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Banff National Park Horse User Guide

Banff National Park Horse User Guide

HOW TO RESERVE YOUR TRIP TRIP CANCELLATIONS AREAS CLOSED TO HORSE SEASONAL AND EMERGENCY TRIP PLANNING CHECKLIST TRAVEL CLOSURES HORSE USERS’ Private horse groups may reserve trips up to three Please inform the Banff Warden Office of trip ✔ Familiarize yourself with Park facilities and months in advance on a first–come, first-served cancellations. This will enable another group to Horse travel is permitted throughout most of the Seasonal and emergency trail closures and National Park Regulations. basis by contacting the Banff Warden Office at use the area. Trip cancellations received more than park. There are a few trails and areas where horse warnings may be implemented within Banff ✔ GUIDE 1-403-762-1470. There is a fee for making a 7 days in advance will receive a full refund, minus use is prohibited to reduce impact on delicate National Park for management of resources, Before your trip, contact the Banff Warden reservation. Space will be confirmed and a permit the reservation fee. resources and specially constructed walking trails: prescribed burns, wildlife or public safety. Please Office or one of the Park Visitor Centres for issued upon receipt of payment by cash, cheque or current trail information and closures. ✪ The Healy Pass trails from Healy Pass, inquire at the Park Visitor Centres or Banff Warden credit card (Visa or MasterCard). Permits may be ✔ FEES junctions to the Healy Pass, Office prior to your trip. Check to make sure that your chosen trail is mailed or faxed directly to your home or picked A current fee schedule for: Pharaoh Creek trail junction in fact open to horse use. up at the Banff Warden Office. If you book and ✪ BACKCOUNTRY WARDENS ✔ For overnight trips, Grazing permits and pick up your permit on the same travel day, you ✪ Reservation fee The Sunshine Creek watershed including Sunshine Village Ski Area National Park Wardens conduct backcountry Wilderness passes are required. Contact the will not be charged the reservation fee. However, ✪ Grazing fees ✪ The upper watershed of Howard Douglas patrols throughout the year. They are there to Warden Office at 1-403-762-1470. be aware that, without a reservation, your trip ✪ Wilderness Pass (which can be purchased on a Creek above 7000 feet elevation from Brewster assist you in case of emergency, provide ✔ Private horse groups can reserve a trip up to may not be available as planned. daily or annual basis) Rock to Citadel Pass information, and ensure that the park’s natural three months in advance on a first-come, and cultural resources are protected. Any Park The following information is required for your can be obtained by phoning the Banff Warden first-served basis. Office at 1-403-762-1470 or by checking the Banff In addition, the following trails are NOT Warden that you encounter will ask to see your permit: ✔ Ensure that your horses are prepared for National Park Web Site at www.pc.gc.ca/banff . recommended for horse use: Grazing Permit, Wilderness Pass and Fishing ✪ name, address, postal code and telephone License. Since their duties require them to travel encounters with backpackers, cyclists, ✪ shoreline trail crossings and are trained for hobbles. number; PERMITS long distances, you should not count on being able ✪ ✪ number of horses and number of people; Bow Summit and Peyto viewpoint self guiding to find a Park Warden in case of emergency. ✔ Obtain a 1:50,000 Topographic map of the Before going on an overnight horse trip in the trail ✪ dates entering and leaving Banff National Park; Prepare to be self-reliant. area. park, you must purchase a Wilderness Pass and ✪ Fenland Trail ✪ route and how many days you wish to stay at Grazing Permit. Permits are available from the ✔ For any day or overnight use of the park ✪ shoreline due to mountain each grazing site; Banff Warden Office in person Monday-Friday, BANFF BACKCOUNTRY VISITORS‘ trails, obtain a Park Pass at park entrance bike traffic ✪ vehicle description, license plate number and 8 am-4:30 pm, by phone 1-403-762-1470, by fax GUIDE points, Information Centres, or by calling the ✪ High passes along the Continental Divide location parked. 1-403-762 3240 , or by mail from: Be sure to check the Banff Backcountry Visitors’ Calgary Service Centre at 1-403-292-4401. before August 1st due to wet and fragile trails Banff Warden Office Guide for other general information on backcountry use. This brochure identifies where For more information contact: LENGTH OF STAY P.O. Box 900 HAZARDS other use is permitted. Be aware that designated Quotas on commercial and private horse use have Banff, , T1L1K2 Banff Warden Office We invite you to explore the timeless trails of Banff National Park is varied in terrain and campsites are multi-use campsites, and as such, been established to prevent overuse and protect Box 900, Hawk Avenue, Banff National Park by horseback. Horses have conditions. High mountain passes and river you will be sharing facilities with hikers and been used here for centuries, first by aboriginal wilderness areas. Opening dates of grazing areas These permits must be carried at all times and Industrial Compound, Banff, Alberta T1L 1K2 crossings may be impassable in late spring or mountain bikers. peoples for trade and hunting, and then are subject to seasonal conditions and may vary produced upon request from a Park Warden. Fees Phone 1-403-762-1470 Fax 1-403-762-3240 early summer. You may inquire about trail extensively by Europeans as they explored throughout the Park from June 15 to August 1st. for permits go towards the cost of facilities and conditions at the Banff Warden Office. The routes through the mountains and then settled management of the park. Banff Visitor Centre in the Banff area. Banff National Park is part of following may be very high in the spring: 224 Banff Avenue, The maximum length of stay at any grazing site is a World Heritage Site and is one of the greatest Box 900 Banff, Alberta T1L 1K2 three consecutive nights, with the exception of the All park users are also required to purchase a Park ✪ Clearwater River, Pipestone River, Mistaya areas in the world to explore and protect. Phone 1-403-762-1550 Please practice low impact travel to ensure that Siffleur River special preservation area, where Pass which now replaces the former Park Vehicle River, Howse River, the wilderness experience you enjoy remains only one night’s stay is permitted. Permit. The Pass can be purchased at the Park Lake Louise Visitor Centre intact for the generations that follow. Gates or Park Visitor Centres. You can order these Box 213 Samson Mall by phone using your Visa or Mastercard by calling This guide will assist you in planning your The maximum group size is ten people. Two Lake Louise, Alberta T0L1E0 horse trip in Banff National Park. animals per person are allowed as a maximum, the Calgary Service Centre at 1- 403 -292-4401 Phone 1-403-522-3833. however we encourage you to take fewer pack between 8-4 pm, Monday -Friday) . animals if possible. photo by Brad White C Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Catalogue No: R63-307/2004E photo by Brad White ISBN: 0-662-36407-4

TRAILHEAD HORSE FACILITIES STAGING AREAS MANAGING HUMAN USE YA HA TINDA RANCH Trailheads with loading ramps are: I f you wish to hold your horses in the park The last two decades have seen a dramatic shift in people. Increased use may also be eroding visitors’ overnight at the start or end of a backcountry trip ✪ Sunset Pass ✪ Helen Lake the way people use Banff National Park’s wilderness experiences. In order to maintain a or if you are staying in the frontcountry area of backcountry. Day use on park trails is in some healthy ecosystem and quality backcountry ✪ Mosquito Creek ✪ Pipestone River the park, you may use one of the park horse cases 15 times greater than overnight use. Areas experiences, Parks Canada is initiating a human ✪ ✪ Johnston Creek Redearth Creek staging areas with prior consent. Corrals can be once considered remote have seen increased use use management strategy that may include new ✪ Healy Creek ✪ Spray River found at these sites: due to development adjacent to the park, new restrictions on access. Ongoing social and wildlife ✪ ✪ Norquay Upper Bankhead ✪ Pipestone River Trailhead off Slate Road in technology such as mountain bicycles, equipment research will hopefully allow us to better manage ✪ Mt. Shark Lake Louise improvements and rising numbers of park visitors. the backcountry in the future, for the benefit of the park’s wildlife and visitors. Changes will be phased ✪ Mosquito Creek opposite trailhead, behind

photo by Brad White Research shows that wildlife movement and in over the coming years, so please check for these Youth Hostel The Ya Ha Tinda Ranch is located adjacent to Banff GUIDED HORSE TRIPS habitat use is being restricted by the presence of before beginning your trip. ✪ Highway 11 north side, 2 km east of National Park along the Red Deer River. This EMERGENCIES If you want to go riding in Banff National Park, but Saskatchewan Crossing Resort . Contact the private property is the only federally operated For all emergencies (24 hours), call 911 do not own a horse or have access to one, contact Saskatchewan Crossing Resort for use at working horse ranch in Canada. Ranch-hands immediately. If you are in the backcountry, let the one of the following commercial horse operators in 1-403-761-7000 MINIMIZE YOUR IMPACT raise, break, train and winter about 150 horses the park. They offer a range of guided trips in the ✪ used by Park Wardens to patrol the backcountry of 911 dispatcher know that you require Banff park Nigel Creek Trailhead (Camp Parker). Call the ✪ Avoid grazing on wet and fragile areas. ✪ Feed bags ensure less spillage of feed and less park from one hour, one day or multi-day. Jasper Warden Office for access to this facility Canada’s Mountain National Parks. warden assistance. Please note that cell phones do ✪ Camp at least 70 metres away from streams and attractant for bears. and trips from here into Jasper. 1-780-852-6167. not work from many locations in the backcountry. ✪ Holiday on Horseback, lake shores. ✪ Travel with the least number of horses possible. Satellite phones are the most reliable means of Ya Ha Tinda means “Mountain Prairie” in Stoney. Warner Guiding and Outfitting Ltd. ✪ Once on the trail, keep all stock single file. ✪ Keep a clean camp and pack out all garbage, communication. PARK REGULATIONS The Red Deer River has long been a major travel Box 2280, Banff, Alberta T1L 1C1 Multiple trails (trail braiding) are prevented unused food, and horse feed. A low impact 1-403-762-4551 and trade route, and evidence suggests that the Ya (*If you are using a satellite phone, 911 may not be Please be aware of the following regulations: when horses are kept on one trail. Keep horses camp leaves no indication that it has been used Ha Tinda area has been used by native people for reliable in the backcountry. Instead, call Website: www.horseback.com on the trail and avoid skirting around puddles ✪ The carrying and /or use of chainsaws is at all. over nine thousand years. Remains of prehistoric 1-403-762-4506 which will connect you directly to the E-Mail: [email protected] or obstacles which leads to trail deterioration, restricted to persons who have written ✪ At random campsites be sure to disperse bison have been found here as well. Today the Ya Banff Warden Office.) ✪ widening, loss of plant cover and increased soil Timberline Tours Ltd. (Paul Peyto) permission from the Superintendent. evidence of your fire pit. Ha Tinda is a major winter range for ungulates Box 14, Lake Louise, Alberta T0L 1E0 erosion. You are responsible for your animals in the ✪ The use of horse drawn vehicles is prohibited ✪ DO NOT nail items to trees or build structures. and is important habitat for grizzly bears, wolves 1-403-522-3743 ✪ Deadfall that is blocking the trail should be backcountry. If your horse dies in the in the backcountry of Banff National Park. ✪ We recommend you do not take stallions on and other carnivores. To protect the area, please backcountry, you must contact the Park Warden Website: www.timberlinetours.ca removed with an axe or a Swede saw so that respect the following regulations: ✪ The carrying or transport of firearms is your trip, since you will be meeting other horse in the field or the Banff Warden Office as soon as E-mail: [email protected] new trails are not created. prohibited in the backcountry of Banff parties on the trail. ✪ Camping is allowed only at the Bighorn possible. Animals that die along or near trails and ✪ ✪ At rest stops, keep horses well off the trail away Brewster Lake Louise Stables National Park. ✪ Hang your food at least four metres above the campground. campsites must be removed as soon as possible to Box 370, Banff, Alberta T1L1A5 from water sources and scatter all manure left ✪ Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. For ground and 1.3 metres from each tree trunk to ✪ Random camping is not permitted on the Ya Ha prevent conflicts with wildlife. Removal may 1-403-762-5454 behind. this reason we recommend that you leave your reduce attractiveness to bears. (Bring two 20 M Tinda property. involve helicopter use. Costs incurred for the ✪ Hobbles are preferred to tying up horses Website: www.brewsteradventures.com dog at home. lengths of rope with you.) Cook and sleep in ✪ Off-road travel with motorized or horse drawn removal of dead stock will be the responsibility of overnight. E-mail: [email protected] ✪ The use of Warden Service facilities such as separate areas. vehicles is not permitted off the main ranch the permittee. ✪ Do not tie to trees. If you must tie overnight, backcountry cabins, corrals and pastures is not ✪ As a courtesy to other users (hikers, bikers), do road. stretch a rope between two trees (high line) well permitted. not bring horses into designated campgrounds. ✪ Grazing is not permitted at the campground or WILDLIFE away from the campground area. Fix tie ropes ✪ The use of llamas is prohibited. This will keep the campground free of manure. on the remainder of the ranch property. Report all bear and cougar sightings and on a highline to prevent damage to tree roots Camp in perimeter sites to prevent horses ✪ A National Park Fishing License is required ✪ High lining is NOT permitted between trees. encounters to either a Park Warden or the Warden from pawing and trampling. Clean up and passing through campgrounds. when fishing in all National Parks. Read the ✪ Highlines ARE permitted between trailers and Office as soon as possible. Information about scatter manure. ✪ Fishing Regulations that come with the license Don’t use hay as supplemental horse feed – it bears and other wildlife in the park is found in ✪ Travel light. Advances in lightweight equipment poles away from trees. as seasonal closures vary. All tributaries and could introduce non-native plants into the park. the publication “Keep the Wild in Wildlife” make it easier on you, your horses and the ✪ Portable corrals and electric fences are NOT associated lakes in the Clearwater and Siffleur Instead, use processed feeds such as cubes and available at Information Centres and Warden environment, and fewer horses may be required permitted. River systems, excluding Isabella Lake, are pellets. Offices. to pack your gear. ✪ Horses may be tied to trailers or the stalls closed to fishing. provided. JASPER WHITE GOAT NATIONAL Nigel Pass 0 10 20 30 L E G E N D PARK Kilometres Miles Sunwapta WILDERNESS AREA 0 5 10 15 Mount Pass Abraham Horse Trails Snowdome Lake Mount Banff National Park Boundary Athabasca NORTH Grazing Areas

COLUMBIA 93 CAMPGROUNDS Fires Permitted ICE FIELD Pinto Lake Mount Fires Not Permitted Mount Coleman Sunset Saskatchewan Pass 43 (At campsites with these symbols you must No 5 clean up all manure) River SASKATCHEWAN 11 (Note: Campground designation number indicates 42 approximate distance from nearest TRAILHEAD. Mount Whiterabbit Amery e.g. Cr 15 is 15 km from trailhead) Alexandra Trail Shelters Backcountry Lodges Mount River Wilson Creek N. Random Camping Areas RIVER Mount Glacier Lyell Ram Creek Saskatchewan Lyell Mount Crossing Mountain Peak Icefield Erasmus Ranger ALBERTA 41 SIFFLEUR Indian Glacier LakeHowse Mistaya Pick the area of the park you Mount

Sarbach WILDERNESS head would like to travel in. Siffleur Creek Select the grazing areas and River 40 AREA how long you will stay in each. Mount Mount Icefall River Forbes Chephren Mt. Reserve your trip and apply for 28 27 Creek Chephren Mount Creek Creek Lake Noyes Mount a grazing permit at the Banff Malloch Clearwater Forbes Creek Warden Office 1-403-762-1470 Isabella River Coronation Lake Martin Condor Mt. Mistaya Lake 29 Peak Forbidden Scalp Lake

39 Peter's River 38 31 30 Dolomite Tomahawk Clearwater Shale Mt. Mt. Pass

Mount Ya Ha Ya Ha Tinda River Delta Tinda Freshfield Glacier 32 Tyrrell Trailhead Creek Divide Ranch Freshfield Peyto Devon Icefield Lake Lakes GRAZING AREAS 26 Creek Creek

Blaeberry Helen Katherine AND CAMPSITES Lake Lake Creek 18 McConnell 37 River Dogrib Bow Lake Deer uito 20 Red q C Mount s k 19 Creek Bryant, Brewster, Spray Watersheds Wapta o 36 McConnell M Fish I Lakes Icefield C 21 1. Birdwood (Upper Spray) E F Dormer Molar Drummond Horseshoe I Camp at Us15 campground. Grazing in meadow E 35 Glacier Lake (Skeleton) River Mt. L Mo16 adjacent to campsite. D Mount River 22 Hector S Creek Drummond Snow CreekSnow Pass 14 Lake 34 2. Tall Timbers Waputik Cyclone 93 Mt. 24 Panther PARKWAY Creek Camp at Tall Timbers horse campground in the Icefield 25 13 Bryant Creek valley 2 km west of the warden cabin. Douglas Dormer Sk19 Lake Grazing in meadows adjacent to the campsite. In Case of Mount 15 Daley 33 23 Merlin Mount 3. Brewster Creek Halfway Emergency Lake Douglas River Grazing in wet meadows and slide paths below YOHO Pipestone Skoki Cell Phone: 911 Lakes Allenby Pass and adjacent to Halfway lodge. No Baker (Cell phones not always Lake Lake 17 12 use of private concessionaires’ horse facilities reliable in backcountry) Louise Ck without permission. Ski Area Flints Satellite Phone: NATIONAL Bonnet Peak Corral Peak 4. Brewster Creek 1-403-762-4506 Lake Camp at Bw 10 campground at Fatigue junction . Lake Louise Pulsatilla Louise Pass Badger 7 Jo29 Pass Grazing above Fatigue Creek trail junction to 16 Creek GHOST Creek 6 Field Ck

confluence of unnamed creek coming from Allenby TRANS 8 Cascade Stony RIVER Mount e s 1 Victoria Victoria i Pass. No use of private concessionaires’ horse Glacier d 5 WILDERNESS PARK ra Mount Fm29 Pa Baker facilities. Lake AREA Temple Sawback 9 Cr15 O'Hara CANADA Luellen Lake Lake Cascade, Dormer, Johnston, Mystic, Moraine Castle Rockbound Johnston Lake 1 Mt. Lake River Panther Watersheds. Baker Creek, Red Deer Watersheds, Taylor

HIGHWAY BOW Elk Cr6 Lake Creek Lake Divide Creek 10 Forty 11 5. Cascade Road/Stoney Creek Ek13 Boom L. Ml22 Camp at Cr 15 campground. Grazing is on the VALLEY Lake 17. Baker Creek KOOTENAY 93 Mile Minnewanka northeast side of the Cascade Road/Stoney Creek A small shrub land meadow along the trail 1.5 km Cascade junction. Creek Mt. north of Wildflower Creek. PARKWAY 6. Cascade Road/Elk Trap Ck Mt. 18. Tyrrell Creek NATIONAL Storm Norquay Use the meadows around the elk trap (approx. Mt. Twin Earth 1a Ski Horses can graze throughout this large meadow Area 4 km up from Stoney Creek bridge). Lakes Red on either side of the Cascade Trail from Tyrrell Pharaoh Pilot Banff Mt. 7. Flint’s Park Creek to Coyote Creek. 1 Shadow Use the small meadow 1.5 km west of Flint’s PARK Mount L. Mount 19. Scotch Camp Ball warden cabin between the old road and Cascade Bourgeau There is ample grazing on either side of the river Ck River. CreekBrewster Bow in this area. Good campsites exist on the south side Healy 8. Upper Flint’s Park of the river .5 km past the bridge, and 1 km away Egypt L. Canmore from the bridge on the north side of the river at the Sunshine Meadow halfway between Flint’s warden cabin Ski Area Bw10 River and Block Lake junction. As the old fire road forks mouth of Divide Creek. No use of the warden Fatigue 28. Malloch Creek Flats 4 Creek near the east side of the meadow, take the lower pasture. 93 TRANS fork. This large shrub land meadow provides Spray 20. McConnell Creek excellent grazing with good dry campsites. Citadel 1 Ck HIGHWAY 9. Sawback Slidepath A grassy shrub land meadow exists along the trail Peak CANADA Camp at campground Fm29. Grazing in the slide at the junction of the creek and the Red Deer River. 29. Trident Lake There are several fair grazing sites well off 3 KANANASKIS paths on the north side of the creek from the 21. Horseshoe Lake (Skeleton Lake) campground. the lakeshore in small grassy meadows. COUNTRY A good camping and grazing site exists adjacent to Egypt L. Healy River 10. Mystic Lake the trail to the lake along the south shore of the 30. Lower Clearwater Lakes Pass MOUNT Allenby Pass Camp at campground Ml 22. Grazing in the slide Red Deer River. Due to the wet and boggy areas A good campsite exists in a grassy area at

ASSINIBOINE Resevoir the east end of Clearwater Lakes below Bryant path above the campground. near the lakeshore, no camping or grazing is Sunshine 2 Ski the drift fence. Simpson permitted within 1 km of the lake. Area PROVINCIAL Br17 Lakes 11. Pass Camp at campground Ek 13. Grazing in the large 22. Sandhills 31. Upper Clearwater Lakes PARK Spray meadow below the campground. A large meadow with sand hills on the northeast This is a grassy meadow which runs for approximately 2 km upstream from the Mount Lake Creek edge approximately 3 km upstream from the Assiniboine Marvel Owl 12. Dormer Meadow Gloria Lake warden cabin. lakes. No camping or grazing permitted Lake A small series of boggy meadows 1 km north of Mt Shark 40 within 1 km of the warden cabin. This grazing Trailhead Dormer Pass. Camping is on higher ground north 23. Douglas Lake Marvel Spray area is the large meadow above the drift fence. Pass ALBERTAMt. side of the creek. A large wet grassy meadow exists at the south end 36. Upper Singing Meadows Currie of Douglas Lake. 32. Devon Lakes A large grazing area adjacent to a tumbling COLUMBIABRITISH 1 13. Lower Dormer This is a large grassy shrub land area Us15 762 waterfall in the vicinity of the trail junction River A small meadow and grassy area in open pine 24. Drummond Creek approximately 3 km downstream from Devon to Fish Lakes. A grassy shrub land meadow exists near the Us18 forest approximately .5 km upstream of the trail Lakes. Burstall junction to Panther River. A good campsite exists Drummond Creek drainage with a suitable 37. Upper Pipestone River Pass Leman PETER This area is the last grassy area in the timber before Lake across from the Dormer/Panther junction on the camping site just west of the trail. LOUGHEED east side of the river. Pipestone, Siffleur Watersheds making the climb to Pipestone Pass. 25. Lower Red Deer Lakes PROVINCIAL 14. Lower Panther Grazing in several small meadows along the Red 38. Siffleur River Palliser 33. Point Camp Meadows Pass PARK This area is the eastern half of the lower Panther Deer River just east of the warden horse pasture at Located beside Pipestone River, 2 km south of Located halfway between Pipestone Pass and HEIGHT-OF-THE- ROCKIES Meadow, which begins at the West Elkhorn Red Deer Lakes. the junction of the Pipestone River and Little Dolomite Creek near the Siffleur River. Random camping is not permitted in this area of the park. PROVINCIALPARK Summit shortcut and extends for 2.5 km 26. Divide Creek Pipestone creek and 2 km north of the private Camp at the designated campsite (NH 437 365). downstream from that point. Suggested camping is Immediately south of Divide Pass lies a very large concessionaires’ horse camp. This is a special wild land zone where camping and on the east side of the river at an obvious old trail shrub land meadow suitable for larger parties. The grazing is permitted for only one consecutive night. ride camp. Camping is not permitted near the warden cabin lies along the east side of this open 34. Molar Creek Meadow 41. Glacier Lake ecologically sensitive sulphur springs. area. Camp at Mo16 campground. This meadow is 39. Isabella Lake Area at the end of Glacier Lake has a large 15. Upper Panther approximately 3 km up from the Molar Creek This area consists of shrub land meadows and slide meadow approximately 2 km long. The large meadow system beginning at the old Peters Creek, Clearwater River trail junction with the Pipestone River and paths just above the warden cabin for 2 km. campsite .5 km upstream of the Cascade consists of a small grassy knoll amid a wet shrub 42. Watchman Lake land. Grassy areas along the north and west side of the Trail/Panther River junction. 27. Indianhead Meadows North Saskatchewan Watershed lake. 16. Upper Johnston Creek This large area consists of two large shrub land 35. Lower Singing Meadows Camp 1km south of the Jo 29 Campground. meadows at the confluence of Peters Creek and the This area starts approximately 3 km up from 40. Howse River 43. Sunset Pass Grazing in the meadows adjacent to the Clearwater River along the Peters Creek trail. Little Pipestone Creek and extends up valley for Small patches of grass below Lagoon Lake at the Camp at No 5 campground. This area is a large campground. Formerly the site of an old warden cabin. 2 km. old warden cabin site. meadow. Grazing is adjacent to the campground.

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