2024 Campsite Reservation Guide for Alberta and BC

Here we go again! We're still making plans for ski getaways and now it's time to start thinking about the camping season as well. Ready or not, it's time to pull out that calendar and to start planning for the summer.

The May long weekend is coming soon! 

National Park Reservations 

National Park campsites can be booked online for the entire 2024 camping season beginning in JANUARY this year.

Reservations will open in January for the entire 2024 visitor season.

And unlike with provincial parks, there is no 90 day or three month window. You can book any site for a stay during the entire camping season once reservations go live. 

The initial reservation launch date has been staggered by park to ensure that the website doesn't crash.

Below is the reservation launch schedule for national parks near Calgary:

Banff National Park - Friday, January 26th at 8 am MT for front country camping and Monday, January 29th at 8 am MT for backcountry camping.

Scroll further below for more information on day use shuttle bus reservations for Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.

And NEW FOR 2024, The Silverhorn and Rampart Campgrounds on the Icefields Parkway will be fully reservable (no more first come campsites.)

Jasper National Park -  Tuesday, January 30th at 8 am MT for front country camping and Thursday, February 1st at 8 am MT for backcountry camping.


Waterton Lakes National Park - Wednesday, January 24th at 8am MT for front country camping in the Townsite Campground along with backcountry camping.


Kootenay National Park, BC  - Tuesday, January 23rd at 8 am MT for front country camping and Monday, January 29th at 8 am MT for backcountry camping (same as Banff and Yoho for backcountry reservations)

Yoho National Park, BC - Tuesday, January 23rd at 8 am MT for front country camping and Monday, January 29th at 8 am MT for backcountry camping (same as Banff and Yoho for backcountry reservations)

Backcountry Campsites at Lake O'Hara can be reserved online for the entire summer season starting Thursday, January 25th at 8 am MT.

Reservations for guided Burgess Shale hikes go live the same day as front country campground reservations on January 23rd.

Scroll further below for more information on day use shuttle bus service to Lake O'Hara.

Mount Revelstoke National Park, BC - Friday, January 19th at 8 am PT for both front country and backcountry camping

Glacier National Park, BC - Friday, January 19th  at 8 am PT for both front country and backcountry camping

Soon! We'll be camping in the sunshine again soon.

Day Use Shuttle Bus Service for Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park: 

In 2024, reservations for the Lake O'Hara day-use shuttle will once again be available by way of random draw or lottery. More information on the lottery and shuttle bus service can be found on the Parks Canada website.

Read more about camping and day hiking at Lake O'Hara here. 

And check out my most recent guide: The BEST of Lake O'Hara in a Day!

Visiting world-famous Lake O'Hara requires a lot of luck every year

Day Use Shuttle Bus Reservations for Moraine Lake and Lake Louise in Banff:

Reservable shuttles to Moraine Lake and the Lake Louise lakeshore will be online again for this summer.  Reservations can be made starting Thursday, April 18th at 8am MT.

Reservations can be made on the same website that you use to book campsites.

And note, there is no public vehicle access for Moraine Lake. You'll need to reserve seats on the shuttle bus, take Roam Public Transit, or bike up to the lake. Lake Louise is still accessible, but the parking lot fills up very quickly each day so you're better off taking a bus to reach this destination as well.

Should you decide to drive up to Lake Louise, you'll still have to pay for parking as well, so the shuttle is again, my recommended way of visiting this premier tourist attraction in Banff.

Read more about accessing Lake Louise and Moraine Lake here. 

In 2023, the Moraine Lake Road was scheduled to open on May 13th. I recommend watching for the 2024 opening date (for bus access) because it's a lovely bike ride when there are no vehicles on the road. You just have to time your visit so that the snow has melted.

Note the hiking trails will still be snowy in May, so an early season bike ride would purely be an opportunity to view the lake and enjoy a peaceful visit.

For full information on reservations in all parks:

Visit the Parks Canada website. You can also visit individual parks from this link to read up on the campgrounds.

Plan a day hike at Lake Louise or Moraine Lake with shuttle bus tickets for easy access 

Making a Reservation on the Parks Canada website

As of 2021, Parks Canada has gone with a queue system for campsite bookings.

The basic process for booking sites is as follows:

1. Log in to your Parks Canada account on the day that you can book sites for your chosen park BEFORE 8AM MT (8AM PT for Mount Revelstoke and Glacier.)
   
   
2. You will be placed in the queue and given a random number. You won't know what number you have until 8am when they shuffle everybody in the queue. You may be number 50, you may be number 5000. It is 100% random. 
   
   
3. It does NOT matter if you join the queue at 7:30 or at 7:59. There is no rhyme or reason for your place in the queue.
   
   
4. Make sure you have at least one to two hours of free time to make your bookings. If you have to work, try to find somebody else who has free time that morning to make your bookings for you. If you end up with a high number in the queue, you may be waiting for over an hour to get on the website to make your bookings.
   
   
5. You can not choose your campsite before joining the queue. You can try, but everything will be shuffled at 8am and so anything you had done before this time will be lost. You should still know which sites you are trying to book, but have it written beside you on a piece of paper.
   
   
6. You won't have much time to make your bookings (especially if you have multiple bookings to make.) Make sure your credit card information is handy and know what you're trying to book before you log on to the website.
   
   
7. Most people try to get more than one number in the queue to increase their odds at getting a good number. This is only possible though if you have more than one computer/laptop in the house. You can not just open multiple tabs in the same browser. Every browser shares the same number in the queue. 
   
   You can however open different browsers on the same computer to get more than one number in the queue. (Example, log in with both Chrome and Safari.) 
   
   Note, if you do get multiple numbers in the queue, please go with your best number and then close all other browsers so that those numbers can be released to other people trying to book. 
   
   
8. Make sure you're actively monitoring your browser as your number counts down!! If you miss your time to book your campsites, you'll have to join the queue again and you'll be at the back of the line. 

Reservations may be stressful at the time, but worth it come summer!

Other Tips for Getting the Site you Want!

• You will want to book campsites the day that the reservation system opens for each park and at 8am sharp if planning on camping on weekends during the summer season. There will be more flexibility if camping mid-week or in the spring/fall months.
  
  

• Tag team with friends to get sites you really want (especially if you are looking for sites side by side.)
  
  Make sure you exchange all booking info. with your friends ahead of time because you can't hold more than one permit in your name for the same date/campground. If booking for friends, you'll want their full name and address. You'll also want to know the size of their trailer or tent along with how many people they will have on their site. (And if you are booking for friends who haven't committed yet, you can change the name on a campsite permit before you show up.)
  
  

• There are still several first come first serve campgrounds in the national parks if you don't get a site.
  
  
• Consider private campgrounds if you can't get into a national park campground or choose provincial park campgrounds just outside the national park.
  
  For example, in Waterton, you can camp at nearby Beauvais Lake Provincial Park. For Banff, we like camping outside the park gates at the Bow Valley  Campground. There are many private campgrounds in the Radium Hot Springs area if you can't get into Redstreak as well.
  
  
• Make sure there is a fire pit on the site that you are reserving. Some sites in Banff and Jasper do not allow fires.

AND THIS IS THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION

Everybody looks forward to that first camping trip of the season!

Alberta Provincial Park Reservations

As of February 12, 2024, Alberta Parks camping reservations will move to shop.albertaparks.ca. Inventory goes live for booking beginning on February 20, 2024.

From the Alberta Parks website:

• If you already have a shop.albertaparks.ca account, there is no need to make a new account; just be sure to update your account with any changes to your information.
  
  
• If you are a new user you can create an account now. Camping inventory will be available to browse on February 12th.
  
  
• Head to albertaparks.ca/reservations to browse through Frequently Asked Questions and How To Videos and Guides on how to create an account and make a reservation, prior to inventory going live for bookings. 
  
  
• Questions? Call the Call Centre at 1-877-537-2757 for assistance.
  
  
• You will have access to your existing reserve.albertaparks.ca account until February 18th, 2024 to take note of sites you have reserved in the past as this data will not transfer over to the new system.  
  
  
• Reserve.albertaparks.ca accounts and data will NOT be available after February 19, 2024.

Read more about all new updates with Alberta Parks Reservations this year here. 

Grab a group of friends and book some great campsites this summer in a provincial park

Camping Inventory Launch Dates: 

Backcountry reservations launch: February 20 at 9:00 a.m. MST 

Comfort Camping reservations launch: February 22 at 9:00 a.m. MST

Individual Campsites reservations launch: February 26 at 9:00 a.m. MST

Group Camping reservations launch: February 28 at 9:00 a.m. MST  

5,000 First Come First Serve campsites remain available across the province. More information is available at: albertaparks.ca/fcfs

Group camping at Twin Lakes, Crimson Lake Provincial Park

What has NOT changed:

Reservations can be made 90 days in advance for individual and backcountry camping and 180 days in advance for group and comfort camping. 

Once reservations begin, the first date when reservations can be made will be 90 days before the campground’s season opening dates for individual campsites.

Online bookings still open at 9 am MST each day.

It's all worth it come summer when you finally get to go camping

Special Tips:

• Follow many of the same tips as per national park bookings above. Tag team with friends (especially for group bookings) and pay very close attention to those 90 or 180 day windows!
  
  
• Make sure everything is in your calendar with reminders! I even put reminders beside my computer, my coffee pot, and my bed the night before making a campsite reservation so that I don't accidentally forget.
  
  
• If you don't get the site that you want, there are plenty of first come first serve campgrounds. Many campgrounds also have a small number of  FCFS campsites. A Full List of FCFS Campgrounds can be found here.
  
  
• Consider booking a group site if you have at least 5 families coming with you. You'll get your own private campground or group area and will have lots of room for the kids to run around and play.
  
  Note that most group sites do not have power or services for RVs so you'll have to either bring generators or camp off the grid as we do. Most group sites can be booked with a payment for 5 units but some require payment for 10 units so make sure you check the details before reserving a site. Full info. on group camping can be found here.

See more booking tips from Alberta Parks here. 

Spring Camping in Dinosaur Provincial Park

Important Links:

Alberta Parks Online Reservation Information

Comfort Camping in AB Parks  

Backcountry Reservations


AND THIS IS THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION: Reservation website 

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is a beautiful place to camp in Kananaskis 

British Columbia Provincial Park Reservations

BC Parks launched a new reservation service in 2022, so if it's been a few years, you'll have to create a new account.

Visit the new reservation service here. 

And reservations can be booked 4 months in advance of all trips (which is very different from Alberta Provincial Parks.) You'll be able to book sites for the May long weekend in January.

Backcountry permits are also available to reserve 4 months in advance of your trip.

And all new sites become available in the system at 7am PT each morning.

- and note that the Berg Lake Trail was closed for the 2023 season. Information has not been released yet for 2024 so visit the BC Parks website for updates.

And group campsites can be booked a full year in advance.

Beach life at Kokanee Creek Provincial Park, West Kootenays

Using the BC Parks Booking System

Online bookings open at 7 am PT each day and can be made on the BC Parks Reservation website.

** And note that BC Parks has also gone to the queue system so you may have to wait to get onto the parks reservation website in the morning.

Read more about the queue system under national park bookings above.

Reservations are NOT Transferable once Booked 

"Reservations are not transferable. Reservation holder name(s) ("Occupant Name" and alternate "Optional Authorized Person") must be provided at the time of booking and cannot be added or changed later. Any reservation holders found to be transferring or selling their reservations to another party, risk their reservation being cancelled without a refund. If a customer can no longer use their reservation, they are encouraged to cancel it so that any unused camping fees that are not forfeited as a penalty, can be refunded to the credit card that was used to make the original reservation."

And know that at least ONE of the reservation holders must be present upon arrival and during the stay. ID may be required to prove you are the reservation holder. - So don't think you can just sell your site to another family and have them "pretend" to be you. 

You can not reserve extra nights to "save" a site

And if you think you can book early, accept you'll get no refund for un-used nights, and just show up on Friday night, that isn't going to work!

"Reserved sites are held until 11 AM the day after the scheduled arrival date. If you do not notify the park operator directly of a late arrival, you will be considered a no-show and your reservation will be cancelled." - and your site will be given away!

And, pay close attention to the restricted booking window!

"If your reservation is made on the first day of the four-month booking window, you cannot change your dates. For example, if your arrival date is July 1 and you booked on March 1, you cannot change the arrival or departure date."

Imagine scoring a campsite here!

Camping in BC provincial parks over Long Weekends

To make a reservation for a statutory holiday weekend, you are required to book a minimum of 3 nights.

The nights you must camp are below for 2024:

Victoria Day: Monday May 20, 2024 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights)

Canada Day: Monday, July 1, 2024 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights)

BC Day: Monday August 5, 2024 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights)

Labour Day: Monday September 2, 2024 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights)

Thanksgiving: Monday October 14, 2024 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)

Follow this link for information on making reservations. 

For Bookings, Follow this Link to BCParks.ca 

The are some amazing places to camp across British Columbia!

Other Suggested Reading 

Camping Super Guide - This is a quick guide to all of my popular camping stories for easy reference and reading. I add to this page regularly.

Notable stories to check out:

How to Choose a Good Campsite (Family Camping Made Easy) 

5 Tips for Getting a Campsite without a Reservation

The Best Provincial Park Campgrounds in Southern Alberta 

Where to Camp in the National Parks of Alberta

Our 5 Favourite Campgrounds (within a 3 hour drive of Calgary)

The 5 Best Waterside Campgrounds near Calgary   

Alberta Comfort Camping Destination Guide 

 

 

Autumn Larch Hiking at Shadow Lake Backcountry Lodge, Banff

 Shadow Lake is one of the most beautiful destinations in backcountry Banff National Park, and it is easily reached year round via the Redearth Creek Trail. The trail can be hiked, biked, or skied as a long day trip (14 km one way,) but I recommend splurging on an overnight stay at the decadent Shadow Lake Lodge.

A few weeks ago, I was given an incredible opportunity to spend two nights at the backcountry Shadow Lake Lodge in Banff with my family, and we were able to time our trip to see the golden larch trees above the lodge.

Backcountry Shadow Lake Lodge in Banff National Park

As a family we got to experience the luxury of going backpacking in the Canadian Rockies without a tent or sleeping bag, and we carried nothing other than our regular day hiking gear, lunch for the first day, and basic overnight items.

Waiting for us was our own private cabin at the lodge, gourmet home cooked meals, hot water + showers, and comfortable beds to sleep in!

Note, there have been operational changes starting in winter 2024-25. All stays are now self-catered. Read more below.

Frosted larch trees on our hike in to Shadow Lake Lodge

Introduction to Shadow Lake Lodge

Shadow Lake Lodge was first established as a backcountry rest house by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1930. Ownership was then transferred to the Brewster family of Banff in 1938 who ran the property as a backcountry lodge until just recently when the lodge was sold to the Alpine Club of Canada in 2019. (Read more about the history of the lodge here.)

The Alpine Club of Canada maintains a large collection of backcountry huts, cabins, and shelters across Southern Alberta and BC, but Shadow Lake is their first luxury property offering private cabins rather than a shared cabin where you all sleep together slumber party style in the same room.

The lodge is situated in a beautiful meadow half a kilometre from Shadow Lake (easily visited in the evening after dinner or the next morning after breakfast.)

Shadow Lake is a short walk from the lodge, and perfect for those sunset and sunrise photos

NEW Exciting Operational Changes as of Winter 2024-2025

The following is from the Alpine Club of Canada.

"Looking ahead to 2025, we’re excited to share some significant changes to our operational model. Going forward, we will be providing accommodation with fewer services and a corresponding reduced price. These changes will make the lodge and this breathtaking backcountry area of Banff National Park more accessible to all of our guests and ACC members."

 Here is what you can expect from a stay at Shadow Lake Lodge:

• A self-catered kitchen shared by all of our guests. Guests will bring and prepare their own food. There will be a propane fridge + oven available for guests to use as well in the kitchen.
  
  
• Private, heated cabins with the same excellent facilities, but without linens. Guests will bring their own sleeping bags.
  
  
• Cabins will remain private (not shared with other guests or groups) and will accommodate between two and five guests each.
  
  
• Continued access to the communal washhouse, lounge, and dining areas for your enjoyment. Bring your own towels.
  
  
• A full-time custodian who will host our guests.
  
  
• Wine, beer, and SLL merchandise available for purchase.

Gourmet meals used to be included at the lodge

A Backcountry Lodge with Private Cabins, Showers, and Hot Water

Nothing says decadence in the backcountry like hot water and sleeping in a real bed off the ground! Take a hot shower when you arrive and enjoy a comfortable sleep in your own private cabin with two double or queen sized beds per cabin. - Bring sleeping bags.

There are no bathrooms in the cabins, but the shower cabin is a short walk away where you'll find toilets, sinks with hot running water, and then of course the showers. Bring your own towel.

Other than the private cabins, there are two shared cabins, one for meals, and one with a fireplace for common gathering in the evenings. The gathering cabin was a cozy place for us on our recent stay where we could curl up by the fire to read in the afternoon or play games in the evening after dinner. And don't worry about bringing games because the lodge has many to choose from.

Our cozy private cabin at Shadow Lake

The common gathering cabin was a warm welcoming place to read or play games

Overnight Stays at Shadow Lake Lodge

The lodge used to require two night stays from their guests. This has changed to nightly stays permitted for the 2024-25 winter season and all stays going forward. There is no more two-night minimum.

All stays are priced per cabin so if you see $350 on the website, that is the cabin price for 2-5 people.

For information on rates at the lodge, visit the Shadow Lake website. And I encourage you to sign up for their newsletter where they promote their specials.

Photo below shows a queen cabin when blankets and linens were provided. Now you must bring your own sleeping bags. 

Pillows will be available as long as guests bring their own pillow case. (You will not receive a pillow if you don't bring a case.)

Each cabin has two queen or double beds

The Fall Advantage to Backcountry Stays at Shadow Lake Lodge

Fall is a beautiful time to hike, and an even better time to get into the backcountry when you can escape the crowds by hiking further than the average person is willing to go in a day to view golden larch trees.

And, you can book for fall 2025 right now on the Shadow Lake Lodge website! 

Leave the crowds behind on your September larch hike!

Trails are crazy at the end of September when larch trees are at their peak for color, but we found the further we hiked towards Shadow Lake, the less people we started to see on the trail, until it was just us at Gibbon Pass surrounded by hundreds of golden larch trees, all by ourselves.

The hike to Gibbon Pass isn't terribly far at approximately 11 km one way, but then you have to hike back out that same 11 kilometres - unless you're dropping down the other side of the pass to stay at Shadow Lake Lodge! Then you get to enjoy a 14 km one-way hike with warm lodging and meals waiting at the end.

Hiking through golden larch trees at Gibbon Pass, no crowds!

Gibbon Pass above Shadow Lake Lodge

Access the backcountry in September without having to sleep in a tent!

I love the "idea" of fall backpacking to escape the crowds and reach remote places in backcountry Banff, but then I think about sleeping in a tent, when the temperature goes down to zero at night, and when it often snows unexpectedly, and I'm less excited about the idea.

Tent or cabin? Not a difficult decision late September

Late September mornings and evenings can be pretty chilly in the mountains but then the temperature generally warms up for pleasant daytime hiking. We loved staying at Shadow Lake Lodge because we could enjoy our time outside while the sun was up, and then we'd retreat into the warm lodge cabins as the sun disappeared behind the mountains and the temperature dropped ten degrees in less than an hour.

On our recent trip to Shadow Lake it snowed overnight, both nights we were at the lodge, but we were cozy and warm inside our cabin. We weren't huddled around a backcountry stove trying to cook dinner or breakfast with frozen fingers, and we weren't stuck sitting inside our tent for hours all evening (huddled in sleeping bags for warmth.) 

Late September at Shadow Lake Lodge and we were happy we weren't camping!

Access to Shadow Lake via Redearth Creek (hiking, biking or skiing)

The easiest access for the lodge is via the Redearth Creek Trail which is basically an old gravel/dirt road. The trail is used by mountain bikers, cross country skiers, and hikers looking to access Shadow Lake and the Bow Valley Highline Trail which runs all the way from Sunshine Village in Banff to Vista Lake on the Banff border with Kootenay National Park.

Redearth Creek isn't the most interesting trail in the Rockies but it provides the shortest and easiest way to get to Shadow Lake. You hike the old road for 11km to the junction with Pharaoh Creek and then continue for a final 3km on a narrower trail to the lodge.

The Redearth Creek Trail is the easiest way to access Shadow Lake Lodge

The first 11 kilometres can be biked, but you must lock your bike up at the junction before the final climb to the lodge. (There are bike racks at the junction.) The next 3 kilometres starts with a steep hill for about 15 minutes and then the trail flattens out again for easier hiking. (Skiers usually walk the hill.)

Overall, the trail gains less than 500 metres of height, spread out over the 14 km. It's an easy mountain bike ride and an intermediate trail for cross-country skiing. As a hike, it's very easy compared to the other trails that access Shadow Lake, and the elevation gain is always very gradual (other than the one hill at the junction.)

Allow for 4 to 5 hours to reach the lodge if hiking. 

In the winter, this is one of my favourite cross-country ski trails.

I highly recommend skiing this trail in winter

Access to Shadow Lake via Arnica Lake and Gibbon Pass (Summer / Fall Hiking)

I've been to Shadow Lake a few times in summer/autumn and I've always hiked in via Vista, Arnica and Twin Lakes, which is a more scenic approach than the Redearth Creek Trail. I call it the "Grand Lake Traverse" because you'll pass four gorgeous lakes as you hike in to the lodge.

Day hikers love the trail to Arnica Lake (which is extremely busy late September for larch hiking) but you'll lose most of the hikers the further you go towards Gibbon Pass, above the final Twin Lake.

On my family's recent trip we hiked in and out over Gibbon Pass using the Vista Lake trailhead. For an easier trip, park a second vehicle at Redearth Creek for the return hike out. The distance is the same for both trails, but there's much more height gain on the trail over Gibbon Pass.

You can see from the map below where we started at the parking lot on the border with Kootenay National Park on Highway 93. This is a very scenic trail which descends from the highway to Vista Lake before climbing to Arnica Lake, the Twin Lakes, and then Gibbon Pass. You descend from Gibbon Pass to arrive at the lodge.

It took us just under 6 hours to complete the 14 km hike in via Arnica Lake and Gibbon Pass.

Note: If you're doing this hike in late September, you'll want to arrive at the parking lot by 9am at the latest or you won't get a spot. The parking lot is small, and the trail is very popular! - On weekends you might need to arrive even earlier.

Map courtesy of Shadow Lake Lodge

Hiking to Shadow Lake via Arnica Lake 

The trail to Arnica Lake begins by losing 137 metres of height as you descend to Vista Lake in 1.4 kilometres.

looking down on Vista Lake from the trailhead off Highway 93

Vista Lake is a stunning emerald green color

You then climb 579 metres to reach Arnica Lake over 3.6 km and this is where you'll earn the decadent meals at Shadow Lake. I always find this section to be a grind, but the reward of reaching Arnica Lake is worth it.

Looking WAY down on Vista Lake from the trail to Arnica Lake

Arnica Lake was gorgeous on our visit with frosted larch trees and snowy mountains

Arnica Lake is a popular day hike for golden larch viewing. On our visit, it had recently snowed and the views of the frosty trees reflected in the still water was stunning.

Hiking from Arnica Lake to the Twin Lakes 

Upon reaching Arnica Lake, you have another 138 metres to gain in less than a kilometre before you reach the high point above the Twin Lakes.

Upon reaching the high point, I recommend following a faint trail to your right which will take you to a viewpoint over Arnica Lake. It's the only place where you can look down on the lake. It's a popular viewpoint in fall when you can see many golden larch trees above the lake.

Looking down on Arnica Lake from the high point en route to the Twin Lakes

Most day hikers turn around here, meaning you'll have a quieter hike as you descend to the Twin Lakes.

From the high point, you descend 229 metres over 2.4 km to reach the first Twin Lake and a small backcountry campground. You can wave at the campground and happily proclaim that you have a cabin waiting for you.

Arnica "Summit" at the high point before dropping down to the Twin Lakes

The trail gets a bit boggy and wet around the Twin Lakes so expect a bit of mud. Fortunately there are simple wooden bridges over the worst sections and large boulders assist with one creek crossing.

I recommend poles to help with any rough sections.

The Upper Twin Lake is a beautiful spot for a lunch break

Hiking from the Twin Lakes to Gibbon Pass 

After reaching the two Twin Lakes, you begin to climb again to reach the top of Gibbon Pass. Fortunately, this is a very gradual section of trail and it's a breeze compared to the climb to Arnica Lake. And it's only 224 metres of very gradual climbing here spread out over 2.7 km.

You'll know you're getting close to the pass when larch trees begin to surround you on all sides and the trail becomes simply golden late September.

Hiking through golden larch trees on the climb to Gibbon Pass

Gibbon Pass with the summit of "Little Copper" above, a popular day hike from the lodge

Hiking from Gibbon Pass down to Shadow Lake Lodge

From the top of the pass you still have 3 km to go, losing 450 metres of height, before you arrive at the lodge. Fortunately, it's all downhill, the trail isn't too steep, and we were able to run pretty quickly down most of it.

We were down and at the lodge in 45 minutes from the top of the pass. 15 minutes later we were inside the main dining cabin enjoying afternoon tea.

Gibbon Pass is one of my fav. places to visit in late September

It's suggested you allow up to 7 hours to hike in via Arnica Lake - and make sure you plan to arrive at the lodge by 4:00pm so you have time for afternoon tea before dinner. That would mean you should be on the trail by 9am.

It took us just under 6 hours to complete the hike in, but we were moving pretty quickly and didn't stop a lot.

The Twin Lakes were a snowy winter wonderland on our hike

Note RE distances and height gain: All distances and heights gained/lost are approximate! The numbers above are taken from my Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies book. Added up, they might not total the 14km (listed on the lodge website.)

I find every book, website, app to be different. When we tracked the hike, we actually tracked 15 km with 1000 metres of height gain.

See the route from Vista Lake to Shadow Lake Lodge on the All Trails website here.

Gibbon Pass with hundreds of golden larch trees

Exploring Shadow Lake from the Lodge

When you arrive at the lodge, staff will give you suggestions for day hikes from the lodge while staying there. The easiest choice, and the one we enjoyed on our middle day, is simply heading to the nearby lake and then walking further to the back of the lake as far as you want to go.

You can see a map and read about the hike on the All Trails site here: Shadow Lake and the Cirque above the lake 

Shadow Lake is beautiful year round and a short hike from the lodge

If you download the hike on your phone using the All Trails app, you'll find the unmarked side trail leading to a set of Parks Canada red chairs located on a peninsula half way along the lake. If you somehow miss finding the trail, as we did, watch for it on your way back from the end of the lake. You'll see the chairs as you hike back towards the lodge and then you'll know to watch for the next side trail. - This worked for us because we missed the trail on our way out.

Next time I visit this lake, it'll be frozen and snow covered

This hike would be 8-10 km return depending on how far past the lake into the cirque you climb. We were heading towards the cirque where I understand there are waterfalls, but it was cold, wet, and overcast on our middle day, and the warm fireplace was calling my name.

It took me three separate visits to finally find these red chairs this year!

Day Hiking to Gibbon Pass (with Little Copper summit extension)

If you didn't hike in via Gibbon Pass, this makes for an excellent day trip from the lodge. It is only 6 km return with 450 metres of height gain, and if you're at the lodge late September, this should definitely be your first choice for the golden larch trees. 

Photos earlier in this story show what you can usually expect to see at Gibbon Pass in autumn. Meanwhile, the photos below show what we experienced on our hike out from the lodge Sunday after we had snow two nights in a row.

Gibbon Pass was very snowy for our hike out from the lodge

From Gibbon Pass you can also continue on to the Twin Lakes, again if you didn't hike in this way, or even further to the high point above Arnica Lake.

See the full route on All Trails covering the Vista Lake - Arnica Lake - Twin Lakes - Gibbon Pass hike. Hike as far as you want from the lodge and return the same way.

A snowy hike through Gibbon Pass

Gibbon Pass late September

We hiked in over Gibbon Pass with lovely fall weather (as seen from my previous photos in this story.) Our hike out though was a snowy adventure and it felt like we'd stayed at the lodge for a month, advancing a full season.

From the pass, it's only another 300-400 metres of height gain to reach the summit of Little Copper where you'll find incredible views over the entire Bow Valley as well as views down to Shadow Lake.

Looking up at the summit of Little Copper from Gibbon Pass 

It was a snowy climb for us to reach the summit of Little Copper!

I honestly recommend every visitor to the lodge try to make their way to this beautiful summit where you'll get the best views from any of the day trips nearby.

We hiked to the summit on our way out, so it made for a longer but very worthwhile day.  And I'm pretty sure there's "usually" a trail to the top of Little Copper. We had too much snow when we were there, and had to create our own route (mostly hiking straight up through the larch trees, and then straight up the snow covered rock near the top.)

Looking down on Shadow Lake from the slopes of Little Copper

From the lodge, Gibbon Pass and Little Copper would be a nice 3-4 hour day hike and you'd be back in plenty of time for afternoon tea.

See the map and read about the hike on the All Trails website here:  Little Copper Mountain via Gibbon Pass .

Summit of Little Copper looking over Castle Mountain and the Bow Valley

Little Copper summit ridge with shadow Lake below

Plan Your Trip to Shadow Lake Lodge 

Visit the Shadow Lake website to view availability and rates for a potential upcoming visit. 

The lodge opens late June for the summer hiking season, and you can read about my summer trip earlier this year below:

Read: Backcountry Glamping at Shadow Lake Lodge, Banff National Park 

If planning an autumn trip, I highly recommend planning around the third or fourth week of September when the larch trees will be at their peak for golden splendor around Gibbon Pass above the lodge.

Grab a friend and book a couple of nights for this coming winter

After the larch hiking period in September, the lodge closes from October until January for ski season.

The lodge is magical in winter, and it's an easy snowshoe or winter hike up the Redearth Creek Trail. Intermediate cross-country skiers will also love the trip up the wide groomed trail.

Note the hiking trail over Gibbon Pass is not recommended in the winter due to significant avalanche hazard and difficulty of terrain.

This was my fav. ski trip last winter! I can't wait to repeat it this coming season

Disclaimer: My recent stay was hosted in partnership with the Alpine Club of Canada and Shadow Lake Lodge. All words, opinions, and photos are my own.