Hiking The Onion | Banff National Park, AB

Distance (out & back): 20 km • Elevation gain (total): 950 m • Max elevation: 2667 m

We hiked The Onion in mid-September 2023 on a gorgeous day, starting early. The trail starts at Bow Lake, next to Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, which has a coffee shop and rooms.

The first 3 km are a flat walk around the lake, then across a dried riverbed to stairs leading up a ravine. Following the "Bow Hut Alpine Route" sign, we quickly faced a big, but easily climbable, boulder (see it at 1:42 in our video). This is just one of many cool features that made the hike memorable.

Past the boulder, the valley opened up to a stunning view of Bow Glacier Falls. We walked alongside a river, through a small forest on cliff sides, then reached a wide valley with views of Bow Hut and St. Nicholas Peak. Above the tree line, we crossed interesting formations and a big stream. There wasn’t a dull moment. At Bow Hut, a construction crew was working on renovations, and it looked surprisingly new for something built in 1968.

From Bow Hut, we had 2 km and 250 m of elevation gain to reach The Onion summit. Route finding here isn't always clear, but you can mostly choose your own path. This part of the hike is the most breathtaking with amazing views of the Wapta Icefields. The trail mixes minor scrambling with cool rock formations. Near the summit, the trail flattens, offering a 360-degree view of the icefields and mountains. At the peak cairn, you'll get an incredible bird’s-eye view of Iceberg Lake and Bow Lake.

Overall, this was one of our favorite hikes of the season. The varied terrain and fun obstacles kept it interesting. Though it’s long and marked as "difficult" on AllTrails, it felt easier with many flat breaks. We’ll definitely hike this again!

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GEAR

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