That being said it’s a demanding day at 27km and 1,540 meters of elevation gain. Find hotels near Rockbound Lake, ca online. Streams. Not a problem. For all the hassle it takes to get to Vally of the Ten Peaks around this time of year, this a great second choice, as long as the long walk isn't too much. The trail is long but beautiful. The trail is primarily used for It is best in late-spring and summer, as snow stays late into the season and can make the trail impassable. Meadows. It hides a lot of the mountain scenery at first but when you finally get to see Eisenhower Tower, it's very impressive. For a truly epic day, you can summit Castle Mountain by continuing past the lake or Helena Peak. While gorgeous at any time. However they did provide a welcome distraction. It hides a lot of the mountain scenery at first but when you finally get to see Eisenhower Tower, it's very impressive. It’s already frozen but reportedly it’s a pea-green colour. The trail is marked as the “Rockbound Lake” trail, not the “Castle Lookout” trail. The trail is long but beautiful. Loomis Lake: 5.6 miles one … But the end is worth the journey! The trail then climbs a low cliff band and emerges in a glacial cirque filled by Rockbound Lake. (PS: Bring DEET) The standard route from Rockbound lake (solid line) is an easy hike up to a very wide plateau. Rockbound Lake. Rockbound Lake Trail: a sweaty, three-hour hike to the two lakes hidden behind Castle Mountain in Banff National Park. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is best used from June until September. For more information on Banff National Park visit their website. This trail is exceedingly boring. Distance: 16.8 km Most of the elevation gain occurs in the first part of the hike, which is through a shaded forest. No reservation costs. Located at the end of Maple Lodge Road, you’ll find the trailhead and parking area for this hike, which is located right next to the Minnowbrook Conference Center in Blue Mountain Lake, NY. The trial climbs steadily Castle Mtn. Rockbound Lake Hike Ratings: Level: Moderate to Diff: Time/Dist: 4 to 6 hours / 16.8K return: Elevation Gain: 760m: Trailhead: Park at the Rockbound Lake trail head parking lot, a short distance SE of the Castle Junction highway intersection 31kms west of Banff. From the Rockbound Trailhead parking lot next to Wrights Lake, the trail winds through a forest, passing Beauty Lake early on. Situated at the base of Mount Haig and on the opposite side of Haig Ridge from Haig Lake, Paradise Lake is adjacent to Castle Mountain’s cat skiing area. Her blog: HikeBikeTravel is frequently cited as one of the top travel and outdoor adventure blogs in Canada. I didn’t time it up but was 2.5 hours back. Further past another series of switchbacks you arrive at Rockbound Lake that is flanked by steep cliffs and looks out to extraordinary views. The Rockbound Lake approach Begin at the Rockbound Lake trailhead, located about 100m east of Castle Junction on Highway 1A. It's a lot of the same scenery until you get a bit higher, but the paths are well kept and honestly, on the way up I was just into "getting there." Follow this road to the hiker parking and the trail register; park in designated area only please. Length: 3.7 km one way Hiking time: 3 to 4 hour round trip Elevation gain: 520 m Trailhead: 5 km west of Castle Junction on the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A). My store contains affiliate links. This would be an excellent day for the avid hiker. A long approach leads to Rockbound Lake followed by an easy climb leads to inspiring views on the summit of Castle Mountain. This is because Castle Mountain is in the Main Ranges of the Canadian Rockies, whereas our more usual hiking area is in the Front Ranges. But that was just a part of the journey to summit Castle Mountain. This hike takes you in behind Castle Mountain, which is a looming and prominent rock feature visible on the north side of Hwy 1 just before Castle Junction. This trail takes you behind the iconic Castle Mountain easily seen from Highway 1. Castle can also be scrambled by continuing up through Tower and Rockbound Lakes. It hides a lot of the mountain scenery at first but when you finally get to see Eis, A bit long for the average tourist, but if you have the legs and stamina well worth the effort, We clocked around 20 km's / 12 miles round trip for this walk, but that did include a side-trip to the lovely Silverton Falls, an extra 1.2 km's / .8 mi. Full blog post: Rockbound Lake Hike […] Western Canada Road Trip from Calgary to Vancouver in 2 weeks - […] Mountain – a lesser known hike to Rockbound Lake hiding behind the Castle Mountain (17 km round trip to… Galatea Lakes & Lillian Lake Hike, Kananaskis - […] Rockbound Lake […] It’s about 45 minutes of easy hiking from the time you break out of the woods to reach Tower Lake. The trail is long but beautiful. From Tower Lake cross a footbridge over the outlet stream. There is signage on the highway. We didn't do any scrambling; this is a trip that's done for the scenery. Some steep rocky areas. I knew going in that I would be challenged but I took my time and most of. First ascended in 1884 by Arthur Coleman, Castle Mountain is noteworthy because it is the easternmost mountain of the Main Ranges in the Bow Valley of the Canadian Rockies. Kept waiting to be up there. ️ ️ ️ @ Banff National Park Heavily treed trails are a larch lovers delight, and this hike is no different. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 19 Unmissable Stops on the Columbia Icefields Parkway, Rawson Lake, Alberta – A Year-Round Hiking Destination, 20 Things in 2020 That Made it a Surprisingly Good Year, 12 Great Alberta Hikes You’ve Probably Never Heard Of, I’ve wanted to hike to Rockbound Lake in Banff National Park for some, time despite the fact it’s one of the ‘don’t do’ hikes in the book, Further reading on good late season hikes. The effect created by the early morning light as Bow River winds before the craggy peaks is alone worth the trip. Banff National Park Tourism; Banff National Park Hotels; Banff National Park Bed and Breakfast; Banff National Park Packages; Flights to Banff National Park We visited both Tower Lake and Rockbound Lake, but also took a small detour to take in Silverton Falls. the trail narrows into a single track to Tower Lake, and then it’s a steeper climb on a switchback for 15 minutes up to Rockbound Lake there was a light dusting of snow, and the metal grippers proved to be very helpful as we rounded behind Castle Mountain While I was staying at Castle Junction at the HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel, I researched a bunch of trails I could do nearby.Lo and behold, there was a trail right across the road from the hostel! It sits east of the Trans-Canada Highway between Banff and Lake Louise. Over 20 km's return distance walking, 800 m's of elevation gain. About 9 full pitches total, but you can use some running belay. Trailhead: Drive to the parking area on the north side of the Bow Valley Parkway 0.2 km east of Castle Junction. It is of Rockbound Lake in the amphitheatre of Castle Mountain in Banff National Park. I hiked Rockbound Lake Trail this past summer as a means to summit Castle Mountain. Her blog: HikeBikeTravel is frequently cited as one of the top travel and outdoor adventure blogs in Canada. The lake is gorgeous and the view is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. and easy to follow. The lake is a jewel surrounded by high cliffs that look impenetrable. Both Tower Lake and Rockbound Lake are stunning with their deep colors and great scenery. I have been up this way doing three other scrambles in the area. ", or "If I jump of this cliff, maybe the misery will end"? Bit of a hard slog for a prairie flatlander, but, Well worth the grind. Overview: The 3.9 mile Castle Loop trail visits the Van Slyke Castle ruins and Ramapo Lake and provides great views of the Ramapo and Wyanokie Mountains.The shorter out-and-back hike to the ruins is a kid-friendly favorite. Some steep rocky areas, especially between the two lakes. There is a steady elevation gain up to Tower Lake and a steep hike up to Rockbound Lake. Having been fed a steady diet of alpine views since I was a kid, getting up where I can see has been an addiction I’ve rarely let go of. So worth it! When: October 13, 2019 . I hiked Rockbound Lake Trail this past summer as a means to summit Castle Mountain. We started about 8am and we only saw 3 other people on the way up to the lake. First 2/3 not great. Watch Queue Queue. Worth the effort to this amazing place. I pity the poor sods who actually came for the lake view alone. It hides a lot of the mountain scenery at first but when you finally get to see Eisenhower Tower, it's very impressive. Follow the Rockbound lake trail for about 1-1.5 hours, gaining about 580m, to where a climber's trail branches to the left. Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards. Turn right and drive over the Bow River to reach Castle Village. The lake is gorgeous and the view is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The lake is gorgeous and the view is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.