Last updated on February 26th, 2023 at 03:39 am
The Juniper trail in and around the Sinclair Canyon in Radium turned out to be a real treat! When it comes to hiking in the Radium area, I’ve never really put much thought into it. I’ve always, and it turns out wrongly, assumed there weren’t many hikes of interest and when you call Banff home, they maybe just wouldn’t compare. Oh was I wrong! I’ve driven past the Juniper trail sign so many times and never really considered stopping.
We spent three days camping at Redstreak and since it’s a short….but mighty steep trail to Sinclair Canyon, we decided to continue on and explore the Juniper Trail and Sinclair Canyon Trails.
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Where To Start The Juniper Trail
There are a number of ways to enter the Sinclair Canyon Trail system. We were staying the Redstreak campground and you can access the trail directly from the campsite. There is a Trailhead in the corner of the H loop of the campground and a short walk from there brings you to a signed junction. Right takes you along the trail to the Radium Hot Springs and left takes you down to Sinclair Canyon.
You can also access the trails from just north of the Kootney National Parks gates on Highway 93S. The first pull off after the gates is the one you are looking for, from there the Juniper trail is clearly signed, taking you down to the canyon.
Another option is to park at the Radium Hot Springs, this means it is really convenient to take a dip after you finish hiking the loop!
I also believe it is possible to access the Sinclair Canyon trail system from the Canyon Campground in Radium, just off Highway 95.
Hiking The Juniper Trail
Distance: 6.6km
Elevation: 211m gain and 583m cumulative elevation
The Juniper trail is a fairly straightforward trail, easy to follow and well maintained but with a fair amount of elevation change.
Since we were camping at Redstreak we decided we would start the Sinclair Canyon hike straight from the campground. The trail starts from the edge of the H loop and is marked on the campground map they give you when you register. It is marked on the map as the trail for the hotsprings but the share the same trailhead.
Once on the trail there is a lookout platform on the left hand side, if you are camping it’s a beautiful spot to sit and watch the sunset over the valley. Otherwise continue on the trail for a very short distance before you come to the trail sign. Right takes you to the hotsprings and left is signed for Sinclair Canyon. This is where the loop hike will end so its up to you which direction you want to hike it in. Either way you are going to encounter some serious elevation loss and some serious elevation gain!
We opted to head down to Sinclair Canyon and quickly descended down the stairs to a viewpoint in the canyon. From there the trail traverses the side, through the forest for some time before once again dropping steeply via some switchbacks. Before you know it you are on the side of the highway. Be warned the ground here is loose so watch your stepping and avoid the shortcuts, a good pair of hiking boots or trail runners will help immensely with grip here!
Take care crossing the highway, there is no official crossing and no sidewalk on this side of the highway. Once across its a short stroll up to the interpretive viewpoint a over Sinclair Falls and a great ground view of the rocky canyon walls.
To continue along the trail though you’ll want to follow the sidewalk downhill towards the park gates. Shortly before the gates is a parking area and a sign for the Juniper Trail. Leave the highway behind and head down through a lush green forest following the trail which switched back for a short distance before finally reaching the river in the bottom.
Everything here is really well signed! At the bottom you can head right for a view of Sinclair Falls. This is a short side shoot and doesn’t take much time but the falls are mostly hidden by the canyon walls.
We spent lots of time enjoying the shade and listening to the river running from a bench. There was nobody around in the middle of the week in May, this is likely different come the height of summer!
For many descending to the bottom of the canyon is their objective and they’ll head back up to the parking area above. But for those with more time the loop continues by crossing the bridge over the river and starting, what at times, feels like a never ending climb.
The trail builders who designed the Juniper Trail were generous though and the elevation is gained through a series of long mellow switchbacks for the most part. You quickly exit the forest though and from there I’m sure it can be a roasting on a hot day so pack plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat for the climb!
Once you start to gain elevation though the views just get better and better! The first stop is a viewpoint overlooking the canyon, almost opposite to the one below the campground. As you continue to climb there are benches to enjoy the view higher up.
Eventually the climb mellows and the trail starts traversing slowly losing elevation through an area of burn, which is a cool site to behold. The hot springs parking comes in to view shortly after and the trail descends down it.
Use the highway underpass to cross over to the hot springs. For those looking for a relax, pack you bathing suits and stop in for a dip! For anyone else, cross the front of the hotsprings, through the concourse with the picnic benches and pick up the trail on the other side.
Switchbacks and stairs are what get you started off on this section but it’s mostly quick and painless and then the trail traverses high above the road below. Take a moment to spot the place of peace plaque on the rock and enjoy the silence this spot offers.
You’ll see a small building just off to the left of the trail and that’s the sign you are almost done. Before you know it you are leaping down the stairs to where the trail split at the beginning of the hike. Back at the campground!
