Banff, Kootenay and Yoho - Backcountry

Pre-trip planning is essential for travel in the backcountry. Prime hiking season runs July through mid-September. Until late June, many passes are still snow-bound and may be subject to avalanche hazard. In more popular and accessible areas of the backcountry, you will find maintained hiking trails and designated campsites with outhouses, tent pads, food storage cables or lockers, picnic tables and metal fire rings where fires are allowed. In the more remote areas of the park, trails may not be regularly maintained and hikers must be self-reliant. Route finding and navigation skills are required and hikers should be prepared to safely ford streams. Pre-trip planning and preparedness is essential for travel in the backcountry.