Hotels near Healy Pass

Healy Pass delivers what people queue for at Larch Valley, without the shuttle system: 18.4 to 20.9 km round trip depending on the return you choose, 655 to 705 m of elevation gain, 6 to 8 hours, difficult mostly because of the distance. The trail leaves the Sunshine Village base car park at about 1,700 m, follows Healy Creek through forest for 5 km, then opens into a broad larch and wildflower basin below the pass. At the 2,330 m crest you stand on the Continental Divide, with the Massive Range behind you and the Monarch, Egypt Lake and the Pharaoh Peaks laid out ahead.

Late September gives golden larch on both sides of the pass and a fraction of the Moraine Lake crowd. Mid-July to early August gives the best wildflower display in Banff National Park, with paintbrush, western anemone and heather across the whole upper basin. The trail commonly holds snow above 2,100 m into early July, and the Parks Canada trail report has flagged fresh snow at the pass as early as the end of August. Carry insulation and a shell whatever the forecast says in town.

Pro Tip: Parking at the Sunshine base is free but the lot fills by about 08:30 on September weekends. The Sunshine gondola does not shortcut this hike, since the trail starts at the base car park rather than the top, so there is no way to trim the distance. Budget the whole day.