Erling Strom Trail Lodge – 3 Nights
Guaranteed departure. This tour runs as scheduled with no minimum group size — book with confidence, it won’t be cancelled for low numbers.
Overview
On this trip you will follow the Erling Strom Trail, a path forged through the dense Banff forests by renowned explorer Erling Strom in the early 1900s.
Amidst dense fragrant pines and snow-crested mountains that pierce the sky, you’ll get to experience the wild side of Banff that not many visitors get to see. Remote and without any internet or cell service, the backcountry lodges where you will be staying offer a chance to find peaceful quiet and reconnect with friends and loved ones over a crackling campfire and hearty meals.
With a backcountry expert to guide you, this horseback experience is a chance to learn about the history of early exploration in the region. With four days to wander and discover Canada’s oldest national park, you’ll have plenty of time to relax into the slow pace and peaceful quiet of life on the trail.
Highlights
The best parts of the tour for most people include the following:
Lake Minnewanka
Banff National Park
Cascade MountainItinerary
What each day of your trip looks like, from saddle-up to the ride home.
- 1
Backcountry ride to Sundance Lodge
Meet at 9:30am at the backcountry check-in at Banff Trail Riders Stables, where we’ll fit your slickers and saddle bags and pair you with the horse picked just for you (free parking on site).
Saddle up for the ten-mile ride to Sundance Lodge, following the glacier-fed Bow River, Healy Creek and Brewster Creek with a hearty cowboy lunch on the riverbank along the way.
Arrive late afternoon at Sundance Lodge — a ten-room log cabin set on a gentle curve of Brewster Creek beneath the Sundance Range. Settle in for a warm shower, a chef-cooked gourmet dinner and a comfortable bed in true backcountry comfort.
- 2
Ride the Erling Strom Trail to Halfway Lodge
Journey nine miles south along the historic Erling Strom Trail beneath the rugged peaks of the Sundance Range, following the route of the early Rockies explorers, with an open-air picnic in a mountain meadow along the way.
Overnight at Halfway Lodge, a 1920s stopover at the midpoint between Banff and Mount Assiniboine. Lit by propane lanterns and warmed by a woodstove, it has barely changed in 80 years and sits in a postcard-perfect cauldron of peaks.
Ride time: approx. 5–6 hours including lunch · Ride distance: approx. 9 miles.
- 3
Follow Brewster Creek back to Sundance Lodge
Today you’ll leave your peaceful haven at Halfway Lodge and take the meandering trail along Brewster Creek back to Sundance Lodge. You’ll spend another night here, relaxing in pure backcountry comfort.
Be warned: you won’t want to leave Halfway Lodge once you have experienced this gorgeous retreat in the Rockies.
After you wake up in comfort and enjoy a hearty breakfast at Halfway Lodge, you’ll hit the trail. Your guide will lead you through the backcountry on a scenic and exciting trail, criss-crossing the valley in the historic footsteps of the early pioneers and stopping for lunch along the way.
You’ll arrive back at Sundance Lodge again, a luxurious retreat you will have fallen deeply in love with. Pamper yourself after your ride with a warm shower and a glass of wine, then enjoy another delicious meal prepared by your talented chef lodge host.
Ride time: Approx 5-6 hours plus leisurely lunch
Ride distance: Approx 9 miles
- 4
Return to Banff Trail Riders Stables
It’s your last morning at Sundance Lodge, which by now will feel like home due to the warm hospitality of your host. Wake up wrapped in your warm down duvet one last time, gather around for a delicious breakfast and wave goodbye as you begin the journey back to Banff.
Breathe the crisp, pine scented air as you depart for one more day on the trail with your fellow riders – whom you have no doubt become good friends with by now. Your guide will lead you through the backcountry along winding river trails and through the thick pine forests, with the jagged peaks of the Rockies always standing proudly on the horizon. You’ll stop along the banks of Healy Creek for a lunch of fresh sandwiches, baked goods and fruit.
You’ll take the gentle 9 mile ride from Sundance back to Banff Trail Riders Stables , arriving at around 4:30pm. You may be leaving the backcountry, but the memories you have made will stay with you for a long time.
Tour Details
Included
- 3x nights accommodation
- Small group size (up to 6 guests per guide)
- A friendly horse for every rider
- Basic horseback riding instruction
- Trail fees
- Helmet
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Booking Terms
- Rates are based on double occupancy and a single room supplement is available for an additional fee.
- Riders must be at least 9 years old.
- Riders aged 17 and under must be accompanied on the ride by a legal guardian.
- Riders must weigh less than 230lbs / 104kg, fully dressed (your weight may need to be verified on our scales).
- Riders must wear fully enclosed shoes (no heels).
- Each rider must be able to speak and understand fluent English.
- Riders must be in good physical condition.
- Helmets are mandatory and to be worn by all riders under 18 years. Helmets are optional but recommended for riders aged 18 years and over.
- All adult riders must sign a waiver prior to the tour. A waiver must also be completed by the parent or legal guardian of any rider under the age of 18 (documentation may be required to confirm the signatory’s authority).
- All backcountry trips are subject to a 60 day cancellation & change policy.
- Photo ID may be required for identity verification.
- Refunds are not issued if guests are disqualified from riding due to not meeting these requirements.
What Our Guests Are Saying
Real, verified reviews from guests who explored the Canadian Rockies with us.