Shadow Lake Lodge

The experience was amazing. The amount of hikes you can access from the area was astounding. Almost half the guests hiked a different route in. The famous national park red chairs are 2.5 km from the Shadow Lake Cabins. We took the Redearth route in, but for a fire road our group of avid hikers of 4 thought it was beautiful both in and out. We saw on our visit to shadow lake lodge at least 30 varieties of flowers. Cabins are cozy great place to lay on comfortable beds after a hike and just star at the mountains. Games cabin was nice place to hand out after a hike and a warm fire was made one eve on a rainy late afternoon. The hosts Mitch and Julie were amazing. They really made the experience a 10 star review. There knowledge of the area, hikes, animals in the area which they have names for. Also great ghost stories. :) Ange, Virginia, Kim, Wendy

My friend and I stayed here for one night, and we wished we had booked it for a whole week. Mitch was the nicest and most welcoming lodge host we could have hoped for. We loved hearing about some of his adventures and he was very knowledgeable about the surrounding ranges and trails. The Alpine Club of Canada has a real gem here. I'm surprised it seems they've allocated resources away from it at the moment, but it does function well even as a self-catered facility. Shadow Lake is the most authentically beautiful lake I've seen, and there are so many intriguing areas to explore around the lodge that you would need several days to truly take it all in. Hopefully I can get a trip like that on the books for next summer with friends or family.

LOVED our time Shadow Lake Lodge! What used to be a full-service property accessible only to the $1200/night crowd is now a less than a third of the cost with a cozy, homey vibe where everyone brings their own food and gets to know each other through shared communal spaces. It felt really accessible and comfortable while still being special and cherished. Bedding is brought by you (we hiked in with sleeping bags - the warm heated rooms made it more than adequate!) and a few days of food - full professional kitchen at our disposal 24/7, all the cookware and tableware you need, and a large shared refrigerator. Hot water showers! We lacked nothing for creature comforts. Our hosts Mitch and Charlene were super welcoming and knowledgeable about the area. Amazing hikes for all levels of skill and energy available from the lodge. Amazing lake, mountains, glaciers and wildlife - we saw a cow moose and 2 calves crossing the lake! This is an accessible treat for anyone with the desire to spend a few days experiencing what Banff can really offer the soul! Amazing! 10/10

This is our special trip, 20 years anniversary. We love sitting in front of cabin, fresh air, birds chirping, and mountain view. Especially when people are all gone for hiking, peace and serenity surround the place. Thanks to The Alpine Club of Canada making it available for all who love nature.

Very nice cabins! About 10 cabins, each with 2 queen size beds and electricity. Kitchen was great, staff was very nice, hike up was nice - 14K - and did the hike to the waterfalls past Shadow Lake which was 11 km out and back but missed the chairs. Bring your own food but plenty of kitchen equipment and nice game room as well.

This experience was truly magical. The hiking, the views, the wildlife, wildflowers are unmatched. Chris, the host and his son Niko are so kind, inclusive of all backcountry experience levels, friendly, informative and truly made our experience exceptional and unforgettable. The environment that they create at Shadow Lake Lodge is truly the best for all to access the endless beauty of the Canadian Rockies.

4 of us ladies recently stayed at Shadow Lake Lodge for 3nights. Even though Shadow is registered as a Hut with ACC, it still resonates as a 5* accommodation with the exceptional comforts for the backcountry hiker - rooms were clean, spacious and had exceptional beds/pillows/communal kitchen had everything available/store for bevy’s and treats. The host was very helpful and knowledgeable. Will definitely stay again.

A fantastic back country lodge! There is a full kitchen (with fridge) that you can use for your meals. Sadly (or not), there isn't food services anymore (i.e. you need to carry your food the 14km hike from Red Earth). But there is a "general" store with a good selection of cold beer, sodas, wine, etc. The onsite hosts are great! Amazing views and hikes! Definitely a bucket list trip!

Because Shadow Lake Lodge's lack of consideration of other backcountry users, we had one of the worst experiences at a Parks Canada "backcountry" campsite (and we have stayed at a lot of them). While we were staying at the Shadow Lake campsite (2 nights after Twin Lakes) and the Shadow Lake Lodge (now operated by the Alpine Club of Canada) ran their generator at totally inappropriate times (2230-0230 & 0630 - 1000). Totally inconsiderate! When we complained, we were given the excuse that the engineering firm the ACC contracts, controls the generator "remotely" (yeah right). Also, they burned all their garbage in an incinerator! Who burns garbage these days , especially in the remote backcountry?! Of course this was done consistently at inappropriate times with the smoke wafting into the campsite!! It was gross and again totally inconsiderate of all the other backcountry users! From my research, this is totally against the ACC core values (as listed on their website) and Banff Parks mandate

We stayed two nights in August 2008 (I just discovered I can review hotels). Pros: - you get your own cabin with a sink + towels - common hot water shower for all cabins on site - common dining room where the staff serves fresh breakfast and dinner + a lunch spread; easy to meet other hikers - food is pretty good, we had poached salmon, muesli, pork tenderloin, and vegetables w/every meal. you won't go hungry. - cheaper than some of the other backcountry lodges - the 8 mile hike in is flat and easy except for one small section. Cons: - rampant horse poop all over the trail in, same horses that haul in your food and laundry. - hike in is kind of boring...I'd recommend biking until the end - (maybe my fault) at the end of Aug it rained every night, the sound multiplied by the cabin roofs. There's about 2 days worth of hikes from the lodge, and this is coming from a novice hiker. Shadow lake itself is beautiful and easily accessible from the cabins.

We had an amazing family holiday at Shadow Lake Lodge. The scenery was beautiful, the hiking amazing but the food was the big surprise. It was wonderful! Everyone's need (vegan, fish allergy, vegetarian, gluten free, etc.) were met for the group of 25 or so that the lodge can accommodate. It is an eight mile hike to the cabins and spectacular scenery along the way.

This is a great backcountry lodge for beginning hikers as the hike in is short and part of it is on a boardwalk type surface. The cabins and lodge almost make you feel like you're not in the backcountry! It was very easily accessible although we opted to take the long way back as it was more scenic. The staff was very friendly and organized, and the food was delicious. Nothing negative to say about it!