If you’ve lived in Alberta when summer rolls into fall, you’ve probably seen (or at least heard of) the iconic golden larches scattering our Canadian Rockies.
The brief and fleeting season to watch these trees change from green to gold never starts on the same day, so you have to pay attention — or else you might miss it.
Larch season around Calgary generally begins mid- to late-September and can extend into October, but the length of their appearance is weather dependent.
So start planning your mountain larch hikes ahead of time to get the most of that golden glow. Here are 10 photo-worthy fall larch hikes in the Alberta Rocky Mountains that you don’t want to miss.
Keep scrolling for our 10 trail recommendations, quick tips and our fave fall adventuring resources!
1. Pocaterra Ridge
Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Pass Required: Kananaskis Conservation Pass
If you’re looking for an epic hike, this (almost) 10km point-to-point trail starting from the Highwood Pass day-use area usually takes ~6 hours to complete. Add in the larches, and this popular trail becomes even busier, as hikers are rewarded with breathtaking views while straddling a mountain ridge. The first section of the hike is the most difficult, while you climb 500m out of the total 730m in the first four kilometers. But once you’re up on the ridge, you can relax a bit — take your time and soak in the 360-degree valley views.
Alex’s Tip: If possible, leave one vehicle at Little Highwood Pass parking lot down the road, otherwise you’ll be walking or hitch-hiking back. Many people with only one car hike up to the summit and head back down.
2. Healy Pass
Location: Banff National Park
Pass Required: Parks Canada Discovery Pass
Start this long and steady hike at the Sunshine Village parking lot. The in-and-out trail is almost 18km long, running through a well-maintained forested area, and usually takes over 6 hours to complete. You’ll steadily gain elevation, totalling 850m to the top.
Once you’re there, you’ll receive a warm welcome with golden larches stretching — literally as far as the eye can see — across the mountain valley, complementing the surrounding lakes and mountain peaks. We enjoyed lunch at the top overlooking the valley, but if you’re backpacking, continue on to Egypt Lake (on our bucket list!).
Kelsey’s Tip: Bring a wind-breaker and plenty of layers, the weather and temperature can change dramatically when you’re at the top.
3. Burstall Pass
Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Pass Required: Kananaskis Conservation Pass
Begin this dramatic hike at the Burstall Day Use area located west off of the Smith Dorrien Trail. The trek takes approximately 5 hours with 654m of elevation, but prepare yourself for many breathtaking views on your way to and from the summit.
The trail begins on a wide, gently sloped logging road and takes you past Burstall Lakes before reaching an open mountain meadow with several creek crossings. Once you pick your way through more trees with multiple paths to choose from, you’ll reach the final tree-line before ascending to the ridge. From here, scramble up as far as you like!
Kelsey’s Tip: If you make it to the top of the ridge, prepare for wind! It typically whips right over the top and can be very powerful, as you manage the technical scree.
4. Sparrowhawk Tarns
Location: Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park
Pass Required: Kananaskis Conservation Pass
This shorter 12km out-and-back trail off the Smith Dorrien Trail offers a little bit of everything — from thick forest paths and vast meadows with wildflowers, to wide-open rocky areas and, of course, larches.
It’s a fairly easy trail with only 695m of elevation to make your way up to the tarns, which, depending on the time of year, may be empty due to a hot summer. On your way down, you’ll weave back through the spotty larches and gaze over the sprawling mountain valley speckled with glowing trees.
Alex’s Tip: Download the AllTrails map before you go to find the fossil bed near the tarns. We saw all sorts of imprints and fossils in the rocks here!
5. Larch Valley
Location: Banff National Park
Required Pass: Parks Canada Discovery Pass
This is one of the more popular larch hikes in the area, likely due to its shorter length and, of course, the abundance of golden larches! It’s a beautiful out-and-back trail that’s not too challenging, covering 9km and 600m elevation.
If you’re looking to ramp it up, keep going up towards Sentinel Pass for another 2km and 200m of elevation. This trail is exposed to avalanches, resulting in Parks Canada closing Moraine Lake road between mid-October and mid-June, making it only accessible half of the year.
Alex’s Tip: Moraine Lake road and the parking lot are now completely closed to personal vehicles. Book your shuttle service from Banff or Lake Louise in advance to get there by car.
6. Big Beehive & Devil’s Thumb
Location: Banff National Park
Required Pass: Parks Canada Discovery Pass
These are technically two different hikes, but they share 80% of the same trail, so they’re easy to combine. Plus, both viewpoints offer stunning valley views with larches all around. The full out-and-back trail is almost 13km long, gaining 1000m in elevation and taking an average of 6 hours to complete.
To get started, walk past the Chateau Lake Louise and continue on the trail towards Lake Agnes Tea House. Once you reach the lake, you will instantly be immersed in a golden aura of larches. Continue around the lake and you’ll make the steep climb up to a ridge, where you can then decide to go left towards the Big Beehive, right to Devil’s Thumb, or do both like we did!
Alex’s Tip: This area is POPULAR during larch season, so start early if you want to secure a parking spot. Late September, we arrived at Lake Louise for 6:45am, and the lot was around half full on a Friday.
7. Taylor Lake
Location: Banff National Park
Required Pass: Parks Canada Discovery Pass
A fairly gradual hike up to the lake, this out-and-back trail runs about 13kms with 900m of elevation, taking about 5 and half hours to complete. Mostly covered by trees, there isn’t much of a view until you reach the lake.
As you approach the clearing, the lake is surrounded by a beautiful collage of larches, in front of a stunning mountain backdrop. The lake also doubles as a campground for backpackers when in season. Take your time here and enjoy the view, before you get enveloped by trees again on your way back down.
Kelsey’s Tip: Continue through the campsites to reach an open meadow of larches. You can go as far (and up) as you like here, but even a short trek will lead you to more golden trees.
8. Arnica Lake
Location: Banff National Park
Required Pass: Parks Canada Discovery Pass
This trail begins at the Vista/Arnica Lake trailhead located south off Highway 93 right before the British Columbia border. It’s a fairly steep trek in sections, with an elevation gain of 750m over 9kms — so get ready for some switchbacks!
To start out, you’ll walk along Vista Lake before making the climb towards Arnica Lake. Throughout the trail, you’ll cross creeks and stroll through the thick forest before stumbling upon a lake oasis surrounded by golden larches. Arnica Lake is located below the peak of Storm Mountain, and produces calm, clear waters, making it a fantastic place to relax and enjoy the scenery.
Kelsey’s Tip: Continue around the lake and up a short climb to a viewpoint that looks over the lake for unparalleled views — of both the lake and the valley beyond!
9. Rockbound Lake
Location: Banff National Park
Required Pass: Parks Canada Discovery Pass
This lengthy 18km out-and-back trail near Lake Louise offers stunning views of Castle Mountain as well as glimpses of Eisenhower Peak once you’re past the first four kilometers. You’ll climb just over 1000m of elevation, combined with the length, it should take you over 6 hours to complete.
You’ll start the trail in a thick forest, equipped with long switchbacks and continue up steadily towards Rockbound Lake. Depending on the time of year, this is typically a fairly wet trail, so prepare for potential mud or snow. Once you reach the top, you’ll be greeted with a flat open area leading towards the lake — continue around the right side of the lake to climb and catch the view from above.
Kelsey’s Tip: If you’re going purely for the larches, make sure you check Instagram or message our private Facebook group first! We went a few days too late, and saw all the needles on the forest floor (instead of on the trees).
10. Mount Arethusa
Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Required Pass: Kananaskis Conservation Pass
The trailhead begins near a not-so-obvious pullout off Highway 40, roughly 1.3km south of the Highwood Pass trailhead parking lot. This trail is just under 7 kms while gaining 824m in elevation. Depending on your speed, this might take you 4-5 hours to complete.
This short-loop is quite challenging, with an exposed scramble to reach the peak. But the ample larches make it oh-so-worth it! The hike starts off with a nice soft path through the forest before you ascend the scree on the southern shoulder of Mount Arethusa to reach the ridge. The way down isn’t much easier with loose terrain, so watch your step!
Kelsey’s Tip: Add an additional 2kms and summit Little Arethusa for an even more rewarding golden valley view.
Pre-Larch Hiking Tips
Before you check out these 10 photo-worthy fall larch hikes in the Alberta Rocky Mountains…
- Purchase your park pass ahead of time, depending where you’re headed:
- Grab your Kananaskis Conservation Pass here.
- Or the Parks Canada Discovery Pass for Banff and Lake Louise areas.
- Prepare for your larch hikes by downloading an offline map and reading recent trail conditions with AllTrails — our fave navigational tool.
- Layer up! Mountain weather can turn in a blink, be prepared with a warm, water- or windproof layer in case it turns nasty. Toques and gloves are a MUST this time of year!
- Whenever you’re hiking in bear territory, always remember your bear spray.
Looking For More Outdoor Calgary Adventures?
‘Tis the season to get outside and enjoy our city before the cooler temps hit! Grab our Road Trip Guide for day adventures, obscure sites and weekend getaways across Alberta and British Columbia!
Find activities, trails, events, checklists and MORE in our Fall into Autumn YYC Activities Guide!
Looking for larches right here in Calgary, Alberta? Check out #2 in our blog, Top 16 Calgary Autumn Activities For You To Fall In Love With.
