A Guide to Hiking the Cory and Edith Pass Loop
Cory and Edith Pass Loop was the most challenging day hike we did in Banff National Park and overall in the Canadian Rockies. Read our Cory and Edith Pass Loop hiking guide, including tips on the trailhead location, how to get, trail description, where to stay, and how to stay safe.
We had a chance to travel in the Canadian Rockies a few times now, and as we love hiking, we truly enjoyed the opportunity to explore many trails in the mountains. In this travel guide, we would like to inspire you to include Cory and Edith Pass Loop in your plans.
Banff National Park offers stunning beauty and vistas wherever you look, towering mountains, crystal clear lakes, and thick forests.
Simply, every nature and outdoor enthusiast will find here a paradise and can choose a trail based on their Canadian Rockies itinerary and level of fitness.
The Canadian Rockies were always considered one of the top world's destinations, but in the past few years, the Rockies' star shines even more brightly, and it is hard to find a place without crowds.
Top attractions in Banff National Park such as Peyto Lake, Athabasca Glacier or Johnston Canyon are heavily visited, and one of the reasons is that it does not require much effort to reach lakes' shores from the parking lot.
The message is simple. If you want to escape crowds and enjoy an unspoiled experience (although we would not skip places mentioned above by no means), you must go a bit further from the easily accessible attractions.
Luckily, we found one of the best trails in the Banff National Park, where you can savor the great outdoors' majestic atmosphere almost alone.
The hike is called Cory and Edith Pass Loop; however, there is one teeny-tiny problem. You need to put some effort to get the privilege of enjoying this place.
Honestly, for us, Cory and Edith Pass Loop was one of the most demanding and challenging day hikes in the Canadian Rockies, but we think that every moderately fit person should be able to complete it without a problem. The hike is really worth it.
If you plan on hiking Cory and Edith Pass trail, or you're still looking for the best hikes near Banff township, keep on reading.
We share everything you need to know, including tips on what to pack, where to stay, trail facts, elevation, and much more.
TRAILHEAD
Cory Passs trailhead - Fireside Picnic Area - is only 9 kilometers from Banff and 53 kilometers from Lake Louise, but 133 kilometers from Calgary are also doable to make this day trip.
We traveled in the Canadian Rockies several times, rented a car, and cannot imagine a better way to explore this beautiful part of Canada.
Make your rental car reservation well in advance, especially when planning your visit during summertime.
A rental car gives you flexibility, and it is often essential because it would be hard to reach the trailhead without it.
Public transport is not available in this case.
Your only option is to hire a taxi in Banff, which is not the cheapest alternative, but you can share the cost with friends.
HOW TO GET THERE
No matter if you spent a night in Banff, Lake Louise, or Calgary, you need to drive Trans-Canada Highway and then turn off to road 1A Bow Valley Parkway (on the first crossroad turn right) in order to get to the hike's trailhead named Fireside Picnic Area.
When traveling from Calgary or Banff, you need to drive in the direction of Lake Louise. When coming from Lake Louise, follow the highway in the opposite direction.
LENGTH AND ELEVATION
Here we will tell you some numbers and facts, so you'll roughly know what to expect.
The entire Cory and Edith Pass Loop is 15 kilometers long, and it should take you anything between six and eight hours to complete, depending on your pace and enthusiasm. There's no need to rush, though, as the scenery is unbelievable.
The highest point of the hike is at an altitude of 2350 meters above sea level.
The first half of the trail leads uphill and has an elevation gain of about 1100 meters on approximately 7.5 kilometers. Especially the beginning is steep, and we ascended 450 meters in a short time.
On the other hand, we preferred it this way because we still had enough energy on the way back.
CORY AND EDITH PASS TRAIL DESCRIPTION
When planning your trip, you might have already noticed that this hike has two sides - the Cory side and Edith side. Yes, it’s a loop.
We will describe how to hike the entire loop because it does not make much sense to walk only one side and return via the same route unless you are caught by bad weather and need to retrace your steps quickly.
We parked our rental car on the parking lot, put water, snacks, and an extra layer of clothes to the daypack, and set off.
The first kilometer was easy. We walked on a well-trodden path in the forest until we reached a fork.
Here you can decide to go either left or right. One trail will take you to the pass via the Edith trail, while the other one via the Cory path.
We thought the direction didn’t matter because we had to climb up either way.
Without much thinking, we turned left and started climbing to the Cory Pass (later, we found out this side is a bit steeper than the other one, but it is probably better for your knees to walk it uphill rather than downhill).
We had splendid views of Banff township, Mount Cory, and Mount Louis; there were also many wildflowers along the way, and we still had quite a lot of energy to continue.
Later we reached a section where we were not that exposed to the sun, and the trail was almost flat.
Sometimes we went up and down, but it was not anything steep. But at this point, we started to feel our legs.
Then we walked out of the forest and emerged on a rocky path, which led sharply uphill again.
This section was completely exposed, and the wind was cold. We pushed ourselves to keep moving as we knew the Cory Pass is not far away.
Here along the way, you can enjoy beautiful views of Mount Cory, admire the changing landscape, and amazing views of the Gargoyle Valley.
This part of the hike was our favorite because the vistas were simply splendid, and we could see some wildlife in the distance as well.
We reached Cory Pass pretty tired, but couldn't believe our luck that we didn't have to share the beauty with many people.
As the dark clouds started to roll in, we only snapped a couple of photos, had a quick snack, and started descending.
The descent via Edith Pass was quite tricky, and much more difficult than the final part on Plain of Six Glaciers hike we did a few days ago.
Not only because our legs were already sore, but we had to walk downhill several kilometers on loose scree, which was challenging, and we had to focus all the time not to fall (we recommend you to walk zig-zag).
The path was clear because conditions were dry before the hike, but you can orientate yourself thanks to stone cairns when the visibility is limited.
After some time, we reached treeline again, and from now on, the views disappeared, and we continued on a forest path, which was pretty wide.
Watch out for wildlife here, especially for bears, because this section of the trail is an area where you can encounter them during berry season.
We did not see bears here but spotted places near trees with their fur on the ground. We won't lie to you; we walked pretty quickly here.
The trail widens gradually here, and it did not take long, and we reached the fork where we had turned left in the morning. After one kilometer, we found ourselves in the parking lot.
Tired but incredibly grateful!
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHERE TO STAY
As we've already mentioned, the trailhead is not that far from Banff, so it makes sense to stay here before the hike so that you can start early in the morning.
Once you finish the loop, you can decide what will be your next destination, depending on your itinerary.
It can be Banff again (there are so many things to do), the famous Lake Louise, you can travel even to Calgary, or spend the night along Icefields Parkway.
Options are endless, but the bottom line is that it is necessary to make a reservation well in advance because all destinations in the Canadian Rockies are often booked out, especially in the summer.
We've handpicked the best hotels in the area, where you can base yourself before or after the trek.
Banff | Canalta Lodge - The cozy lodge close to Banff's center offers beautifully appointed rooms and a great atmosphere.
Lake Louise | Fairmont Château Lake Louise - There is not a more iconic hotel in the Rockies than this one standing on the shore of Lake Louise. If you find a room available, grab your chance.
Calgary | Aloft Calgary University - Well-rated modern hotel near C-train is easily accessible from the city center or when you want to drive to the Canadian Rockies.
WHAT TO PACK
Weather in the Canadian Rockies changes quickly, and you should not take this day hike lightly.
First of all, the clouds roll in and out, it can rain any time, and the path is quite exposed. It is important not to underestimate the conditions, even if the weather forecast looks promising.
We've selected a few items we would never leave on a hike without that you should unconditionally have in your backpack.
Remember that you are in a bear country. Close encounters with bear are rare, but we saw quite a lot of them in the distance when hiking in the Rockies, and for your safety, it is better to carry bear spray. It is much cheaper to buy it online than on the spot.
For your comfort, wear broken-in waterproof hiking boots with sturdy soles. Some sections are quite technical, and we do not recommend sneakers.
We use trekking poles on challenging hikes often, they help us keep pace when climbing up, plus our knees feel much better after walking downhill.
You should have a small daypack with a good back support and waist strap to fit in the water bottle, snack, and extra warm layers such as a rain jacket, fleece jacket, and even down jacket.
Weather in the mountains is unpredictable. We always pack a rain poncho no matter how great the forecast looks.
Make sure to read Canadian Rockies Packing List before you go.
WEATHER IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
In general, the best time for the Cory Pass hike is in summer between July and mid-September.
Only a few words about the weather, which can hugely affect your planned hike. Weather in the Canadian Rockies is unpredictable, and you can experience rain and snowstorms even in the summer.
One thing is to hike well-equipped, the other thing is not to risk.
Both passes are often under the snow, even in late June, so always make sure in advance that the trail is passable.
Both Lake Louise (home to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise) and Banff have excellent information centers with knowledgeable staff who know everything about the current situation.
In case you find out that the trail could be dangerous, turn around and come back another time. It is just not worth it.
Aylmer Lookout Hike or Bourgeau Lake Hike are great alternatives when searching for the best hikes in Banff.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
