If you are looking for the best place to elope in Banff that are a bit out of the beaten path, this article is for you!
(Summer edition)
First of all, Hii! I’m Dorine. I have been a local of the Bow Valley (Banff area) for 5 years now. I have photographed a lot of couples, families and pets in my time here. I also am a big outdoor enthousiast so I hike a lot in my spare time. I thought a guide of my favourite locations you could elope at with actual reviews of a local might help some of you!
I will avoid talking about the big classic: Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Minnewanka because you can find those very easily everywhere on the internet. More over, those places are always busy in the summer and I want you to find the true hidden gems. So I am going to skip straight to my actual favourites that either require a hard hike or those more easy access that most people don’t know about.
I can’t guaranty that those locations will not have anyone there but if you go early enough or late enough, you can totally find your piece of quiet there.
No hike locations to elope at in Banff National Park (or Canmore, Kananaskis)
Rundle Forebay reservoir
Located IN Canmore, this one is a local photographer’s favourite for sunrise. Super easy to park and easy access, it gives you beautiful views over Ha Ling and the Bow Valley. It is usually super quiet at sunrise, which makes it the perfect ceremony spot close to town. During the day, Rundle Forebay reservoir is a paddle boarder’s paradise (the water is so transparent) but it is also Canmore’s water reserves so locals have been trying to push people away from contaminating the water with their water crafts. I admit, I have been paddle boarding them last year a lot before I learned about the restrictions. That said, you will still see people on the water.
Three sisters viewpoint
A very short walk from the parking lot and through the forest (5 minutes) brings you to a very secluded little river meadow overlooking the three sisters. It used to be known just by photographers but the past fall I did see quite a lot of people there for sunrise. So why did I wrote it down here? Because this is still on my list of local’s recommendation I would give. People come but don’t stay too long either so there is a possibility to be by yourself.
Castle Mountain Riverside
Very short walk from the Castle Mountain Chalet, you have to go through an animal keeping gate to get on the shore of the Bow River. Going through the gate means that you are entering deeper into the Grizzly and Bear country so be mindful that even though sunrise will be absolutely stunning, this is also the time where you might see a bear. The area is known to be the home of The Boss and Split Lip – two of the oldest and biggest Grizzlys of Banff. So yeah, beautiful and easy access spot but keep in mind that you are in the wilderness.
Bow Lake
Bow lake is located 30 mins away from Lake Louise. It is a big turquoise lake in the day (darker at sunrise and sunset) where you can also spot a waterfall in the back. It is not uncommon to see a beaver chill in the water in the early morning. Bow Lake has become one of my client’s favourite when they don’t want to hike to be by themselves. That said, it is becoming quite popular amongst all photographers just because of that. Last year (2025), I still had no issues being just me and the couple eloping but let’s see what this year does!
Waterfowl Lakes
Located a bit further on the Icefield parkway, Watefowl Lakes are stunning under rated lakes. Known for it’s camping spot right on the lake, people often don’t stop on this side road stop. It does have an incredible turquoise color that would make Lake Louise blush. It is always very quiet for sunrise or sunset and you will only see the small amount of campers that stay there walk around.
Spray Lakes Reservoir
One of my favourites easy access spot because I have never seen anyone there whether I was with a couple or with my friends paddle boarding. I am often worried to see a bear more than i am of seeing people at Spray Lakes! The catch? The road to get there is rough. Yes, it is a gravel road, but for the past two years, it has been filled of pot holes (like huge ones) and driving there can severely damaged your car. There are talks of paving it but I really hope it never sees the day of light because this hidden gem won’t stay hidden for long if it is easily accessible…
Abraham Lake
Situated on the side of the Icefield Parkway, Abraham lake is more famous in the touristic world for the winters than the summers. Locals love the summers there because it is crown lands and crowd free (so you can pay a 30$ annual pass and camp anywhere for free without a booking). At least it used to be. Abraham Lake has increased in popularity over the last year though so it is not as quiet as it used to be but there are still some secret spots. This is my favourite lake for paddle boarding and camping.
Helicopter Elopement in Nordegg (backcountry of Abraham Lake) or Canmore (Marvel Pass)
An helicopter elopement is actually the best way to ensure you will be by yourself in the middle of nowhere in Banff National Park. Whatever time you choose, there will be you and only you up there. They won’t fly different groups to the same spot at the same time. I did an in depth article about helicopter options on this link if you want to read more about it.
Some of the locations are still on my shot list so if you are interested don’t hesitate to contact me.
Easy and Medium hikes locations to elope at in Banff National Park (or Canmore, Kananaskis)
When I say short and easy, it is either a small flat walk (30mins ish) or small hike with a little incline (2h one way). But nothing like scrambling or 1000m elevation gain for 3km!
Peyto Lake Viewpoint
I debated adding Peyto Lake viewpoint to this list because it has been crazy busy for the past year. If you pick a day where there is other people, I had a time where we were 4 couples eloping at Peyto for sunrise for example… and it’s still a nice experience but you do feel a bit more rushed and self conscious as well. But sometimes, Peyto is empty and it’s just the most stunning place in the Rockies (my personal favourite lake)
Peyto Lake Shore
This one is still super secret even though people are trying to get there more and more.
Past the Peyto Lake parking lot, there is a super small side pull out. It is super easy to miss it! But, this is the actual parking of the start of this “hike”. You will go down super slowly for about 45 minutes before reaching the shore of Peyto Lake – which means there will be a small incline up going back to the car.
That said, the parking is SO SMALL that there is only a minimum amount of people that you can find there. You will end up on Peyto’s beach which has a stunning water color with beautiful mountains all around. I also don’t think this one will stay secret for too long!
Sunshine Meadow
The easiness to access Sunshine Meadow depends on the time of the year you are going. You can either hike a 5km service road (pretty straight forward and boring) or take the gondola but it has to be open for you to take it. It also costs quite a bit of money. But once you are there, there are a few trails you can take that are more or less easy with more or less elevation gain. It is a great spot for wildflowers when they are out!
More info: https://www.banffsunshinemeadows.com/
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/sunshine-meadows–3
Boom Lake
Very easy walk to Boom Lake, it will still take you about 2h to reach the shore. The parking lot is not that big but the shore is quite vast so you can walk as far as you want on the shore (it is rocky though so be prepared to jump from rock to rock!). Boom lake has a stunning color and is beautiful during larch season. I totally recommend going for sunrise to benefit from the alpine glow and soft light.
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/boom-lake-trail
West Wind Pass
West Wind Pass is a shorter hike with a little bit of elevation (300m) but gives you amazing views over the Spray Lakes Reservoir. Accessible by the Spray Lakes road that is pretty bad (lots of pot holes and it is a gravel road), this hike is at its most stunning during the fall and what is called Larch Season (when the trees turn yellow). This one has been on my shot list for an elopement for a long time so don’t hesitate to reach out if you are interested!
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/west-wind-pass
Prairie Mountain View / Yates
Starting at Barrier Lake, Yates is a classic hike for locals. You actually don’t have to do the hard part to get beautiful views. About 1h/1h30 in, you arrive at a plateau and get an amazing sunrise view over Prairie Mountain and Barrier Lake. It’s a great option if you want to go paddle boarding after! It does get super crowded by the lake during the day but sunrises and sunsets are way more quiet.
Strava: The saddle you can reach instead of doing the full hike: https://www.strava.com/activities/12142332730
All Trails: The full Yates Hike: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/yates-mountain-via-prairie-view-trail
Helen Lake
This is a hike that local’s love. Bow lake increasing popularity has made it a challenge for locals to find a parking spot to do the hike. Not too hard, it gives you such rewarding views with a plateau and the beautiful lake. Because of the small parking, you also won’t see tons of people here with you. If you wanted to get even better views, you could push it further for Circle Peak which gives you altitude over Helen Lake. Great gem to discover!
All Trails: http://alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/helen-lake-trail
Parker Ridge
Located on the icefield parkway by the Athabasca Glacier, Parker Ridge gives you unreal views of the glacier. It is quite an easy hike for the reward you get of it! You could technically continue on the ridge for as long as you want, leaving plenty of space for more than just you up there! I do recommend going early because the parking lot fills up (even if it is huge) because of all the visit to the glacier.
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/parker-ridge–3
Eiffel Lake
Eiffel Lake is a lesser known hike in the Moraine Lake area. It does share the same first section as Larch Valley but you turn left at some point. It does contain a little bit of elevation but no scrambling and once you branch out of Larch Valley, the incline stops a little bit. You end up with beautiful views over the Ten Peaks and by a very quiet lake. I have not seen a single soul when I went there and it was packed for the sunrise by the lake so…! This is your chance to be alone around Moraine Lake!
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/eiffel-lake-trail
Larch Valley & Minnestima Lake
Located at Moraine Lake, Larch valley is a popular hike (especially during Larch Season in the fall). It didn’t used to be! There was a time where I wasn’t able to hike it because we couldn’t find 2 other people to join our group (and you had to be at least a group of 4 people on the trail because of the bears). But anyways! Up Larch Valley exist a little pond where the Valley of the Ten Peaks shows up behind. This spot is amazing either at sunrise or sunset for quiet. In facts, most of the people look at the sunrise by the Rockpile at Moraine Lake and only go hiking after so if you are at that spot for sunrise… It will be only you and the ten peaks.
This one does have a little bit more elevation gain but if you go slower, it will be fine! There is no scrambling to get there.
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/minnestima-lake-via-larch-valley-trail
Longer and harder day hikes elopement locations in Banff National Park (or Canmore, Kananaskis)
East End of Rundle
A big big local’s classic. East End Of Rundle (or EEOR) has become more and more popular over the past year for it’s short challenging but rewarding view. I did see lots of people for sunrise (don’t get me started during the day…) but most of them try to reach the top. My favourite location for ceremonies is actually a little bit lower than the top and doesn’t require scrambling – it does go through some screen and loose rocks though. But at that specific spot, I haven’t seen too many people stop. I would 100% recommend sunrise there and 0% during the day. I try to stay away from crowds when I can and if waking up at 3AM is making me avoid the crowds on this beautiful spot. I will!
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/east-end-of-rundle-eeor
Tent Ridge
I wrote an extensive article about Tent Ridge because this is my favourite hike of them all so far. I still have to dethrone it! Mixing a little bit of scrambling, a little bit of scree, a little bit of forest and a magnificent ridge over Spray Lakes, Tent ridge stole my heart. One thing is that you don’t need to actually do the full hike for sunrise to get to the ridge! You can do an in and out on the easiest section (which I do for the elopements). It takes about 1h30/2h to get up the ridge from the car park that way.
Tent Ridge does get ridiculously packed during the day so I would recommend going there for sunrise or sunset and staying later than other people. I have done it quite a few times for sunrise and even then, we met other people – but all of them staying less time than us. That said, this is still the top of my list.
PS: It even gets better during Larch Season in the fall.
Strava (the route we take for elopements): https://www.strava.com/activities/15640440376
Strava: The full horseshoe loop: https://www.strava.com/activities/12249924856
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/tent-ridge-horseshoe
Vision Quest
Vision Quest would be the equivalent of East End of Rundle mixed with Tent Ridge but in the Nordegg/Abraham lake area. With the last bit of scrambling, it gives you a stunning view over Abraham Lake. Lesser known area makes it less touristy and you will find way less people over there – close to none.
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/vision-quest-ridge-scramble-2
Wasootch Ridge
A leg burner like we like them… The first kilometer is straight up. Like straight up. There is no better way to describe this! The big advantage is that once you are past this km, you are pretty much on the ridge. There is multiple peaks you can go to but even if you stay on the first one, you will get a beautiful 360 view. The other thing about Wasootch Ridge is the wind. I have never seen it not windy! Bring layers and be ready for all types of weather up there.
Strava: First peak: https://www.strava.com/activities/7356355807
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/wasootch-creek
Gypsum Ridge
Shorter and easier than Tent Ridge, Gypsum Ridge gives you the same great views over Spray Lakes Reservoir. The big bonus of Gypsum is that it is doable in the winter as well (Tent Ridge is in avalanche risk in the winter so it is not recommended at all). It is also less popular than Tent Ridge so the probability to encounter other people (at sunrise or sunset) is lower!
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/gypsum-ridge–2
Mount Jimmy Simpson
This hike starts at the Bow Lake parking lot. As the parking is super small, sunrise time is essential. This hike is also a WAY harder one than all of the above. It does require scrambling, going through scree, some bouldering and even wearing a helmet to avoid loose rocks from above. BUT… You go by waterfalls, glaciers, lakes… Once at the top you have a 360 view over the Icefield Parkway including – but not limited to – Bow lake, bow glacier, Peyto glacier… It does get super windy up there but totally worth it!
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/mount-jimmy-simpson
Overnight backcountry elopement locations in Banff National Park (or Canmore, Kananaskis)
There are a few options if you are thinking of going even further to avoid the crowds of Banff for your elopement. You can either camp at one of the backcountry campsites, stay at an ACC hut (Alpine Club of Canada) or in a private lodge.
Mount Assiniboine
This is an adventure of a lifetime. Known as the Matterhorn of Canada, Assiniboine is a majestic triangle shaped mountain that borders British Columbia and Alberta.
You can either stay at the campsite or stay at the lodge. Both require a bit of organization but it is doable. To camp there you might need at least 4 days (one night on your way and one back) but some people do the 36km in one day. There is also an option to helicopter in and out, or just in and hike out or hike in and helicopter out. Anything is possible! The Helicopters to Mount Assiniboine don’t run everyday though so be mindful of that.
I do have a special offer for Mount Assiniboine. You can find it on this page: https://welcomehomeelopements.com/assiniboine-elopement-experience/ If you are interested on an Assiniboine elopement, please reach out sooner than later (campsites booking open about 4 months before the date).
Lake O’Hara
Lake O’Hara is kind of an hybrid location for multiple reasons. First, the road is closed to personal vehicles – including bikes! Second, the shuttle is accessible by a lottery hold in March. So if you decide to just go for the day and elope for the day – think about your photographer and officiant! Third… It has ALL the accommodations types.
There is three types of accommodation at Lake O’Hara: Camping, the ACC hut (Elizabeth Parker) and the lodge.
The camping is really hard to get so if you ever manage to book a campsite and want to elope at O’Hara, I recommend you try to book two sites for your photographer and officiant! A good thing to know about the campsite is that it is accessible with the shuttle so you can pack all you want in your bag and bring it to the site. No need to try to save every gram in your bag.
As for the Lodge, it would be the same, you would need to book the accommodation for them as well. For the ACC hut, it does book out very very quickly as the bookings open early for ACC members so if you are a member, your chances to get it would be a bit better (once again, you would need to book an extra bed for the photographer!)
The good thing about this system is that there is a maximum number of hikers per day in the O’Hara area. The area is big enough that you will have all the space you need to be by yourself for your ceremony.
In O’Hara there is multiple trails you can take. From the famous view of the Opabin Plateau to the deep blue of Lake McArthur. The choice is yours! I also totally recommend staying by the lake for sunset, this is where the magic happens and the mountains turn on fire.
Shadow Lake
My new favourite place to go to! The hike in is only 9km and doesn’t require any scrambling or scree or anything. It is a very well maintained forest trail. Some people even bike it. In the winter you can even see some snow mobiles and skiers.
Shadow lake has two different accommodation types: a lodge and a campsite.
The lodge used to be a private lodge with a full kitchen chef but it is now owned by the ACC (Alpine Club of Canada) and has an open kitchen people can cook in. There is very cute cabins and even a little general store where you can buy things you might have forgotten (including alcohol). There is a little common room with board games and an inside fire place. It is open in the winter (and it’s pretty nice in the winter too!)
The campsite is a bit further away from the lake than the lodge.
Once there, you have the lake for yourself – or almost! With it’s turquoise color and the mountains in the background, it’s kind of a secret Lake Louise away from the crowds.
Pharaoh Peak
This one could be done in one day but Pharaoh peak is a 34km round trip so that wouldn’t leave too much space for anything. One nice stop is to camp at Egypt Lake and go up from there. Egypt Lake is a popular camp site so you can either get a cancellation or plan very early for it. The nice thing is that you get the mountain top views and then a lake at the campsite.
Pharaoh peak is at its best during Larch season in the fall where it is just a sea of yellow trees around. The views from up there are equivalent to what Lake O’Hara would look like from the Opabin Plateau.
All Trails: https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/canada/alberta/pharaoh-peak–2
If you are ever looking for a place to elope in Banff that is away from the crowds or that is accessible only via a non common path (Helicopter elopement, horseback ridding elopement, or even a canoe camping elopement), please reach out, I would LOVE to help you plan and capture your day.