Hilda Glacier Hike

Trailhead: Hilda Glacier is located near the Columbia Icefields, 107kms south of the Jasper townsite and approximately 104kms north of Lake Louise. This is an unmarked unofficial trail. Park on the east side of the Icefields Parkway at the Hilda Creek Hostel parking lot. Located approximately 15kms east of the Ice Fields Visitor Centre. Banff National Park.

Description: Cross the highway and guardrail. Drop down towards Hilda Creek then cross a large culvert and stay on the trail for a short distance until you arrive at the Hilda Creek Hostel. Head to the to the last out building where another trail leads back down to Hilda Creek.

Cross a wooden plank bridge over Hilda Creek and stay on the trail as it works it’s way west towards the terminal moraine of the Hilda Glacier. Once you arrive at the terminal moraine you’ll notice Hilda Creek magically appears out of the bottom of the moraine. Hilda Creek flows through the moraine rock somewhat of a curious hydrodynamic feature.

Stay on the trail as it climbs up the right side of the terminal moraine. In a short distance you’ll see Hilda Creek again flowing towards the back side of the terminal moraine which is now magically disappearing into the moraine rock. From this point you can stay on the lateral moraine and a slightly used trail that works it’s way to an end view point, approximately 1.75km one way.

Be careful to stay on the trail as the lateral moraine drops off steeply the higher you go. Do not try and drop down off the moraine when you reach it’s end. The other option is to hike up Hilda Creek starting at the point where Hilda Creek disappears into the terminal moraine. You’ll need some glacier travel mountaineering experience to venture further from here. Most of the rock you’re walking on are drumlins, lodgment till and melt out tills that still hold glacier ice underneath it. Some of these areas can be very hazardous. This Is Bear Country

Bow Valley Parkway Map PDF

Icefields Parkway Area Map PDF