The best hike to see golden larches in Banff National Park is the Healy Pass Trail, which starts from Sunshine Village, only a 22 minute drive from Banff Town.
Healy Pass is an amazing hike to see golden larches in Banff because it is not as busy during larch season as some of the other trails, and it offers amazing mountain views as well as beautiful golden larches. The Healy Pass hike is also very diverse, with little rivers and bridges every so often, a beautiful mossy floored forest, grassy meadows, and incredible views.
Another cool thing about Healy Pass is that there is a backcountry campground in the middle of the trail, which gives you a glimpse into backcountry camping if you have never tried it before!
I have hiked Healy Pass twice now, both times during the fall season, and both times were absolutely stunning! The Healy Pass hike is quite long, and the golden larch trees aren’t until about 8km in, but once you get there, it is so worth it!
In this article, I will cover the details of the Healy Pass hike in Banff, as well as how to get to the trailhead, a description of the hike, what to bring hiking, the best time to hike Healy Pass, trails you can continue hiking past Healy Pass, other things to know, frequently asked questions, and some other information about hiking during the larch season!
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Healy Pass Hike Details At a Glance:
- Elevation Gain: 815m
- Type: Out & Back
- Distance: Just under 18 km round trip
- Trailhead: Starts at Sunshine Village Ski Resort
- Difficulty: Rated as difficult because of endurance
- Facilities: There is a toilet in the parking lot, and an outhouse at the Healy Pass Campground you’ll pass through!
Getting to the Healy Pass Trailhead
To get to the trailhead for Healy Pass, you will want to hop in your car and drive West on the Trans Canada Highway (Highway 1) for about 10 minutes (10 km) until you see the exit for Sunshine Village.
Exit here onto Sunshine Road, and follow this road until you arrive at the Sunshine Village parking lot!
You will see a small parking lot on your left as you’re driving this road, this is not the parking lot you want!
Continue driving until you basically can’t anymore. You will eventually arrive to a huge parking lot and this is where you want to be for the trailhead to Healy Pass!
If you’re exploring the Canadian Rockies without a vehicle, there is a free shuttle that leaves from Downtown Banff to the Sunshine Village parking lot, which is where the Healy Pass trailhead is located.
In the same parking lot as the Healy Pass trailhead is the gondola up to Sunshine Meadows where you can also hike around.
If you wanted an easier hike, you could take the gondola up to Sunshine Meadows and hike to Healy Pass from there! This would be stunning, although budget a lot of time for this because hiking around Sunshine Meadows in itself is amazing, and to get over to Healy Pass, you would be leaving the meadows.
Healy Pass Hike in Banff
Hiking Healy Pass starts at the Sunshine Village trailhead. You will need to park and grab everything that you need for the day. It is a longer hike so make sure you pack enough snacks and water before you begin!
To get to the trailhead itself, you will walk towards the building that you see where the gondolas are. Instead of going into the building and riding the gondola up to Sunshine Meadows, continue walking past this building and towards the forest.
You will see a sign for the Healy Pass trail, and this is where you start hiking!
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First Part of the Healy Pass Hike
You’ll start by hiking up a gravel fireroad and then a dirt path that is a steady incline through the forest. You will also come across some fun footbridges as well!
The majority of the hike is actually through this forest, and at this point you won’t be at a high enough elevation to see any of the larch trees yet.
Continue hiking for a good amount of time, stopping for breaks whenever you need to, until you make it to the Healy Pass Backcountry Campground.
This backcountry campground really isn’t anything special! I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to stay here, unless you’re doing a multi-day backpacking trip and need to break it up with a stop here.
What I do love about the campground though is there is an outhouse! Although it’s kind of gross, it’s great if you need to use the bathroom while hiking. Just make sure you packed some toilet paper.
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Second Part of the Healy Pass Hike
From the campground, keep on hiking! When the trail splits, make sure you check the signs to ensure you stay on the right trail. At one point it splits and you could end up continuing on to Simpson Pass instead of Healy Pass if you don’t double check.
You’ll continue through the forest, and there are two steeper parts you’ll have to power through, but trust me it is worth it because you are almost at the larches at this point! If you’re hiking in mid-summer (July-ish), you might start to see wildflowers at this point!
Soon you will arrive at a bridge over Healy Creek and get to one of my favourite parts of the hike, a stunning meadow with beautiful views of the mountains, larches (or wildflowers!) and it will all be worth it!
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Third Part of the Healy Pass Hike
This is the last part of the hike, where you’ll wander through these meadows with amazing larch views, until you come to an incredible view of all of the larches, lakes, and mountains in the distance!
You can find some rocks to hang out on and soak everything up, take photos, and enjoy all of the hard work you did to get here!
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Continue Hiking From Healy Pass
If you are a stronger hiker and want to extend your hike, you can continue on to Egypt Lake, or take Simpson Pass back on the way down (where the trail forked on the way up).
The Egypt Lake campground is a popular backcountry campground if you are visiting here, and I would really recommend staying here if you are wanting to do an Egypt Lake hike!
Personally, I was super tired after just hiking Healy Pass, and I wouldn’t have been able to make it to Egypt Lake and back in one day!
What to Bring on Your Day Hike:
Since the Healy Pass is a bit of a longer hike, make sure you have everything you’ll need!
Things I bring hiking are:
- Snacks & water: I packed a full lunch and snacks to eat on the way!
- A way to carry-out your garbage: Always remember to Leave No Trace and carry your garbage/fruit peels with you!
- Layers: It’s can be cold at Healy Pass! And the weather in the mountains can be unpredictable. If you have layers and a packable rain jacket, it’ is always good to have’s always good to be prepared.
- Sturdy shoes: You can wear hiking shoes/boots, or a good pair of runners.
- Your camera because it’s beautiful!
- Toilet paper: if you want to use the outhouse!
- Bear spray: You are hiking in bear country! During the summer bears are out and about, and during the fall they are actively searching for food to prepare for the winter season. It is up to you to keep yourself safe, and you should always have bear spray while hiking in the Canadian Rockies!
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Best Time to Hike Healy Pass
Healy Pass is a beautiful hike in general during hiking season. I have seen people hiking (on AllTrails) in the winter, but the best time to hike is between late June to early October!
In late June, there may still be snow lingering around (depending on how winter/spring goes). By mid-July, the wildflowers will be at their peak and everything will be green! The meadows at Healy Pass are amazing during wildflower season.
In mid-September to early October the larch trees come out and Healy Pass is a stunning golden colour! Peak larch time changes every year, so monitor reviews on AllTrails to see when the larches are the best, or Canadian Rockies facebook groups!
In my opinion, mid-July during wildflower season and mid-September to early October during larch season is the best time to hike Healy Pass.
Other Things to Know About Healy Pass
A few other things I wanted to include about Healy Pass (or reiterate in case you missed it above!):
- Healy Pass Backcountry campground: There is a backcountry campground along the trail, although it’s not the best campground to actually camp at! There is, however, an outhouse here if you need to use it while hiking (pack toilet paper).
- It is LONG: The elevation gain is quite gradual on the hike, but the distance is what got me! The Healy Pass hike is quite the distance, so be prepared for this!
- Do not forget your bear spray
- You won’t see the larches until about 8km in!!
- You can check recent reviews on Healy Pass on AllTrails: I like to do this when I want to see recent trail conditions or what the larches are like!
- Because you are stopping in a Canadian National Park, you will have to have purchased a Canadian National Parks Pass!
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Healy Pass FAQ
It usually takes between 5-7 hours to hike Healy Pass! It really depends on your skill level and how long you want to take photos/spend in the meadows. It took me about 6.5 hours each time!
You park at the Sunshine Village parking lot! It is huge so you don’t have to worry about fighting for parking, especially during larch season.
The elevation gain for Healy Pass is about 815m!
Other Hikes to see Larches in Banff:
- Larch Valley From Moraine Lake: This hike is EXTREMELY popular. You can no longer park at Moraine Lake and therefore you will need to book a spot on the Parks Canada Shuttle Bus, or ROAM Transit runs a bus from Downtown Banff to Moraine Lake during larch season.
- Taylor Lake: At Taylor Lake, there is an unofficial trail through larch meadows, which makes it a perfect hike to see larches in Banff.
- Big Beehive From Lake Louise: The Big Beehive hike has some larches, but also offers incredible views of Lake Louise and the surrounding mountains. It is stunning at anytime during hiking season!
Hiking in Kananaskis is also an amazing places to see the larches! It is super popular though during larch season, so you will need to get to most of the hikes in this area super early for a parking spot.
For even more larch hikes in Banff National Park, check out this post from Banff & Lake Louise, which goes into more detail with 8 Larch Hikes in Banff National Park.
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Other Good Things to Know About Hiking in Larch Season:
WHEN IS LARCH SEASON IN ALBERTA?
Larch season in Alberta & Banff National Park starts mid-September and ends usually in early October. There is a very small window to enjoy the golden larches while on a hike before all of their needles fall, so make sure to be flexible and visit during this time.
BE PREPARED FOR THE WEATHER
The weather in Banff National Park can change unexpectedly. The day can be super sunny and warm, and then clouds can roll in and it can randomly start snowing. Make sure to bring enough layers so that you are prepared! I always pack a toque and little gloves when hiking in Banff, even if it’s summertime.
WATCH FOR WILDLIFE
It is rutting season for elk from mid-August to October, which means elk are breeding and males can be a bit more aggressive. Bears are also preparing for winter, so they may be less aware of their surroundings than normal. Just be aware of this and respect the animals if you see any.
Hiking Healy Pass Summary
Healy Pass is an amazing hike to do in Banff National Park, especially during peak wildflower or peak larch season! It is one of my favourite fall hikes I’ve done, although it is also quite a long hike too!
Start at the Sunshine Village parking lot to start hiking, and spend quite a bit of time in the trees until you make it to the amazing meadow where you will continue to hike and be rewarded with amazing vistas and views!
Don’t forget to pack everything you’ll need (especially your camera and bear spray!) and enjoy this amazing hike in Banff!
Have you done a hike to see the larches in Banff National Park before? If so, which hike, and what was your experience? If not, what larch hikes are on your bucket list?
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More Hikes in Banff and the Area:
- 16 Easy Hikes Near Banff
- Mistaya Canyon Hike in Banff National Park
- Hiking Sunshine Meadows in Banff
- How to get to the Suspension Bridge in Kananaskis, AB
- Chester Lake Hike in Kananaskis, AB
- Ptarmigan Cirque Hike in Kananaskis, Alberta
Keep Reading:
- Banff National Park Bucket List
- Lake Louise One Day Itinerary
- Tips for Visiting Banff on a Budget
- 4 Day Itinerary for Banff National Park
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Hey! I’m Kat. Based in Alberta, Canada I love to travel to the Rockies and explore new places around the world. Follow along on my adventures and find inspiration and tips for your own travels.
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