Visitors heading to Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park this week will find backcountry access sharply restricted after Parks Canada replaced a bear warning with a full area closure on June 15, 2026. The move shuts down the Lake Minnewanka Trail, Aylmer Pass Trail, and six backcountry campgrounds until further notice following a string of incidents where black bears damaged tents and got into food.
The latest closure, ordered under the Canada National Parks Act, covers campsites LM8, LM9, LM11, LM20, LM22, and LM31. Parks Canada says anyone caught entering the closed zone could face a fine of up to $25,000. The decision came after bear encounters between June 6 and June 14, including a bear tearing into an unoccupied tent at LM9 on June 6, two more tents damaged at LM9 and food accessed at LM8 on June 13, and two additional tents ripped at LM20 on June 14.
Terry Larsen, a resource conservation officer specializing in human-wildlife coexistence for Banff National Park, said the first group of campers did everything right. They kept their tent clean, with no food or scented items inside, and even ate lunch down by the shoreline. When they returned, the tent fly was torn. DNA testing is now being done to see if a single black bear is behind all the incidents.
No one has been hurt, and no aggressive bear encounters have been reported. But Parks Canada acting public relations and communications officer for Banff National Park Tomi Postma said the repeated property damage was enough to close the area in the interest of public safety. The closure will stay in place until further notice, and backcountry campers with bookings will be contacted directly.
The Lake Minnewanka day-use area and front-country picnic spots remain open, but the popular backcountry trails and campgrounds are off limits. Elsewhere in the park, a separate bear warning is still active at Rampart Creek Campground, where a black bear has been approaching people and campsites since June 10. Parks Canada reminds all visitors to carry bear spray, stay aware of their surroundings, and check the Parks Canada bulletins for the latest wildlife alerts before heading out.
