Bow Glacier Falls trail reopens after fatal rockslide killed two hikers
Banff National Park has reopened the Bow Glacier Falls trail following a geotechnical assessment and installation of new warning signage after two hikers died in June 2025.
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The Bow Glacier Falls trail in Banff National Park has reopened more than a year after a rockslide killed two hikers, Parks Canada announced Thursday.
In June 2025, Calgarian Jutta Hinrichs, 70, and Hamza Benhilal, 33, visiting from Vancouver, were killed when rock fell in the area. Two other hikers were airlifted by STARS air ambulance, and 13 people were evacuated from the scene. Parks Canada later confirmed the rockslide resulted from natural mountain processes and was "neither preventable nor predictable."
The area has undergone a detailed geotechnical assessment, and new warning signage marks the end of the official trail with warnings about increased rockfall risk beyond that point. The assessment identified lower-risk and higher-risk areas.
Parks Canada reminds visitors that rockfall is a natural mountain hazard and some risk will always exist. The agency advises hikers to respect posted signage, avoid steep slopes beyond the marked trail, travel in groups, stay alert, and pass through higher-risk areas quickly. "Safety is your responsibility," the statement said.
The facts
When did the rockslide at Bow Glacier Falls kill two hikers?
In June 2025, a rockslide at Bow Glacier Falls in Banff National Park killed two hikers: Jutta Hinrichs, 70, from Calgary, and Hamza Benhilal, 33, from Vancouver.
When did Bow Glacier Falls trail reopen?
The Bow Glacier Falls trail in Banff National Park reopened on Thursday, July 16, 2026, more than a year after the fatal rockslide.
What safety measures were installed when the trail reopened?
Bow Glacier Falls trail received new warning signage marking the end of the official trail with warnings about increased rockfall risk, following a detailed geotechnical assessment that identified lower-risk and higher-risk areas.
