If you love self-propelled travel and connecting with nature, you’d best add the Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail to your bucket list.
This multi-use paved trail will take you past restorative forests, shimmering lakes and some of the best mountain views in the valley.
Built in 2010 for Banff National Park’s 125th Anniversary, the trail is part of the larger Trans Canada Trail (a.k.a. The Great Trail), a system that connects urban, rural and wilderness trails in all 13 provinces and territories.
Find Your Legacy
A one-way cycling trip on the Legacy Trail takes you on a spectacular 26.8-kilometre journey. Allow 2-3 hours for a focussed round-trip or bring your camera and plan for a longer trip with plenty of ooooh and ahhhh moments.
The Legacy Trail runs from the Travel Alberta Visitor Information Centre on Canmore’s west side to the junction of the Box Valley Parkway just west of the Town of Banff. Hundreds of cyclists, runners, roller skiers and in-line skaters shred the Legacy Trail daily from April to October.
Jump off from one of these park-n-bike spots:
- Canmore Travel Information Centre
- Banff East Park Gate
- Valleyview Picnic Area
- Cascade Ponds Day Use Area
- Fenland Trailhead
- Fireside Day Use Area
Our Top Four Photo Stops
Valleyview – Stock up on magnificent views of the East End of Rundle (or EE-ER to the locals), Canmore’s Three Sisters and Banff’s Tunnel and Cascade Mountains. Picnic tables and a rest area let you pause and enjoy.
Banff Avenue – The Legacy Trail winds briefly through the Town of Banff (how could you miss that?) so note the view down the Avenue of Cascade Mountains, quintessential capture for any visitor
Cascade Ponds – Take a break to dip your feet in the water, grab a snack or capture a selfie on the bridge over the pond or admire the stunning Cascade Falls nearby.
Vermillion Lakes – This shoreline offers the best ever view of Mount Rundle, Banff’s iconic mountain. Keep your camera out because you’ll probably see plenty of wildlife and birds in this ecologically rich habitat.
