4-Day Erling Strom Trail Backcountry Lodge Trip by Horseback

4-Day Erling Strom Trail Backcountry Lodge Trip by Horseback

Ride through Alberta’s Wild West, tracing the paths that the early pioneers used while exploring these untamed forests. 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. With a backcountry expert to guide you, this horseback experience is a chance to learn about the history of early exploration in the region and stay in comfortable lodges where you can reconnect with friends by the fire. With four days to wander and discover Canada’s oldest national park, there's plenty of time to relax into the slow pace and peaceful quiet of life on the trail.

Please note that this trip departs on Wednesdays from late June to early September.

Itinerary

Day 1: Backcountry Ride to Sundance Lodge

Stop At: Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
Your adventure begins at 9:30am at the backcountry check-in at the large barn at Warner Stables (please do not arrive any earlier than 9:30am). There’s plenty of free parking at the stables and you’re welcome to leave you’re vehicle here during the trip. Once you’re checked in, you’ll meet your professional and friendly guides and get your slickers and saddle bags. Things happen on “Western Time” here so we may not leave right on the dot and you’ll have time to get to know your horse and ask any questions before you set off.

Never been horseback riding before? Don’t worry. We will match you with a mild-mannered horse and teach you everything you need to know. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you gain confidence in the saddle, learn to trust your horse and go from greenhorn to cowboy. One of the aspects of our tours that past guests rave about is the deep connection that they form with their hooved companions.

Once you and your horse are ready to go, we will mount up for the 10 mile ride along the banks of the sparkling glacier-fed Bow River, Brewster and Healy Creeks.

We’ll stop along the way for a hot lunch on the river banks, then late afternoon we will arrive at Sundance Lodge. This elegant and luxurious lodge offers you a chance to experience the Canadian backcountry, while relaxing in comfort.

You’ll arrive to a hot cup of tea or coffee, a warm shower, a soft bed and the friendly greeting of your lodge host. Each host has a way of making the lodge their own, catering in your every need and cooking you delicious meals.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Sundance Lodge, a rustic 10-room log cabin with solar power, wood heating, indoor washrooms and showers.

Day 2: Ride the Erling Strom Trail to Halfway Lodge

Stop At: Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
The adventure continues as you journey 9 miles southward to Halfway Lodge. The rugged peaks of the Sundance Range loom over the eastern horizon as you follow the winding historic Erling Strom Trail. You’ll be following in the footsteps that the early explorers of the Canadian Rockies took nearly a century ago. You’ll stop along the way for a picnic in the fresh air of an open mountain meadow.

Tonight you’ll stay at Halfway Lodge, located at the midway point between Banff and Assiniboine Mountain where weary riders have been stopping to rest since the 1920s. As you approach you’ll notice the trees start to thin out and the mountains peeking up above the treeline all around you. It is tucked into a postcard-perfect setting, with a striking cauldron of mountains all around it.

This lodge was constructed by Erling Strom in the 1920s as a stopover spot for the guests he lead on trips from Banff to Mount Assiniboine. With propane lanterns and candles providing lighting and a woodstove providing warmth, it hasn’t changed much in the last 80 years. (The only big change occurred in 1967 when a second story was added, due to a bear making a surprise entrance through the roof!)

Ride time: Approx 5-6 hours including lunch

Ride distance: Approx 9 miles
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Halfway Lodge, a rustic 4-bedroom cabin with woodstove heating, propane lanterns, outhouses and a shower.

Day 3: Follow Brewster Creek back to Sundance Lodge

Stop At: Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
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
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Sundance Lodge, a rustic 10-room log cabin with solar power, wood heating, indoor washrooms and showers.

Day 4: Return to Warner Stables

Stop At: Banff National Park, Alberta Canada
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 Warner 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.
Duration: 17 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.

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