It is a monster because at 9616 feet above sea level, the peaks are rugged and awe-inspiring, Mount Bourgeau is a giant in the skyline near Healy Pass and Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort, and the trek is an adventurous one that requires a good deal of endurance, due to the elevation gain of nearly 5000 feet over approximately 25 kilometres. The mountain is a gentle one for adventure-seekers because there is a well-beaten path to the summit, and it is one of the easiest significant peaks to summit in the Canadian Rockies, since there is no rock scrambling or climbing required.
You can find the trailhead to Bourgeau Lake Trail by driving west of the Town of Banff for about thirteen kilometres, on the Trans-Canada Highway. It is on the left side, just beyond the Sunshine Village Ski & Snowboard Resort overpass and the next overhead wildlife crossing, with a relatively small parking lot. When we arrived on July 11, 2025 at approximately 6:30am, only a couple of cars were there. We also only passed about six groups of people throughout our 9 hours up and down the mountain, hiking and shooting with the Canon 7D, the 70-300 mm L-series Canon Zoom Lens, and the Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens. We had driven into town the night before to specifically conquer this trail.
The first seven kilometres or so of the journey to the top of Mount Bourgeau is a steady ascent through a dense forest, and across mountain streams, on an easy-to-follow trail. There are teasers for the landscape to come, peeking above the trees. The first real landmark is a small waterfall about a half hour or so into the hike; a great place for a brief hydration break.
The trail gets a little steeper after the waterfall, and that’s where the magic really begins on this hike. Some day-trippers end their ascent around the 7.5 kilometre mark, at Bourgeau Lake, an alpine lake enclosed in a glacially carved amphitheatre. They are still well rewarded for their efforts!
Another 2.2 kilometres of moderate to difficult hiking on some uncertain terrain brings even greater rewards, boasting astonishing views of the Continental Divide.
From Harvey Pass, it is a couple of kilometres further, with over 1600 additional feet of elevation gain to summit Mount Bourgeau, and the most difficult part about this section can be going back down. The views are mesmerizing, with heart-wrenching cliff edges explorers must be cautious of.
A trail through the scree and rock was visible to the top.
And we weren’t the only visitors up there that day. We spent some of our time with one of the local marmots!
We were blessed with a truly beautiful day in early July 2025 on Mount Bourgeau, and in the end, highly recommend any of the three journeys to Bourgeau Lake (Moderate), Harvey Pass (Difficult), or the summit (Difficult), depending on time and endurance levels. Though we spent approximately nine hours exploring this area, there were other routes and areas we didn’t reach and hope to return to capture someday.
Check out the full gallery to see some other great captures from that day.
Peaks and Pathways 