Plain of Six Glaciers Trail

The name itself draws the mountain-minded. The scenery beats the name many times over. Yet the area is accessible just by hiking, hiking that requires just 3-4 hours (total) for people in decent shape. In the Lake Louise area, there is perhaps nothing better than this outing in terms of scenic bang for the hiking buck. And, of course, mountaineers will find along the way one or two things to tantalize them.

But the real appeal of this spot, named for, as one might guess, six area glaciers-- Aberdeen, Upper and Lower Lefroy, Upper and Lower Victoria, and Popes-- is that it is highly scenic every step of the way but also family-friendly. It's a nice alpine immersion for parents of young children who have their hands tied for a bit, and that is my main reason for posting this. The trail is too long for most kids under 5 or so (remember-- you know best about what your kids can and cannot handle), but it would work well for slightly older children who may not be ready for something longer and harder yet, and the trail is also reasonable in length and difficulty for people using kid-carrying packs. This outing is also nice for those whose serious mountaineering days are behind them but who aren't quite ready to let go of that rarefied world of rock and ice, or for hikers who want to get into these spectacular mountains a bit but whose interests tend toward half-day trips and the safety of the trail.

It's also one hell of a nice way for first-time visitors to the awesome Canadian Rockies to get a little taste of what the area is all about without having to look too hard or go too far. It's easy to imagine this hike giving birth to a mountaineering heart.

2014AlbertaBanff National ParkCanadaLake LouiseLandscapeNorth AmericaPlain Of Six GlaciersPlain Of Six Glaciers TrailSceneSceneryScenicSeptemberView