Falling Rocks Kill 1, Injure 3 on Banff Hiking Trail

Visitors to the Canadian national park were being asked to avoid the area
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 20, 2025 1:30 AM CDT
Falling Rocks Kill 1, Injure 3 on Banff Hiking Trail
A helicopter is seen close to the scene of a rock slide near Bow Glacier Falls, north of Lake Louise, Alta. in Banff National Park on Thursday, June 19, 2025.   (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP)

Falling rocks struck people on a hiking trail in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, killing one and injuring three others Thursday, the AP reports. Rescuers had rushed to the park in the afternoon after receiving reports that a group of hikers had been struck by the rockslide. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Parks Canada later confirmed one died and three were injured near Bow Glacier Falls. The site is north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway, about 124 miles northwest of Calgary. It is also about 137 kilometers from the site of the Group of Seven summit held in Kananaskis, Alberta, this week.

STARS Air Ambulance spokeswoman Kate Langille earlier said two of its units were deployed around 2pm. Parks Canada has asked visitors to avoid the area. The Bow Glacier Falls hiking trail is a 6-mile route running along the edges of Bow Lake. It's considered a moderate challenge for hikers and day-trippers include families. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she was deeply saddened. "We are thinking of all those involved and wishing for their safety as we await further details," she said in a post on social media. The Calgary Herald quotes a witness who posted on social media, "Heard it while walking around the lake, looked up and just saw the dust cloud behind the treeline."

(More Canada stories.)

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