Hike the Cirque Lake Trail in Banff National Park
The Cirque Lake trail is a really scenic hike to a turquoise blue lake in Banff National Park. It’s not super popular, but it’s one that you should definitely check out along the Icefields Parkway!
This guide will tell you about hiking the Cirque Lake trail in Banff National Park, and everything you need to know for the adventure!
Head’s up: some of these links are affiliate links, so I get a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you). But that’s great, because I was going to share anyway, and this helps me keep making free guides for you!
Table of Contents
Pin this photo to save this Cirque Lake guide and reference it later!
About the Cirque Lake Hike
Before you hit the trail, here’s what you need to know about the Cirque Lake trail!
Cirque Lake Trail Stats
- Distance: 5.6 miles (9 kilometers) round trip
- Elevation Gain: 1174 feet (358 meters)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Hike Time: I recommend combing this with Chephren Lake! That’s what I did, and it took me 4 hours and 23 minutes total. If you just do Cirque lake, it’ll take around 2 hours 50 minutes, but of course it depends on how fast you hike. You can check out my hike on Strava!
Leave No Trace on the Cirque Lake Hike
Anytime you’re outdoors, it’s essential that you practice Leave No Trace (LNT). LNT is a set of seven principles that help us understand our impact on the outdoors – because while we usually have good intentions, the environment is more fragile than we think, and one snap-second decision can cause damage to the environment that will take the earth years, even decades to repair. This is a pretty popular hike, so it’s super important to make sure to prevent damage!
Leave No Trace means enjoying the outdoors without disrupting nature, as much as it’s possible to do so. Here are the 7 principles of LNT, and how they apply when you hike the Cirque Lake hike!
- Plan ahead and prepare – read this guide, know what to expect, and bring water. Make sure to have a map handy! I use All Trails for maps.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces – stay on the trail and don’t take any shortcuts, as this causes erosion, kills plant life, and damages trails.
- Dispose of waste properly – don’t leave trash, or anything else, behind. Pack it out!
- Leave what you find – I know it can be tempting to take a cool rock or leaf, but leave these things where they belong! Animals often use these, and if everyone takes one, the trail won’t be as pretty.
- Minimize campfire impacts – campfires are not allowed on the trail.
- Respect wildlife – don’t approach wild animals, and never feed them. There are often bear sightings on this trail, so be careful and make noise as you hike.
- Be considerate of other visitors – yield to uphill hikers, and be respectful – no speakers or loud music.
Try AllTrails+
Free for 7 days
Navigate on the trail, find hikes, and download offline maps for your adventure!
The Best Time to Hike the Cirque Lake Trail
The best time to hike the Cirque lake trail is usually June through October. Snow can linger into June, and sometimes even July, so definitely make sure to check weather conditions, and read recent AllTrails reviews.
This trail isn’t super popular, but the parking area is small. It’s best to hike this one early in the morning, or later in the evening to make sure you’re able to park!
What to Bring to Hike the Cirque Lake Trail
When you hike the Cirque Lake rail, here’s what you’ll need to bring! To see all of my favorite gear picks, you can check out my Rockporch.
What to Wear to Hike the Cirque Lake Trail
- Sun Shirt – this is my favorite thing to wear on hikes, as it provides sun protection while keeping you cool. I like the Mountain Hardware Crater Lake Hoodie, and the REI Sahara Shade Hoodie.
- Hiking Pants – I love the REI Trailmade Shorts and usually hike in them, but if you’re hiking in the cold, or want protection from ticks and bugs, I recommend the Trailmade Pants.
- Layers – it can definitely get chilly, so a lightweight windbreaker or a fleece is a good idea. For cold weather hikes, a down jacket will keep you warm.
- Hiking Shoes – I prefer hiking in sandals and usually hike in my Chacos, but boots are a good idea if you need more ankle support. I love my Danner boots!
- Socks – I love the Darn Tough socks whether I’m wearing sandals or boots. They’re wool, so they stay warm even when wet, and have some padding that’s extra comfy for long days on the trail!
What to Bring to Hike the Cirque Lake Trail
- Backpack – you’ll need a backpack for water and snacks. I use a Gregory Nano 18 Hydration Pack for day hikes.
- Water – water is a must, always – and bring more than you think you need. The Gregory backpack comes with a 3L reservoir, which I usually bring, along with a Nalgene water bottle that I put electrolytes in.
- Sunscreen – no matter the time of year, make sure to protect yourself from the sun.
- Headlamp – if you want to get an early start, or stay to watch the sunset, make sure to bring a headlamp. It’s also a good idea to always bring one just in case!
- Trekking Poles – hiking with poles can help with stability, and can be especially helpful if you have knee pain going downhill.
- Kula Cloth – if you squat to pee, a Kula Cloth is kind of life changing.
- Bug Spray – the mosquitos can be really brutal, so I definitely recommend bringing some bug spray.
- Bear Spray – it’s highly recommended to carry bear spray on this trail! Hopefully you never need it, but it’s always better to have it.
Bonus Tip: A lot of these links are for my favorite place to buy outdoor gear – Backcountry. If you install the free Lolli extension on your browser, you can earn free Bitcoin when you shop online at certain retailers, including Backcountry. You can transfer it to a crypto wallet, or just cash out to your bank account.
Directions to the Trailhead
If you’re flying in for your trip, the closest airport is Calgary International Airport, which is just about a 90 minute drive from Banff National Park.
Expedia is a good way to find flights and rental cars, I also super recommend signing up for Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) – they send you amazing deals, so you can find cheap flights to destinations all over the world. The free account is great and totally worth the few minutes it takes to sign up, and I do recommend the premium account too!
If you fly, you can rent a car through Discover Cars or Rental Cars.
The trailhead for this hike is along the Icefields Parkway, so from Calgary, you’ll get on Highway 1 and go west, then keep going north on Highway 93 just past Lake Louise. The parking lot is at the Waterfowl Lakes Campground.
Cirque Lake Trailhead Coordinates: 51.84443,-116.6243
Cirque Lake Trail Map
Here is the AllTrails map of the Cirque Lake hike.
Hiking the Cirque Lake Trail
Once you’ve parked and are ready to start hiking, here’s what you can expect on the Cirque Lake trail!
Trailhead
The trailhead is at the Waterfowl Lakes campground, and after you park, you’ll head left along the river. Soon, you’ll get to the bridge and leave the campground. It’s a flat forest walk for a little bit, and then it gets pretty steep. It doesn’t last very long though!
Bench and Fork in the Trail
At just a little over a mile (1.6 km) in, you’ll be at a sign that points left for Cirque Lake, and right for Chephren Lake. There’s also a wooden bench here if you want to take a break! If you’re doing both lakes, Cirque Lake is harder, so I’d recommend getting that done first.
Cirque Lake
You’ll keep walking through the forest, and soon you’ll be walking along the river. Some sections are steep, but overall, it’s not too bad. It is however, super muddy! The trees open up when you get to the lake, and you get a really incredible view. The shoreline is made up of big boulders, so you can find a place to sit and have a snack, or to jump in the lake.
Back to the Trailhead
To get back to the trailhead, you’ll walk back the way you came! Or, go back to the fork and continue on to Cephren Lake.
Where to Stay Near the Cirque Lake Hike
I definitely recommend taking at least a few days to explore Banff National Park. And while you’re here, there are plenty of options for places to stay.
camping Near Banff National Park
There are campsites in the park, but I recommend staying just outside of it, because it’ll be quieter, and easier to find a spot. There are some options for free camping near Banff National Park – so check out this guide to learn how to find free campsites! But, I also recommend checking out Hipcamp. It’s like Airbnb for camping, so you can book campsites, find unique glamping (like this yurt) and cabins, and more!
hotels NEar the Cirque Lake Trail
The nearest town to this trail is Banff – and I definitely recommend staying there. It’s a cute mountain town with incredible views, and it’s close to all of the adventures in the park!
Some options for places to stay:
For more options, check out Booking.com, or VRBO!
More Adventures Near the Cirque Lake Trail
Have you hiked this trail, or are you adding it to your bucket list? Let me know in a comment below!
The beginning of this trail is shared with the Chephren Lake hike, so I definitely recommend adding that on. For another incredible hike, check out Parker Ridge!
Pin any of these photos to save this guide to the Cirque Lake Hike for later!
