Vermilion Lakes Trail

For 9 of the 10 kilometers of this hike you are walking on the roadway below the Trans-Canada. I would not recommend it except that the views of the lake and Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain are impressive. Why people insist on driving the roadway I do not understand. There are plenty of benches and viewpoints over the lakes.

While the elevation profile makes it appear that there is a lot of climbing on this walk, when you are walking it seems almost flat with a total elevation gain of only 2 meters. From the parking lot walk on the Fenland Nature Trail, cross a bridge and turn right at the first intersection and follow the creek. At the next intersection, which in 600 meters from the trailhead, turn right cross the bridge and turn left onto the roadway. Follow the roadway past Vermilion and Small Lakes. Across the lakes is Rundle Mountain.

To the right of Rundle Mountain is Sulphur Mountain.

The walk ends at a dead end below the Trans-Canada. According to the Canadian Rockies Access Guide, the park planned to close the road at the first lake and turn the remainder into a foot path in 1999. Plans must have changes because this has not happened.