Getting to the Lodge
Scroll down for details about the trails that lead to Shadow Lake Lodge. They range in length from 14km (eight miles) to 26km (16 miles). The shortest and most popular follows Redearth Creek from the Trans-Canada Highway to our lodge, while the other two approach from the south and north along the historic Highline Trail.
LOCATION & ACCESS
GPS Coordinates:
51 N 10' 6"
115 W 56' 19"
WHAT TO BRING?
Download our Packing List or visit our FAQ page.
WEATHER
Before heading out, we recommend visiting www.pc.gc.ca/banff for trail reports. For a Banff weather forecast, call (403) 762-2088 or go to www.weather.gc.ca.
Banff National Park encompasses some of the world's most magnificent scenery and is an easy 90-minute drive west of Calgary.
The snowcapped peaks of the Rocky Mountains form a spectacular backdrop for glacial lakes, fast-flowing rivers, and endless forests. Deer, moose, elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, black and grizzly bears, wolves, and cougars inhabit the park's vast wilderness.
All visitors have a responsibility to keep their group safe. We equally get a lot of animal traffic through our part of the woods, and so we must understand and take appropriate actions towards behaving responsibly around wildlife.
Educating yourself on bear safety is an important part of your trip preparation. Please take a moment to read these resources to ready yourself for the trip in. Bear spray is always recommended when travelling in the Rockies.
Parks Canada - Bear Awareness
Town of Banff - Wildlife & Habitat
via REDEARTH CREEK
Rating: Moderate
Distance: 14km
Elevation gain: 440m
Allow: 4 to 5 hours one way
*Redearth Creek is the preferred winter access route
Trailhead: The Redearth Creek parking lot off of the Trans-Canada Highway 19.6km west of the Town of Banff. This is our most popular route into Shadow Lake Lodge. You can hike or bike (10.5km) on the old fire road, and easy-to-follow trail.
From the parking lot, the trail is a gradual climb on a wide, tree fringed dirt road. At the 7km mark, the trail meets the Lost Horse campground and continues on to a signed junction at approximately 10.5km. Turn right (northeast) off of the fire road towards Shadow Lake. All bikes are to be locked at the provided bike rack at this point. The path steepens briefly, then levels out for the last 2.4km to the lodge. This last part of the trip will take you approximately 30 - 40 minutes.
Check out Parks Canada trail report for the latest conditions.
via ARNICA / TWIN LAKES
*Please be advised that this is an alternate route. The standard approach is via Redearth Creek (above).
Rating: Moderate to Strenuous
Distance: 14.0km
Elevation gain: 960m
Allow: 6 to 7 hours one way
Trailhead: Vista Lake Viewpoint, approximately 8.2km south of Castle Junction on Highway 93 South.
This is a very scenic route, starting with a 120m descent to Vista Lake. Then the work begins. The trail is seldom steep, but you never stop climbing until you reach Arnica Lake. Known for its fishing, this is a small but colourful lake of varied greens.
The trail carries on to Upper Twin Lake. You first climb 75m to a narrow pass covered with alpine flowers on the east slope of Storm Mountain. You then descend 160m to Upper Twin Lake, with another descend of 50m to Lower Twin Lake. At this point you cross over the small bridge from the out flow of the lake and start your climb up to Gibbon Pass, 2.9km (note: do not take the trail to the Lower Twin Lake to get to the lodge). At the top of the pass, the trail will then take you down to the lodge.
There is a lot of up and down with this route, but all of it is at a moderate grade.
**For Sunshine Village access & Hawk Creek access: Please contact the lodge for further information.