Hiking the Parker Ridge Trail in Banff National Park
The Parker Ridge trail is hands down one of the best hikes in Banff National Park. It’s short but a little challenging, and you’ll have some really incredible views of Saskatchewan Glacier and the turquoise blue lake below.
This guide will tell you about hiking the Parker Ridge 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 Parker Ridge Trail guide and reference it later!
About the Parker Ridge Trail
Before you hit the trail, here’s what you need to know about the Parker Ridge Trail!
Parker Ridge Trail Stats
- Distance: 4.1 miles (6.6 kilometers) round trip
- Elevation Gain: 1131 feet (345 meters)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Hike Time: I consider myself a pretty average hiker, and this trail took me 2 hours and 10 minutes total. You can check out my hike on Strava!
Leave No Trace on the Parker Ridge Trail
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 Parker Ridge Trail!
- 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 – there are a lot of “social trails” along this one (which are those trails that cut switchbacks and go off the main trail – they form when people step in the same place over and over) – many of them are well marked, telling you not to use them. 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 PArker Ridge Trail
The best time to hike the Parker Ridge 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 is a popular trail, so the parking lot can fill up fast. 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 Parker Ridge Trail
When you hike the Parker Ridge 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 Parker Ridge 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, and it can be really windy up at the ridge, 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 Parker Ridge 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.
Parker Ridge Trailhead Coordinates: 52.19167,-117.11614
Parker Ridge Trail Map
Here is the AllTrails map of the Parker Ridge hike. The number 2 is Parker Ridge – and the number 3 is a view of Saskatchewan Glacier. I definitely recommend going to both!
Hiking the Parker Ridge Trail
Once you’ve parked and are ready to start hiking, here’s what you can expect on the Parker Ridge rail!
Switchbacks
From the start of the trail, you can see the top of the ridge! That’s where you’re going. The trail begins in the forest, but quickly opens up to views of the surrounding mountains, and you have great views pretty much the whole way. It climbs pretty steadily, and this first part is the hardest! At about 1.2 miles (1.9 km), you’ll get to the spot where the trail forks. Straight ahead, you’ll have a relatively flat walk to the view of Saskatchewan Glacier, and to the right, you’ll have a short but steep climb up to Parker Ridge. I definitely recommend doing both, so decide which one you want to do first. I continued straight.
Saskatchewan Glacier
Keep going straight, and you’ll start to see Saskatchewan Glacier, and the unbelievably blue lake below it. There are some waterfalls on the rock wall, and the view only gets better. Continue down the path – it’s relatively flat, but it gets pretty narrow and there are a couple of spots where you’ll definitely want to watch your footing! The end of the trail is marked with a sign, and this is where the best view is.
Parker Ridge
Once you’re done admiring the view, turn around and come back to that fork in the trail. Go left, and take the trail up to the ridge. This trail can be a little hard to follow, especially when there’s still snow around, but the important part is to avoid trampling any plant life. Stick to the rocky parts, look at the map, and walk on the snow fields. You’re going up to the ridge – and once you’re there, you’ll have a really great view of the mountains. There are some interesting seating areas constructed from rocks up there too – so it’s a good place to take a break and have a snack! The trail ends there, but you can also continue walking along the ridge if you want.
Back to the Trailhead
To get back to the trailhead, you’ll walk back the way you came! It’s all downhill now, so it won’t take as long.
Where to Stay Near the Parker Ridge Trail
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 Parker Ridge 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 Parker Ridge Trail
Have you hiked this trail, or are you adding it to your bucket list? Let me know in a comment below!
There are a ton of incredible hikes in Banff National Park, like the Chephren Lake and Cirque Lake hikes!
Pin any of these photos to save this guide to the Parker Ridge Trail for later!
