Location: Banff National Park, 150 km west of Calgary via Hwy 1 Directions: Follow Hwy 1 west from Calgary for approximately 150 km, then turn right (N) at Castle Junction (Hwy 93 exit), turn right on Hwy 1A and travel 0.2 km to parking area on left. This trail is exceedingly boring. The Rockbound Lake trail is a fairly ambitious day hike that offers expansive views of Castle Mountian. Worth the effort to this amazing place. Dave Edgar and I teamed up to climb Eisenhower Tower on the south portion of the mountain. Moderate+. It is of Rockbound Lake in the amphitheatre of Castle Mountain in Banff National Park. But that was just a part of the journey to summit Castle Mountain. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A long steady climb through a mixed forest leads behind the distinctive cliffs of Castle Mountain to open meadows and flower-fringed Tower Lake, 7.5 km from the trailhead. Heavily treed trails are a larch lovers delight, and this hike is no different. 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. Just past the Adirondack Museum and locate Maple Lodge Road. 6 hrs, 15 min's time. The lake is gorgeous and the view is one. Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards. It's not for the unfit that's for sure. Turn right again onto Highway 1A and 200 metres later turn left into a large parking lot. This would be an excellent day for the avid hiker. The trial climbs steadily Castle Mtn. Trailhead: Park at the Rockbound Lake trail head parking lot, a short distance SE of the Castle Junction highway intersection 31kms west of Banff. The trail is long but beautiful. This time was late summer almost fall, and seeing it after a recent snowfall was ahhhhmazing. That being said it’s a demanding day at 27km and 1,540 meters of elevation gain. Turn right at the stop sign and the parking lot will be on your left a few seconds later, Rockbound Lake parking lot. A great trail. Once you’re higher up it gets better, with loads of views of meadows, streams, unique flora, and though I didn't see much fauna, I heard the shrill whistles of the marmots that obviously populate the place. If you’re coming from Calgary drive the Trans-Canada Highway west to the intersection with Highway 93. The trailhead for Rockbound Lake is a snap to find. I walk between 6 and 7 K every day...IN SASKATCHEWAN!!! Includes shorter hikes options too. NTS Map: 082O05Elevation Gain: 760 m (2,493 ft). It hides a lot of the mountain scenery at first but when you finally get to see Eisenhower Tower, it's very impressive. Rockbound lake is surrounded by Castle mountain and can be ... We were planning to do the Ink Pots Hike but it was suggested we do Rockbound Lake and boy were we pleased we did. The lake is gorgeous and the view is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. ️ ️ ️ @ Banff National Park The lake is gorgeous and the view is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. climbing? As part of the challenge you nominate a blogger friend each day to join in and take part. I have been up this way doing three other scrambles in the area. It’s about 45 minutes of easy hiking from the time you break out of the woods to reach Tower Lake. 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. This time was late summer almost fall, and seeing it after a recent snowfall was ahhhhmazing. Watch Queue Queue. It hides a lot of the mountain scenery at first but when you finally get to see Eisenhower Tower, it's very impressive. However, there are trailheads from both of the campgrounds. (PS: Bring DEET) The standard route from Rockbound lake (solid line) is an easy hike up to a very wide plateau. 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. When: October 13, 2019 . and easy to follow. Rockbound Lake lives up to its name. Your email address will not be published. There is a … Read more. For detailed hike directions visit our main Ramapo Mountains – Van Slyke Castle page. The trail is well maintained. The plateau above Rockbound Lake is magnificent and Castle is rated an easy scramble. Date of experience: July 2016. We took less than 4 hours from the parking lot to the summit via the south skyline and dragon's back. The trail then climbs a low cliff band and emerges in a glacial cirque filled by Rockbound Lake. Begin at the parking lot and follow the old road trail as it narrows and winds up Where: Rockbound Lake . 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. Rockbound Lake is nestled in a horseshoe of rock cliffs, and features beautiful panoramic views from the Rockbound Lake and Tower Lake view points. I hiked Rockbound Lake Trail this past summer as a means to summit Castle Mountain. Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures, The Goat Lake Hike in Waterton Lakes National Park. The Rockbound Lake approach Begin at the Rockbound Lake trailhead, located about 100m east of Castle Junction on Highway 1A. All told the hike took us 5.75 hours to complete including about 30 minutes by Rockbound Lake for lunch. If we’d had to break trail we would have been up to our knees in snow. (You can purchase lunch supplies here.) Rockbound Lake, Banff National Park: See 23 reviews, articles, and 38 photos of Rockbound Lake, ranked No.70 on Tripadvisor among 117 attractions in Banff National Park. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is best used from June until September. Castle Mountain Banff National Park, Alberta June 29, 2001 . more, Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around Banff National Park, Commonly searched for in Banff National Park. While gorgeous at any time. When you finally reach the meadows, the landscape gets your attention as the backside of iconic Castle Mountain slowly comes into view. Follow the Rockbound lake trail for about 1-1.5 hours, gaining about 580m, to where a climber's trail branches to the left. Kept waiting to be up there. It is a \"castellate\" type of mountain in which the flat-lying layers feature near vertical cliffs alternating with flat or gently sloped terraces which have been sculptured by glacial and other forms of erosion. The trail is primarily used for Title: Rockbound lake Trip type: hiking Summary: From the information board at the trail head: Cradled in the high amphitheater behind Castle Mtn., Rockbound lake is totally surrounded by cliffs, rock slides and massive boulder fields. The hiking in the Castle Mountains is good but there are not a lot of trails. If you choose to hike around the lake you encounter massive house-sized boulders on the left side of the lake. It hides a lot of the mountain scenery at first but when you finally get to see Eisenhower Tower, it's very impressive. I walk between 6 and 7 K every day...IN SASKATCHEWAN, A great trail. Rockbound Lake . Take this exit and keep going down to Castle Mountain. Trail descriptions Castle Lookout . It hides a lot of the mountain scenery at first but when you finally get to see Eisenhower Tower, it's very impressive. Some steep rocky areas, especially between the two lakes. Rockbound Lake - an excellent day hike close to Banff. It is best in late-spring and summer, as snow stays late into the season and can make the trail impassable. 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). It’s steep (you gain 518 metres) with occasional peek-a-boo views but not much else. Its 16.8 kilometres round trip with a total elevation gain of 760 metres. Is this a place or activity you would suggest for, Is this a must-do if you are traveling with a, Would you recommend this place or activity to a friend looking for an, Is this a romantic place or activity that you would suggest for, Are the prices for this place or activity, Is this a place or activity you would go to on a, Well worth the grind. Total hiking distance = 18.9 km to Rockbound Lake, plus an estimated 4 km (return) to the ridge above the lake Total elevation gain = 870 meters (785 net) to Rockbound Lake, plus an estimated 150 meters to the ridge above the lake (NOTE: There were a couple of tricky bits Mr. GeoK had to work his way through on the way up to/down from the ledge. It's fairly hard and long hike and we headed out really early as we had a variety of levels of expertise in our group of 10. This species only lives at 2200 m's / 7000 ft above sea level, and like all larches, which are conifers, their needles turn yellow in the fall and get dropped in the winter. I would agree that the first 5 kilometres of hiking to Rockbound Lake isn’t very interesting. It's fairly hard and long hike and we headed out really early as we had a variety of levels of expertise in our group of 10. At 7.7 km you will reach Tower Lake, with dominating cliffs and Castle's tower rising above. So 3 hrs of. From there it’s an easy walk through larch forest to Rockbound Lake. But when it’s late October and you still have the itch to hike in the mountains where do you go from Calgary – especially if it’s a windy day? I had my bear bell and bear spray with me, and as the day wore on, it got busier and busier with other people. Leigh McAdam is a Calgary based writer, author, photographer and social media enthusiast with over 61,000 followers. Trailhead: a 45-minute drive from Canmore; heading west on the Trans Canada Highway, take the Castle Junction turn off ; at the T intersection turn right (east) and head .2 km to the trailhead on the left-hand side of the road . I didn't see any activity, but someone I talked o had seen a black bear and 2 cubs. The trail is long but beautiful. The rigorous hike to Rockbound Lake, which starts from along the Bow Valley Parkway, leads to two distinctly different lakes beneath the massive cliffs of Castle Mountain. This is a fabulous hike: It is not too congested, and it takes you to some gorgeous alpine lakes. The snow is here to stay now so take gaiters. And then in short order we were into snow so everything seemed prettier. 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. 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. Tweet; Email; Elevation Gain: 1610m Distance: 5km Located on Morrissey Ridge, Castle Mountain is a different sort of hike for a couple of reasons. Large boulders, scattered larch, a couple of streams and some lovely distant mountain views also show up. 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 In the winter, this section gave Akemi and I a bit of trouble as it was narrow and a bit exposed. 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." The trail switchbacks through forest along the flank of Castle Mountain and opens up to stunning close up views of Castle Mountain's peak. Author of Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures Co-author of 125 Nature Hot Spots in Alberta, The Rawson Lake hike in Alberta's Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is one of a few…, Looking for some new Alberta hikes that not everyone knows about? The lake is a jewel surrounded by high cliffs that look impenetrable. Castle Mountain: Topo Map . 7. I hiked Rockbound Lake Trail this past summer as a means to summit Castle Mountain. The aptly named Paradise Lake trail takes you on a journey to the lesser known of two alpine tarns on Castle Mountain Resort’s tenure; Paradise Lake. If you walk to the right once you get to Rockbound Lake, you will get an awesome panoramic view point. It’s about 45 minutes of easy hiking from the time you break out of the woods to reach Tower Lake. The lake is gorgeous and the view is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. 6/ ROCKBOUND LAKE → CASTLE MOUNTAIN. The fall colours were, I hiked Rockbound Lake Trail this past summer as a means to summit Castle Mountain. Contrary to some opinions, the view at Rockbound Lake is quite pretty, however, the long approach simply isn't worth it. Both Tower Lake and Rockbound Lake are stunning with their deep colors and great scenery. of year, it's amazing mid- to late September when the Alpine Larches turn colour. Further past another series of switchbacks you arrive at Rockbound Lake that is flanked by steep cliffs and looks out to extraordinary views. Follow an old dirt road that slowly climbs through a spruce and fir forest. Loomis Lake: 5.6 miles one … ", or "If I jump of this cliff, maybe the misery will end"? We started about 8am and we only saw 3 other people on the way up to the lake. Once you’re higher up it’s very pretty. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/rockbound-lake I knew going in that I would be challenged but I took my time and most of. I didn’t time it up but was 2.5 hours back. I have travelled this trail a few times, usually in early/mid summer. Bit of a hard slog for a prairie flatlander, but, Well worth the grind. But the end is worth the journey! Like many Rocky Mountain scrambles, this route begins in a dense forest. the group outpaced me. Rockbound Lake trailhead can be found off Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1A) between Lake Louise and Castle Junction. Find hotels near Rockbound Lake, ca online. and Helena Ridge. Carry on up this gentle hike until reaching Tower Lake at kilometre 7.7 Coming out of the This hike is a moderately difficult out-and-back journey. Turn right and drive over the Bow River to reach Castle Village. If we turned back from every nasty weather forecast and little bit of snow we wouldn’t be out here at all so with that positive kick in the tush we started up the trail to Rockbound Lake. Looking across Rockbound Lake to the Bow Valley at Castle Mountain. 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