Bow Glacier Falls come into view. The scene is quite spectacular. There are rocks littering the trail as you descend into a small valley at the base of the falls. We spent quite a bit of time here exploring the stream and resting on the rocks. You can walk right up the falls, but we decided to save our energy for the return journey.

Two streams from the glacier and Bow Glacier Falls merge just above the canyon

The return trip to your car is just as beautiful and unique as the trail towards the falls. You get a great view of the lake and mountains for most of your journey and it is nice to see the lodge in the distance. We noticed that we were removing and adding layers of clothing multiple times throughout this hike. Bring lots of options as the cold breeze coming off the falls at the top is much different from the climate closer to the base of Bow Lake. Check out our packing guide for our favorite gear and head back to our Banff guide for more information about this wonderful park!