The Larch Valley at Sunrise
In years gone by I made hiking the Larch Valley for sunrise during fall a yearly tradition. Witnessing a sunrise on this trail is hard to put in to words. The warm light piercing it’s way through the canopy of bright yellow larch needles paired with crisp mountain air and early morning frost is a thing of beauty!
However nowadays with the Moraine Lake road closed to private vehicles getting to the Larch Valley for sunrise is unfortunately a little harder than it used to be.
The Valley of the Ten Peaks and larch trees reflect in the lake with no name.
What Time of Year Should I visit?
The Moraine Lake road is open to shuttle busses from the 1st of June until the day after Canadian Thanksgiving. In 2026 that was October 13th (weather permitting).
In early June the Larch Valley trail is likely to still have a little snow cover at higher elevations but is normally open as soon as the road is.
The best time for that yellow larch colour is normally towards the last week of September and in to early October. The larch season is a small window in the Rockies and can change by a week or two depending on the cold, the wind and weather in general!
How To Get to The Larch Valley Trailhead
Now this is definitely the main crux of hiking the larch valley especially if you want to get there for sunrise!
Parks Canada Shuttle
The Parks Canada shuttle service offers some alpine start shuttles. An alpine start refers to mountaineers or hikers that want to start super early to summit before the weather warms too much making certain aspects more dangerous!
However even if you aren’t on a huge alpine mission you can still use these buses to get you to the trail head on time. These shuttles sell out incredibly quickly and have minimal seating!
Parks Canada Shuttle Alpine Start
Departure Times: 4am and 5am
Booking Available from April 15th 2026 at 8am.
Private Sunrise Shuttles - Guarantee you’ll make it!
Now to guarantee you’ll actually make it to the trailhead in time I highly recommend booking a private bus company that will reserve you a seat well in advance! These are pricier than the Parks Canada shuttle but are well worth it for this once in a lifetime experience.
Moraine Lake Bus Company
These guys have knowledgable guides, the most buses and some of the best availability.
Now the second hardest part of the Larch Valley trail is tearing yourself away from those views of Moraine Lake, especially as a photographer. As tempting as it is to stay and watch the sun come up from the lakeshore you’ll need to be quick to get up to the alpine meadow in time.
The Stats
Time: 3 - 4 hours depending on how long you want to spend up top!
Distance: 9 km out and back to the valley.
Elevation Gain: 535 meters to the valley
The Hike
The trail starts at Moraine Lake shorefront, simply walk around 200 metres past the lake from where the busses drop off and you’ll see a trail veering off into the forest.
The trail is home to multiple lakes, views and wildlife, at certain times of year there are often bear advisories recommending hikers travel in groups of 4 or more. If you are hiking alone it doesn't normally take long to come across other hikers at the start of the trail head before heading up.
The trail starts with a series of switch backs through the woods, the ascent is steady throughout but there is plenty of opportunity to rest along the way if needs be. The track is well defined and regularly used, chances are you'll come across other hikers when making your ascent - even at sunrise!
Once the switch backs end you'll find yourself in the valley itself. During Spring you'll be surrounded by wild flowers and in Autumn golden larches. As you ascend further be sure to look behind where you'll be treated to views of the 10 peaks stretching into the sky, ahead you'll see Minnestimma Lakes where, at the right time of day, perfectly reflect the peaks around it. It can be truly stunning at the right time of year.
The Lake With No Name
My favourite spot for sunrise photography isn’t actually Minnestimma Lake but in fact another lake just close by. Around 500 m before Minnestimma Lake you may very well notice a few braided trails on the right hand side making their way down to a small body of water.
Now as far as I know this lake has no name, maybe technically it’s not even a lake! It isn’t very deep and if you’re unlucky can be a little dried out. However when it’s not it makes for some fantastic reflections!
If you’re a photographer be sure to wait a little while after sunrise, it can be almost an hour after the sun gets over the horizon until it illuminates those golden larches!
Sentinel Pass
If you want to extend your hike from the valley it's another 260 meters of gain up to Senitnel Pass, it's a steep ascent but can be done in around 20 minutes for an experienced hiker. The views offered off the back towards paradise valley are worth the climb and make for a great lunch spot.
If you are prepared and adventurous, from here you can make your way up to Mount Temple (this is a long, steep, technical hike so be prepared and make sure it's within your ability) or over the pass and into Paradise Valley. If you haven't planned for hiking any further simply turn back and return the way you came enjoying the views as you descend.
Things to know Before You Go
Parks and Conservation Passes: Whether you’re hiking in a national park in Canada or certain provincial parks you’ll most likely need some kind of conservation pass. A Discovery Passwill cover you for the year for all national parks in Canada whilst the Kananaskis Conservation Passcovers the provincial and wildland parks in the Kananaskis region.
Check Trail Conditions Before You Go: Trail conditions in the Rockies can change month to month and year to year. Trails close for wildlife, weather and avalanche hazards. Be sure to double check trail conditions before heading out to avoid any disappointment. You can do so here!
Leave No Trace: When hiking anywhere in the world it’s important that you practice a leave no trace philosophy. This means whatever you hike in to a trail or campground you have to be able to hike out too. There won’t be trash cans or waste disposal in the backcountry and you should never throw trash in any out houses or pit toilets. In recent years, as trails and parks become busier, litter is becoming more of a problem. Don’t add to that problem!
Bears and Wildlife! Wild life is everywhere in the Canadian Rockies, even on trails that are close to town. People and animals have been attacked by bears and other wild life on popular trails in the past so don’t take it for granted.
Most wildlife is looking to avoid human contact so no matter what type of wildlife you see be sure to keep your distance. 30 metres is the minimum recommendation for most species but under any circumstance don’t approach wildlife. Even the cuddliest of critters can be dangerous!
So as always be bear aware, make noise, hike in groups, carry bear spray and, if they’re allowed on trail, keep your dog on a leash!
Offline maps knowing where you’re going is super important as to not get lost. I recommend All Trails Plus for finding routes and offline mapping allowing you to safely find your way home.
Interested in other multi-day hikes in the Canadian Rockies or maybe day hikes?
Watch The Video
This video was shot before the road was closed to private vehicles but still shows you the trail if you’re interested!
