Floe Lake
Kootenay, Canada
A beautiful Glacial Lake tucked on the edge of Kootenay National Park. An absolute alpine paradise with turquoise blue water. A backcountry permit is mandatory for anyone planning an overnight trip into the backcountry of Kootenay National Park. Campers must have a copy of their permit (paper or a screen shot) and present it to Parks Canada staff when requested.
Advance reservations are necessary to secure your campsite at most locations for July, August and September. A non-refundable reservation fee applies to all bookings.
Visitors also require a National Park Pass to enter Kootenay National Park.
Route
Floe Lake - Kootenay National Park
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12.6 Miles out & back
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7-8 Hours
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Hard
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Dog Friendly (on leash)
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Park at the Floe Lake Trailhead Parking Lot
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Grizzly territory (pack your bear spray!)
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When to go : July - September
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Backcountry permit required to camp (permits available on Parks Canada Website)
NOTE
We weren't able to land camping permits for this one unfortunately. But we did it as a day hike. It was brutal but so worth it! This is a lottery permit system so make sure you have an account with Park Canada and already signed in before making your reservation in advance!
AllTrails Link
DAY 1 : Floe Lake
I wish we got permits for an over night camping trip here! But we decided to push it as a day hike! We started at 6 am and ended at 7pm. We did rest at the lake for about an hour. There were some fires close by in the Banff area so the views were a bit hazy. Tons of Fireweed almost as tall as me! It wasn't crowded at all, and only passed maybe 2 people on the way up. The vegetation was towering, so make sure to have your bear spray and bear bells to make lots of noise! The goal was to try and reserve this for a multi-day trip and continue past Floe Lake to the Rockwall Trail! We will have to shoot for next time. Trail was mellow at first, but the set of switchbacks killed us. Would do it again and is totally do able as a day hike if you start really early!
