We’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy a multitude of the best larch hikes in Alberta. We are always so awestruck by the beauty of fall in Banff, Canmore and Kananaskis that we make it a priority to take the kids out hiking as much as we can in the fall. It’s true, not all hikes are a win with the kids, but here are what we would consider the best Alberta larch hikes with kids.
Since finding the best golden larch trees requires you to get up to higher elevations, it’s no surprise that a lot of the best larch hikes in Banff are beyond what most kids will want to do. With the Highwood Pass area being already at 2,206 m (7,273 ft), that’s where you’ll find the easy larch hikes.
Don’t despair, Ptarmigan Cirque and Arethusa Cirque aren’t the only two larch hikes for kids. Plenty of the best Kananaskis larch hikes also fall in this list.
Rest assured that this list is a tried and tested list of kids larch hikes. We have done all these hikes with our kids with the exception of two. Since we’ve been hiking with our kids since they were babies, we have a pretty good idea of what they are capable of and what they enjoy on a hike.
This post contains compensated links.
Best Banff Larch Hikes with Kids
Next we move on to the best Banff larch hikes with kids. This is a much shorter list but there are definitely still some larch hikes in Banff that can be enjoyed with kids. These are the hikes we’ve done with our kids. Based on this, we believe they could easily do Plain of Six Glaciers and Eiffel Lake as well.
Larch Valley with Kids
Larch Valley Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 8.6 km out and back
- Elevation gain: 535 m
- Difficulty: Moderate
The Larch Valley hike may be challenging for some kids, with the consistent climb and rocky sections, but it’s well worth it to make it to the top. Even kids can appreciate a view like the one you get at Larch Valley. Take some time at the Minnestimma Lakes to see if the kids can spot a pika! You’ll hear them as you stop there for lunch.
Our kids, who were 8 and 6 years old when they first hiked to Larch Valley, really enjoyed this hike. They love that they can spot a larch tree, look for pikas and take a break on benches on the way up. They were able to push on to hike Sentinel Pass, but don’t make this a requirement. Our kids really wanted to hike the “Harry Potter scar” 🙂
Your biggest challenge will be getting to Moraine Lake. Read our getting to Moraine Lake summary section we’ve included below.
Lake Louise Summer Gondola Hikes with Kids
The Kicking Horse Pass Viewpoint hike is a short 1.7 km out-and-back hike to a viewpoint just northwest of the viewing platform. This is the shorter and easier hike of the two Lake Louise gondola hikes. The trail is primarily along a ski run to start, then you enter a forested section where you’ll find larch trees. As you exit the trees at a large boulder field, you’ll find more larch trees and incredible views across the valley.
The second hike atop the Lake Louise Summer Gondola is the Pika Trail to the Ptarmigan Valley Viewpoint. This Lake Louise hike is twice as long as the Kicking Horse Pass hike at 3.4 km out-and-back. Hiking to the Ptarmigan Valley Viewpoint can be steep in spots, but it pays off with a viewpoint much different to the one you get from the top of the sightseeing gondola trailhead.
The Pika Trail is the section that will pass through the larch trees and as you continue up to the Ptarmigan Valley Viewpoint, you’ll get to look back on the larches on both sides of the ridge.
The best part is that the kids get to enjoy a chairlift ride to take away most of the climbing, there’s the chance of spotting wildlife and kids love the interpretive centre at the top!
It’s recommended to hike in groups of 4 outside the electric fence!
Taylor Lake Larch Hike with Kids
Taylor Lake Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 13.7 km out and back
- Elevation gain: 907 m elevation gain
- Difficulty: Challenging
Taylor Lake hike is a long hike for the kids. While they can appreciate the beauty of the lake with the larch trees reflecting in the calm waters, they were tired.
They are definitely capable of doing this hike, but as many people complain a large portion of the hike is in the trees. If adults complain that it’s boring, then it’s going to be harder to convince kids to get excited about it! We were glad to do this hike with friends and that we brought enough candy to go around!
Once at the lake the kids weren’t very interested in going further to the larch tree meadow past the campground and we didn’t force them.
We’ve also done the hike to O’Brien Lake with our kids, but that was definitely pushing the limit on the distance they are interested in hiking!
Big Beehive Larch Hike with Kids
Big Beehive Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 10 km out and back
- Elevation gain: 520 m elevation gain
- Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
For kids who are frequent hikers and are able to manage this distance and elevation, hiking to Lake Agnes then continuing on to the Big Beehive is a stunning hike. Keep in mind that the switchbacks leading from the end of Lake Agnes to the top of the Big Beehive are narrow and there won’t be a lot of opportunities to them to stop for a break.
That being said, Lake Agnes is the perfect spot to take a nice long break. Kids will also love the section along Lake Agnes towards the back of the lake where they can spot pikas!
Our kids really enjoyed this hike, but it may have had something to do with the amount of praise they got from fellow hikers and the giant brownies they got as a reward! Oh and if you forget your lunch at home (like we did), you can always pick something up at the Lake Louise Ski Resort before hopping on the shuttle.
For any Lake Louise hikes, you’ll need to arrive very early or better yet take a Lake Louise shuttle! Read our summary of other ways to get to Lake Louise below.
Hidden Lake Hike with Kids
Hidden Lake Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance:
- 16.6 km out and back (non-guided hike with 6km of access road)
- 10.6 km (for guided conservation hikes)
- Elevation gain:
- 670 m elevation gain (non-guided hike)
- 375 m elevation gain (for guided conservation hikes)
- Difficulty: Easy for guided conservation hikes
While we’ve hiked to Hidden Lake in the Skoki Valley with our kids, we’d only recommend this longer hike if you are able to do the Parks Canada guided hike.
We took our kids (7 and 9 years old) on the Parks Canada guided conservation hike and they absolutely loved it. They had no issue with the distance or elevation gain, but perhaps that was because they were glued to our guide the entire time.
Best Kananaskis Larch Hikes with Kids
Ptarmigan Cirque Larch Hike with Kids
Ptarmigan Cirque Larch Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 3.6km
- Elevation gain: 267m
- Difficulty: Easy
Ptarmigan Cirque is an easy, kid-friendly larch hike in Kananaskis Country near the Highwood Pass. The Ptarmigan Cirque hike is one of the most popular larch hikes, so you’ll want to do this hike on a weekday (not always easy with kids) or start early on a weekend.
This easy Kananaskis larch hike begins at 2,184m above sea level, the perfect altitude for Subalpine larch trees to grow. It doesn’t take much effort to start seeing larch trees, adding to the popularity of this easy Kananaskis hike.
After carefully crossing Highway 40, the Ptarmigan Cirque larch hike begins with 1.3km through an evergreen forest. A large forest of larch trees hugs the line where the forest meets the alpine layer of the mountain. The Ptarmigan Cirque hiking trail leads you through these golden larches, allowing an up-close experience. As a bonus, you’ll be able to see large stands of larch trees across the highway on Highwood Ridge.
The rocky amphitheater is where your kids will have the most fun. If your kids are anything like mine, they can spend ages climbing on the rocks. Take your time here and enjoy the scenery! Don’t forget to keep an eye out for those adorable pikas!
Arethusa Cirque Larch Hike
Arethusa Cirque Larch Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 4.6km
- Elevation gain: 337m
- Difficulty: Easy
One minute down the road from Ptarmigan Cirque, Arethusa Cirque is another kid-friendly larch hike in Kananaskis Country near Highwood Pass. Arethusa Cirque is less popular than Ptarmigan Cirque, but it seems to be growing in popularity every year. There are a few short, but very steep sections so only attempt this hike if you are all capable.
Again, because of the elevation that you are starting at, it doesn’t take long to start seeing larch trees. It will only take about .5 km before you encounter the first ones.
Going counterclockwise, you’ll follow the babbling brook through the larch forest onto the lower slopes of Storm Mountain. A sharp left turn onto a short scree field takes you above the tree line, where you’ll marvel at the golden larches in the forest below.
If you are hiking Arethusa Cirque trail with kids, they’ll especially love this section. Many kids are natural little mountain goats and will take to exploring the rocky terrain all around. If they have a keen eye, they may even find some fossils (keep in mind that this is an Alberta Provincial Park and fossils cannot be removed). Our kids loved this part.
The aerial views of the large larch forest continue as you leave the scree and transition to a beautiful grass meadow on the slopes of Mount Arethusa. This is a great spot to break for lunch and enjoy the views of the Kananaskis larch trees. The descent back to the beginning of the loop is short, but very steep – bring trekking poles if you need help with your knees or balance.
The parking lot here is not large, make sure you arrive early.
Pocaterra Cirque Larch Hike with Kids
Pocaterra Cirque Larch Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 6.9 km
- Elevation gain: 434 m
- Difficulty: Moderate for kids
We have not done this hike with our kids yet. While I wouldn’t subject my kids to the South Pocaterra Ridge trail, the Pocaterra Cirque trail is fully within their capabilities. Another option would be to hike just to the end of the larch forest on the Pocaterra Ridge trail (around 3.3km mark) and skip the final ridge section.
Be cautious at the cirque as many reviews comment on the the rockfall hazard from Mt. Tyrwhitt. Recommendations are to stay left or perhaps don’t enter the cirque. In fact, you could just make the Pocaterra Tarn or the end of the larch forest your end point.
These trails all start at the same parking lot at Ptarmigan Cirque at the Highwood Meadows Day Use parking lot, so expect to get there early especially on a weekend. The trail can be confusing at first, so it’s best to have a map downloaded.
It takes less than a kilometer of hiking to see the first stand of larch trees on Mount Pocaterra. While the kids aren’t quite as impressed at the larch trees as we are, they would enjoy the muddy sections, crossing the creeks and looking for pikas!
Chester Lake Hike with Kids
Chester Lake Larch Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 9.0 km
- Elevation gain: 433m
- Difficulty: Moderate
Chester Lake is one of the best hikes in Kananaskis. In fact, it’s our favorite all-season hiking / snowshoeing trail in Kananaskis Country. Just 3km of ascending pays off with an easy 2km walk through a grassy alpine meadow, complete with a beautiful stream and jagged mountain peaks all around.
Chester Lake is one of the most popular hikes in Kananaskis and for good reason. The initial trail is wide, making it an ideal hiking trail for families. The lake is beautiful and in the fall, the shores of Chester Lake are adorned with larches.
What make it’s a big win for our kids is to continue past Chester Lake to the Elephant Rocks. Not only will you find a bigger patch of larch trees, but good luck getting your kids to leave that spot!
Rummel Lake Larch Hike with Kids
Rummel Lake Larch Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 11.7km
- Elevation gain: 449m
- Difficulty: Moderate
Rummel Lake has been one of our family’s favorite all-season hikes for years. Located just north of the Burstall Pass larch hike in the Spray Valley Provincial Park, Rummel Lake starts with a well-groomed hiking trail. In the fall, the bushes and shrubs will show off with a variety of fall colours.
At the end of this section, you’ll enter an open meadow with excellent views of the Spray Lakes. You’ll see patches of larch trees on the upper slopes of the surrounding mountains. There’s a bench for a quick snack break. In fact, we used to hike to this location in the winter and the kids loved running back down.
Next you’ll cross over the High Rockies Trail and will re-enter the deep evergreen forest. Once you leave the forest and arrive at Rummel Lake, you’ll be rewarded with a ring of golden larches surrounding the shores of Rummel Lake.
Our kids started singing “The forest that never ends” back along this 3.5km stretch of forest. Admittedly, there isn’t much to see besides trees. In fact, this isn’t the most exciting hike for kids, but we tried to make it fun by playing tag running down the final section! Of course, this is great for making a lot of noise too!
Rawson Lake Larch Hike with Kids
Rawson Lake Hike Stats:
- Round-trip distance: 7.8 km out & back
- Elevation gain: 320 m
- Difficulty: Moderate
You start the hike to Rawson Lake along the shores of the Upper Kananaskis Lake. On a calm morning the reflections are stunning. We always struggle to get the kids moving because they want to play along the shores of the lake. We find that a perfect reward for the end of the hike!
Between Upper Kananaskis Lake and Rawson Lake you’ll be hiking through the forest. While this bit can be challenging, the reward at the top is worth it. Our kids always love the small boardwalk at the top. It’s the little things!
It’s also crucial to check the trail report for the Rawson Lake hike as grizzly bears frequent the area between Rawson Lake and the Sarrail Ridge trail.
The final hike in our best larch hikes for kids in Kananaskis is Tryst Lake. Again, this is on our ever growing list of hikes to do with the kids, but larch season only has so many weekends when they aren’t in school!
How to Get to the Best Larch Hikes with Kids
Driving yourself is the best and easiest way to get to these family-friendly Banff larch hikes and really, the only way to get to the best kid-friendly Kananaskis larches hikes.
Getting to Lake Louise Larch Hikes with Kids
For any of the larch hikes at Lake Louise, you’ll need to either get to the parking lot very early or try one of these options:
Parks Canada Shuttle – Book a Parks Canada Lake Louise Shuttle. If you don’t have a car, you’ll still need to get yourself to the Lake Louise Ski Resort from Banff.
Roam Transit – Take Roam Route 8S/8X from Banff to Lake Louise lakeshore.
Fairview Limo – Fairview Limo provides transportation from the village of Lake Louise to Lake Louise. Choose a return time late enough to allow you to hike. You still need to get yourself to the village of Lake Louise.
Hop On Banff – The Hop On Banff bus leaves from Banff and you can choose departure and return times that will allow you to hike at either Moraine Lake or Lake Louise.
WowBanff – WowBanff leaves from the Lake Louise Ski Resort and you can choose a return time late enough that you can fit in a hike.
Stay at a Nearby Hotel – Stay at a hotel close enough to walk to the trailhead like Paradise Lodge & Bungalows or right at the lakeshore at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Getting to Moraine Lake Larch Hikes with Kids
Moraine Lake can no longer be reached by private vehicle, so you’ll need to be prepared.
There are several ways to get to Moraine Lake, but all involve booking a shuttle or a tour. We highly recommend you read our post on Getting to Moraine Lake, but if you are short on time this is a summary of the best options that will give you some time for the best hikes at Moraine Lake:
Parks Canada Shuttle – The Parks Canada Moraine Lake shuttles operate every 20 minutes throughout the day and cost only $8 for an adult. You’ll need to get yourself to the Lake Louise Ski Resort.
Roam Transit – In September only, Roam transit operates Route 10 that goes directly from Banff to Moraine Lake. Or take Route 8X/8S to Lake Louise (with a Reservable System Wide Day Pass) and take the Parks Canada Lake Connector Shuttle from Lake Louise to Moraine Lake.
Moraine Lake Bus Company – The Moraine Lake Bus company offers shuttle rides that will get you to Moraine Lake for sunrise or later. Just choose a departure time that will allow enough time for your hike. You’ll need to get yourself to the Lake Louise Ski Resort to park.
Fairview Limo – Fairview Limo provides transportation from the village of Lake Louise to Moraine Lake. Choose a return time late enough to allow you to hike. You still need to get yourself to the village of Lake Louise.
Hop On Banff – The Hop On Banff bus leaves from Banff and you can choose departure and return times that will allow you to hike at either Moraine Lake or Lake Louise.
WowBanff – WowBanff leaves from the Lake Louise Ski Resort and you can choose a return time late enough that you can fit in a hike.
For all other Banff & Kananaskis larch hikes, we recommend arriving at the parking lot before 9am if possible, especially on weekends.
Other Tips for Larch Hikes with Kids
Before you head out on your hiking adventures to immerse yourself amongst the golden larch trees, here are some additional tips to prepare you for long hiking days in Banff:
1. Have a plan for your larch hikes with kids
It’s best to plan out your larch hikes. Once you know which ones you want to do, plan to do the most popular ones during the week and leave the lesser known ones for the weekend. Better yet, prepare your kids for getting out of the house early to ensure you get parking!
2. Check trail reports before doing any larch hikes
Trails can be closed due to bears or require groups of 4 or more. Always check trail conditions before heading out.
3. Cheat and get a hotel room
A fun and easy way to enjoy golden larches without the super-early wake-up call is to eliminate the long drive and stay at a hotel close to the larch trees. This is an especially good option for Banff and Lake Louise larch hikes. Stay in a hotel with a pool and make it a special weekend with the kiddos!
4. Dress appropriately
Dressing for a day of hiking in the Canadian Rockies can be tricky, even in the heart of summer. Given larch tree season is between mid-September and early October, dressing appropriately is even harder.
Chances are that you will be starting your day early enough to get a parking spot. The sun is lower in the sky this time of year and will often be hiding behind mountain peaks. You may not get direct sunshine until mid-morning (if at all). No sunshine equals significantly colder temperatures. I always have mitts and warm hat for my kid. While they warm up quickly, it helps curb some of that initial complaining if they aren’t freezing!
Also, keep in mind that the temperature drops 1C for every 150m of altitude gain. Given the high-altitude larch trees grow in, the temperature on your larch tree hike will be several degrees colder than the forecasted temperature for Calgary, Banff or Canmore.
Even if the forecast is for 20C+, bring a warm jacket, gloves and a toque. Trust us – you’ll be glad you did.
5. Bring appropriate hiking gear
In addition to bringing multiple layers of warm clothing, make sure you have all the appropriate hiking gear with you. Most of these are long day hikes for the kids, so you’ll want proper footwear (hiking boots or shoes) for everyone, a day bag (to carry water, snacks & layers), and warm layers for those passes and when the weather changes.
You may also need micro spikes and trekking poles if your larch hike recently received a snowfall. You can also get micro spikes for kids! Our kids have gotten a lot of use out of theirs.
6. Get an early start
Getting an early start will make sure you get parking and don’t need to have a backup plan (though you have have one anyways). It will also ensure you have ample time to stop for breaks, look for pikas and give the kids time to climb on rocks.
7. Be bear aware
Travel in groups the bears are busy trying to fatten up for the winter. Bear spray is a must. What’s better is if you can hike in groups of 4 or more and always make lots of noise (easy to do with kids).
8. Pack plenty of food and water
September can still get quite warm and these hikes are at higher elevations. Bring plenty of food, snacks and more water than you think you will need. Kids will be much happier if you plenty of snacks and treats for them along the way.
