How much time should I alot for and how difficult is this hike? Is it worth the effort? Is there a restaurant or snack bar at the end?

http://www.albertatravel.org/Edith_Cavell1.htm

Assuming you are reasonably fit, lower trail is easy while the trail up to the meadows will get your heart rate up (350 plus meters of elevation gain). How long it takes will depend on (1) how fast you hike and (2) how long you stop to admire the scenery. Suggest you allow 2 to 3 hours if you do the full circuit. Is it worth the effort--absolutely (but then any hike in the Canadian Rockies is worth doing--some are just better than others). No restaurant or snack bar, so you will have to brimg your own provisions.

I encourage people to do that route.
You gain enough elevation to see the surface of the Angel Glacier.

Between the time I first photographed the glacier in 1987 and my most recent visit in 2004, it is easy to see how far up the mountain side the tongue of the glacier has retreated.

The lower trail is an easy to moderate little hike if you are in decent shape (i.e. can walk up hills without huffing and puffing). The beauty of the area is that there are no provisions, no bus loads of tourists. It was one of my unexpected favorite hikes in the area.

Amen! Just you and your fellow hikers who in general are there for the same reason.

Contrast the Cavell Meadows hike with Lake Louise where tour buses seem to pour in by the dozens during the hours of 10 am to 3 pm. Even the Plain of Six Glaciers trail, 3 miles away from the main Lake Louise viewing area can be crowded at times.

The most isolated place I have found that gives great views is the Whaleback Trail, but just getting to it is a chore.

We just returned from our trip to the Rockies (hopefully, a trip review will be forthcoming), and took the Path of the Glacier trail. It had snowed overnight, so everything had a coating of snow on it, except for the trail itself. Don't think we could have done the Cavell Meadows trail - we're early 60's and in okay shape, but not great shape. The Path of the Glacier trail was terrific, and the sights as you approach the lake are fabulous! We spent a great deal of time at the lake itself taking photos, and just enjoying being in such beauty and surroundings. And no crowds. The day we were there - 9/15 - there were maybe 10-12 other folks on the trail.

The road to the area is terrific - switchbacks and views through the trees, without the sheer drop-offs that make my heart beat faster than it needs to. On the drive up to the mountain, we saw Cavell Lake through the trees - the fantastic color shining through. So on our way back down, we stopped at Tonquin Valley Trail, and walked down to the lakeside. Another beautiful area.

Aneckc - it is definitely worth the effort to take even the lower trail (Path of the Glacier) in this area. Enjoy!

Echoing newretiree (tho my husband is pushing 80-- ah, to be in our young 60's again)
We were at the Angel Glacier trail on 9/10-- no snow, 70's ish temps; beautiful day (almost no smoke in the air). Not many people.
We didn't have the legs/lungs to do the meadows part of the trail (I was feeling rotten from no sleep, etc), but we loved the glacier trail enough that we spent more than 3 hrs there. And remember that it takes a while to get to the trail. As newretiree said, the ride up there is beautiful. We, too, made stops on the way up, and then stopped to hike to a few spots on the way back down. In short, I think a person should allow at least half a day even if they don't do the meadows. (Though if you're not lingerers--as we clearly are-- you could probably accomplish the glacier part in just a couple of hours.)