7 Amazing Wildflower Hikes in the Canadian Rockies

Many things are on the mind when summer rolls around in the Canadian Rockies. Bright blue lakes, biking, rock climbing, and hiking, are just a few. For us, there’s a strong emphasis on hiking – and hiking among bursts of colorful wildflowers, while in Banff, Kananaskis, and beyond, it is on many visitors’ bucket lists. However, not every hike promises flower goodness, so let’s break down a few that do!

When can you typically see the wildflowers?

Although blossoms can be seen in the Canadian Rockies as early as April, the peak flowering time at most elevations is from mid-July to mid-August.

The wildflower season is affected by wind, soil, rain, elevation, and slope, and sometimes all it can take is one extremely cold night to wipe out many of the wildflowers you can see on a trail. This is the mountains, after all; they promise nothing and do not run on a schedule.

What Wildflowers to See in Banff & Beyond

In this article, we’ll mostly focus on flower species in the alpine. A few hardy wildflowers thrive in the rugged landscape of rock and snow, where the trees no longer grow. Some wildflowers you can expect to see are the Moss Campion, Mountain Sorrel, Purple Saxifrage, Glacier Lily, Alpine Speedwell, Alpine Forget-Me-Not, Western Anemone, White Mountain Avens, and Silky Phacelia.

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Canadian Rockies Wildflower Hikes

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Healy Pass

• Length: 17.6 km
• Duration: 5-7 hrs
• Elevation Gain: 655 meters
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Parking: Sunshine Village

Healy Pass is perhaps the most famous wildflower hike in Banff. It’s a great day hike that peaks twice a year—in summer for wildflowers and in fall for golden larch trees.

The well-maintained trail begins at the Sunshine Village parking lot and gradually climbs through a shaded lush forest. It’s a long approach, but after 8km, the forest gives way to a gorgeous alpine meadow and a wide expanse of neverending wildflowers — it’s likely the best place to witness them in the park, and if you hit it just right, you’ll find yourself in a sea of Glacier Lilies.

Once you reach the pass, you won’t want to head back down into the forest, especially when you overlook the Monarch Ramparts. Those with strong legs and who are prepared can consider hiking to Egypt Lake for a truly epic day, but it’s a big day best reserved for experienced hikers with strong fitness. Trail runners often tackle on Pharaoh Peak, while campers will find some rest at Egypt Lake Campground.

This is easily the most popular wildflower hike in Banff, so the trail can be busy when the wildflowers begin to bloom. Start early in the day or later in the evening to avoid crowds.

(Psst – Healy Pass is also one of the best larch hikes in all of Alberta)

Sunshine Meadows

• Length: 8+ km
• Duration: 2 – 5 hours
• Elevation Gain: 300 meters
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Parking: Sunshine Village

Sunshine Meadows is in the same vicinity as Healy Pass, and the trails can be connected for an extra-long hike via the Simpson Pass Trail. Sunshine Meadows is an extremely popular area to take in tremendous alpine views and requires none of the work that you need to put in to reach the top of Healy Pass. That’s because the real leg work can be done by the Sunshine Village Gondola if you opt to pay for a ticket and explore this way.

From the car park, hikers can either head up the Healy Pass Trail and head to Sunshine Meadows via Simpson Pass if they want to work for their views. Those who want a less strenuous day can enjoy the Sunshine Summer Gondola, which takes visitors to the village, where they can continue on the Standish Chair to have mindblowing views over Rock Isle Lake. From the top of Standish there are also many hiking trails and options to choose from. Come mid-July, nearly every trail provides an endless sea of Common Yarrow, Fireweed, and Purple Fleabane.

The classic hike is to Rock Isle Lake, but if you really want a full day out, you can easily clock over 15km up here, exploring each trail.

Mount Lipsett

• Length: 14.5 km
• Elevation Gain: 680 m
• Time Estimate: 3-5 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult
• Trailhead: Along Highway 40 (GPS)

Mount Lipsett is an awesome wildflower hike in Kananaskis that not many people think about. It’s an easy peak to bag, though just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it doesn’t require work. To summit Mount Lipsett, you’ll still have to hike 15km round trip, but the pinnacle of the wildflower goodness starts around the 5 km mark, where there are plenty of Silky Phacelias.

Though the trail starts out fairly boring, once you get above the tree line, you’ll have expansive views of the entire valley that involve plenty of beautiful flowers. As you work towards the summit, you’ll enjoy views of the mammoth Mist Mountain while bursts of purple and yellow lie beneath your feet.

Continue on to the summit, and make sure to sign the summit register!

Burstall Pass

• Length: 16.4 km
• Elevation Gain: 675 meters
• Time Estimate: 4-6 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trailhead: Mud Lake Parking Lot (GPS)

Burstall Pass is a classic hike in Kananaskis Country that is a great year-round trail. The hike starts off slow along a mellow, yet dull dirt road. Once at 5km, it gets more exciting and moves past several marshy lakes and streams before a steep ascent brings hikers up to a stunning alpine meadow. The wildflowers start popping here and stay beautiful until you reach the top of the pass.

The Burstall Pass trail eventually leaves Kananaskis and crosses into Banff National Park, where you can continue if you route your hike and destination well. We highly recommend continuing to the viewpoint over Leman Lake.

Goldilocks Loop via Spineback

• Length: 12 km
• Duration: 3-5 hours
• Elevation Gain: 828 meters
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Parking: Island Lake Lodge

Located near Island Lake Lodge in Fernie, British Columbia, this well-maintained and well-made trail is often overlooked, but it’s a solid trail that is beautiful and exciting from start to finish. The trail starts at the beautiful Island Lake Lodge, where you can grab some grub before your adventure, and winds around a rocky peak known as Baby Bear, situated beside Mama Bear and Papa Bear (in case you’re wondering where the trail gets its name).

Along the way, you’ll be treated to stunning views of the Lizard Range’s limestone peaks and the abundance of wildflowers filling the alpine valleys. On the Spineback Trail, you’ll take on a whole new view of Island Lake, and as you go around the “backside” of the bears before viewing endless red paintbrushes and Silky Phacelia. The trail is a loop and comes back to the Spineback Trail, so if you didn’t get a great view on the way up, you still have the chance to take in the views.

This is a loop trail, and it’s recommended that you go clockwise so you go up the steeper sections rather than down. Fun fact: This trail was built by an entirely female crew, and let me just note that it is in excellent shape!

Helen Lake

• Length: 12 km
• Duration: 3-5 hours
• Elevation Gain: 533 meters
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Parking: Helen Lake Parking Lot

The Helen Lake Trail is beautiful along the Icefields Parkway across from Bow Lake. Far from quiet but also far from the maddening crowds of Bow and Peyto Lake, this stellar trailhead leads through seas of wildflowers in the summer.

To get to Helen Lake, you must hike on a moderate trail for 6km (one way). The trail is well-maintained and absolutely stunning, with views of mountains and blooming wildflowers everywhere! Bring lunch here and enjoy the views once you reach Helen Lake.

If you enjoy the scenery from Helen Lake, you can continue and head up to the Dolomite Pass, which provides views of Lake Katherine.

If you really want to add more to your day, consider the climb to Cirque Peak. This is a great first-time scramble in the Rockies and gives impressive views out to Bow Lake, Iceberg Lake, and Bow Glacier Falls across the Parkway. There aren’t many wildflowers up at the summit, but it is a nice objective for those who want something more challenging.

Parker Ridge

• Length: 5.4 km
• Duration: 2-4 hrs
• Elevation Gain: 269 meters
• Difficulty: Easy
• Parking: Parker Ridge Trailhead

The Parker Ridge Trail sits along the Icefields Parkway just before the border to Jasper National Park. It’s popular as it’s easy and offers astounding views of the Saskatchewan Glacier.

The trail to the ridge is straightforward and well-trodden the entire way up. It has a series of switchbacks, which gradually incline up to the top, but there are some flowers to enjoy along the way until you reach the top and see tons of Purple Saxifrage. It’s great for the entire family, those with mobility issues, or whoever just wants a nice, easy day out!

When you reach the ridge, you will be blown away by the views over the impressive glacier. This trail holds a lot of snow, but you can still see wildflowers blooming throughout the summer. We were there in early June and saw plenty!