Trail stats
Distance: 6.5 KM out-and-back
Elevation gain: 560m
Difficulty level: Difficult
Time: 3-4 hours
Parking: No official spots, you need to park on the side of the road
Getting to the trailhead
Mist Mountain is a 2 hour 30 minute drive from Banff town, or 2 hours from Kananaskis. It is located off Highway 40 where you will probably see cars pulled off the side of the road and an orange ribbon tied to a tree branch which marks the start of the trail.
Here’s a link to the trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zkPvvSz3rX9b7Hzs7
The trail
The trail begins through a forest and it gets progressively steeper. It definitely requires effort and would be challenging for beginners. After a kilometre or so, the trail soon opens up into a gorgeous meadow with lush green grass and fir trees. You continue to climb uphill gaining around 450 metres in 2.5 KM. Once you reach the top, you’ll see the unnerving loose scree and narrow trail that awaits! From atop the hill, the scenery was breathtaking and really reminded me of the German Alps.
To continue to the hot springs, you need to walk along the narrow trail of scree but not for too long at all. There is a sheer drop which is pretty scary, but you just need to take your time and be extremely careful with your footing. Once you get across, there are larger rocks which are easier to traverse over.
Tips / Advice
Don’t do this hike on a busy day! The trail is very narrow, especially when you reach the scramble section. You will also have to wait your turn for the hot springs since it’s very small (comfortably fits 2 people)
We did it on a rainy afternoon and were very lucky – one couple was just leaving when we arrived at the hot springs and another was just arriving as we left.
If you’re staying in Banff, it is worth the drive! We saw a herd of big horn sheep, deer, and a coyote – and the landscape speaks for itself.
Be bear aware – we didn’t come across any bears but I have read several blogs from people who did meet some on this trail.
You can actually summit Mist Mountain but from what I’ve seen it is pretty technical, so the hot springs were good enough for us!
