Banff National Park Horseback Riding

Snow-capped peaks, glistening glaciers and sweeping vistas are the allure of Banff National Park. Step out into the wilderness and the home of some of North America's wildest creatures, including grizzly bears, caribou and wolves. On this ride you will enjoy a ride into this breathtaking wilderness with comforts of a backcountry mountain lodge awaiting you in the evenings. Exciting horseback riding brings you closer to nature, where you will learn all about life in the west! The cowboys will guide you through the best photographers haven that the Canadian Rockies have to offer. These rides take you and fellow adventurers deep into the heart of the wilderness.
Explore some of Banff National Park's most spectacular back country and join us on a 6-day Wilderness Tenting Ride in the Cascade Valley (4 and 5 day options are available).
This trip is for folks who are looking to take a little bit of home into the back-country, Sundance and Halfway Lodges provide just the right combination. Like the full circle rides, days are spent horseback riding and exploring. Unlike the circle rides, evenings are spent in a cozy lodge. We call that roughing it the civilized way!

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Itinerary / Highlights

Itinerary for Banff - Backcountry Lodge Ride

Day 1 - Riders meet in Banff at 9:30 a.m. and are transported by van to Martin Stables. There they are met by their guides and horses and mount up for the ten mile ride to Banff Sundance Lodge via the glacier-fed waters of the Bow River, Healy and Brewster Creeks.

Day 2 - The adventure continues southward with a ride up to Halfway Lodge. The trail winds along the historic Strom pack trail with the rugged Sundance Range dominating the eastern horizon.

Day 3 - After a good night's rest at Halfway Lodge and a hearty breakfast, it's down to the corral to mount up for the day's ride. Trips may take riders to the headwaters of Brewster Creek or to the breathtaking views enjoyed at the top of Allenby Pass, at an elevation of 8,100 ft.

Day 4 - After a warm good-bye to the cook and Halfway, the trail leads back to Sundance Lodge. This will be home for the next two nights.

Day 5 - The day begins with a hot, ranch-style breakfast, fuel for the ride up Fatigue Creek. At midday, both horse and rider enjoy a restful break in the Fatigue Valley, while the lunch horse is unpacked and coffee is brewed. The lofty heights of the Continental Divide provide spectacular vistas of both Alberta and British Columbia.

Day 6 - The gang gets together for one last day on the trail, a "soft" ten-mile ride from Sundance to Martin Stables, arriving at approximately 4:30 p.m. The adventure has come to a close, but the magic of your holiday will linger on to be relived and shared.

The 4 day trip departs on a Sunday and spends the first night at Sundance Lodge, the second night at Halfway Lodge and returns back to Sundance for the final evening.

The 5 day trip departs on a Monday and spends the first night at Sundance Lodge, the second and third night at Halfway Lodge and returns back to Sundance Lodge for the final evening.
Subject to change

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Completed in 1991, Sundance Lodge now sits on the original site of the horse corral for Ten-Mile cabin, built by Canadian Pacific Railway back in the 1920's. The cabin itself remains standing and was declared a historical site in 1990. It was used as a refuge for mountain guides and packers traveling to Mount Assiniboine, whose names you can still see carved into the logs.

Sundance Lodge sits alongside a gentle curve on Brewster Creek, with the Sundance mountain range as a backdrop. Built entirely with fir logs, the lodge has 10 sleeping rooms, a large country kitchen, and a cozy living room area where you can curl up by the woodstove and lose yourself in a good book. And although it is a remote backcountry lodge, we decided to add what we felt was an important comfort from home - hot showers! (Please note that, for environmental reasons, showers are restricted to one per stay.)

Surrounded by the beauty of towering peaks, Halfway Lodge has been a welcome haven for over 60 years. Rich in tradition, this cabin was used back in the late 1920's by mountain guide Erling Strom as a stopover for his guests traveling from Banff to Mount Assiniboine. Then a single storied cabin, Strom's wranglers spent the night sleeping in tents while the guests found floor space within. Halfway has remained pretty much as originally built, with the exception of a second story added in 1967 when a bear made an appearance through an unexpected entrance - the roof!

Thanks to the bear, Halfway now sleeps a maximum of fourteen guests. The lifestyle at this rustic backcountry cabin remains much the same as it was 60 years ago - simple. Propane lanterns and candles provide the lighting, and a woodstove keeps the water hot and the cabin warm and cozy.

Note: private sleeping arrangements are possible depending on trip size, but are not guaranteed. Halfway is equipped with single beds only.

Meals: Although we can cater to some specialty diets, we do not cater specifically to vegetarian diets. There are always plenty of meat-free options available. However we do not offer a “vegetarian” main course.

SHORTER RIDES:

** The 4 day trip departs on a Sunday and spends the first night at Sundance Lodge, the second night at Halfway Lodge and returns back to Sundance for the final evening.

** The 5 day trip departs on a Monday and spends the first night at Sundance Lodge, the second and third night at Halfway Lodge and returns back to Sundance Lodge for the final evening.