I think this is where most of the locals hike in Kananaskis these days. This is a great catch, I definitely didn’t mean to say Parks Canada! It’s just as stunning as Banff, but because it’s a little more remote and undeveloped, it has a fraction of the crowds. To conquer Windtower you have at least an hour and some change more of light scrambling and moderate incline to go. At the top of the path, you reach the ridge which provides unreal views. Clarifying because your readers might think that they need a National Park Pass to visit the trail (which they don’t). Because up until now, it’s been pretty simple and effortless (besides the distance). Most of the larches are close to the finish at the North end. This is where the route gets a bit scrambly and slightly expose. Top Kananaskis Country Hiking Trails: See reviews and photos of Hiking Trails in Kananaskis Country, Canadian Rockies on Tripadvisor. It was actually Alberta Parks because Kananaskis is made up of several provincial parks and protected areas, and is not a national park (Banff being the closest). Gloves were definitely helpful as there is light scrambling involved. Finding these springs is like looking for a needle in a haystack, so bring your GPS. That is to say, it’s super busy for a good reason. This area has so many larch trees it’s hard to believe. The trail through the woods is not technical with plenty of traction on dirt. It skirts around Lower Kananaskis Lake and crosses a waterfall before ascending 300m to the enchanting Rawson Lake. A nice short hike, about 1 1/2 is up to Troll Falls, which is a beautiful quiet little waterfall up a mountain. We loved our time in Burstall pass and spent the majority of our time alone in the woods. Right before you reach the parking for Read’s Tower (see below) you have the option to try another Kananaskis hike – Windtower! Engadine Lodge, meaning you’re within staggering distance of a hot chocolate, beer or charcuterie board at the end of your hike. Head up through the woods near the beginning of the parking area in a southeast direction. This section of the trail should only be attempted by advanced hikers/scramblers or at least people of strong fitness. From here you can keep going on to Dead Man’s Flats or turn around for an easy and enjoyable hike down. You have about 10-15 more minutes until you hit the peak. For that reason, you should always carry bear spray with you in Kananaskis. 6 Reasons You Can’t Miss the Vermilion Lakes in Banff, How to Hike the Stunning Pocaterra Ridge in Kananaskis Country, 6 Best Waterton Hotels to Book This Summer, 11 Reasons to Book at Banff Caribou Lodge and Spa. Mist Mountain is one of the tallest mountains in the region and offers a significant objective without any technical mountain climbing. Your email address will not be published. We were looking for a hike over 15 km with not a ton of elevation gain and landed on Piper Pass. If summiting isn’t on the cards, there’s a fantastic alpine plateau just before the last stretch of scree that’s worth checking out. Not because of the distance, but because after Rawson Lake you have to scramble at an almost 45 degree angle straight upwards towards the ridge, sometimes on very slippery, dusty scree. Winter Hiking – Kananaskis Troll Falls. To hike Windtower you’ll want to start across the street alongside the roud. East End of Rundle is easily one of the most popular hikes in all of Kananaskis. (here’s a list of our favourite Larch hikes in Banff and Kananaskis if you want to read more!). If this is your first time hiking in the Rockies take a conservative approach – read our post for beginner hikers in Banff too. If you time your visit badly, don’t be surprised if you have to awkwardly wait your turn. Here are all the things you need to know before renting a car in Banff. Tent Horseshoe Ridge is one of my favorite hikes in all of Alberta. The route from the saddle up to the top of Smutwood Peak looks long and steep, but it’s easier and shorter than it looks. The trailhead begins at a relatively high elevation, meaning you get incredible top down views of Canmore without having to put in quite as much effort! It’s a pretty steep climb, but easy enough for most people to handle without too much of a struggle. Past reviews discourage this route as it’s dangerous, a pain, and then ends with a long walk out Wasootch Creek. He has a passion for all things in the Canadian Rockies and loves to spend his time snowboarding, scrambling, camping, biking, and trail running. Which is much quieter than most of the Mountains, and is only 1 hour from Calgary ! Not for the faint of heart, this short-but-gnarly trail is a grind that will get your blood pumping, thanks to its steep incline. Answer 1 of 7: A friend of mine is coming to visit me in Calgary in a couple of weeks (mid June) with his 10yr old daughter. Up in the mountains of Kananaskis Country, among the imposing limestone peaks, there’s something inherently powerful about being near water. A fall here certainly wouldn’t be good, but it’s not certain death (that’s next door on Mount Smuts). This is the crux of the hike, and requires holding on to a chain and shuffling across a narrow ledge. We completed this hike in four hours on a fantastic summer day and were rewarded with an epic sunset from the peak. Smutwood Peak took our group six hours with a 45-minute summit break. Mount Yamnuska, or Yam to locals, is another absolutely fantastic hike that offers something a little different from your average hike. Probably not the first hike I’d choose on this list, but if you’re looking for alternatives to the usual popular spots, this is a great option! This trail would be best between May and October, though I’ve seen photos in the winter and the images are gorgeous. And NOTE - there is now an official parking lot for Jura Creek with an outhouse. Engadine Lodge, list of our favourite Larch hikes in Banff and Kananaskis. Pocaterra Ridge is typically done as a point-to-point hike, so if you have two cars I would definitely try to do it this way. The Grassi Lake hike is the perfect Kananaskis hike for friends and families. Hikes in both of these areas can get extremely busy and crowded, especially the Banff hikes since Banff is a HUGE tourist destination with over four million visitors annually. Grassi Lakes are two sparkling teal alpine lakes with two the areas most famed peaks towering above. Most people head to Mist Mountain only for the hot springs, which is a short hike through a valley. Very informative and the photos are stunning. This is only a four hour round trip hike, but you do have the option to keep going past to scamble Mount Sparrowhawk for a more complete day. The trail goes through the treeline until you break past it for magnificent views. The trailhead begins on Spray Lakes Road around 2kms past the Canmore Nordic Center. When you reach the end of the first forest section you come to the alluvial fan of the Robertson Glacier. Distance: 2-3 kilometers; Type of trail: Loop; Estimated time: 30 minutes to 1 hour; For beginner hikers, families, or a nice, easy walk around the Canmore town area, the Bow River Loop is the perfect hike. Ha Ling Peak is easily the most popular hike in the Canadian Rockies, along with EEOR and Grassi Lakes. Tryst lake is a fantastic hike that you’ll walk right past if you’re not paying attention! Alberta Parks recently spent $800k renovating the trail, installing new staircases and generally improving the trail. Watch out for the ground squirrels – it’s here that we left our hiking poles unattended and they started to eat away at the handle grip. If you want great views, and you don’t want to walk all day, this might just be the perfect hike for you! Burstall Trail starts out from Smith Dorrien Trail with a large parking lot that serves the trail and stunning Mud Lake. Still, the views are stunning and the photos are perfection. It’s basically a steep incline the whole way up and a steep decline the whole way down. It’s easy, until the final push, and well worth the views across all of Kananaskis and Canmore. That means, download maps or trails before leaving home. Another hike close to Canmore and much different than any other hike around Kananaskis area. Stop for some ice-cream and make sure you visit the playground with younger children. These are very serious mountains and it easy to get in well over your head with life-threatening consequences. The Diamond T Loop hiking trail is a great easy winter hike in Kananaskis, especially for new or beginner hikers. The main difference here is the beginning. For the first major site come soon as you cross a bridge over one of the better waterfalls in the region. It’s probably best to pace yourself on the entirety of the hike. K-Country is one of the most underrated places to visit in Alberta. I promise you they’re worth the effort! Thank you for sharing your adventures. The Troll Falls snowshoeing trail is one of the most popular Kananaskis snowshoe trails for good reason. The Windtower hike a short and rewarding hike in Kananaskis Country. Panther Falls is a hidden gem on the Icefields Parkway that many people won't have heard of. Its first technical move may be the most exposed with a rock less than a meter wide and a tall rock wall on either side. Follow the trail until you reach the waterfall. After parking, you’ll mosy along the powerlines for a few hundred meters before the work up begins. Description: Hike this popular trail up Heart Creek to a nicely hidden waterfall. The improvement has increased the safety of the trail, but make no mistake it’s still a tough physical challenge for many. If you truly are looking for a fairly short and difficult hike in Kananaskis then Grizzly Peak is a good option as the total hike is only 5.6 km / 3.7 miles return, but the elevation gain is almost 1000 meters. Rae Lake ( 16.0 km , 375 m , 2 -3 days): Rae Lake is often completed as a day hike, however it is a great place for a quick backpacking trip. We knew this going in, so we decided to take out mountain bikes till we could no future. We hiked this trail on Canada Day weekend (July 1st). Because there are less crowds, the trails tend to be quieter. After .8 km, you’ll head into the trees, and at about 1.3 km, you’ll start gaining gradual elevation. I’ve dropped the GPS coordinates where you need to take a left coming from Canmore. Conventionally though, most hikers start at the south end. Before we get to the list though, there are a couple of things to know: The main thing to know about Kananaskis is that many of the trails are very hard to find (or follow), so good preparation beforehand is paramount. Be forewarned though that the Mist Mountain Springs can get insanely busy in the summer, and you’ll have to be here at sunrise to avoid crowds. Pocaterra Ridge is one of the most popular Kananaskis hikes on this list. Though it is a great day out with a beautiful summit and no scrambling or anything technical involved. Hope that you found a few more hikes to tackle this summer. Given it’s proximity to downtown Canmore, and relative ease it sees heavy foot traffic. It’s here you can find a camping spot if you plan to camp. It’s a prime spot for birders and we stopped multiple times to listen to their calls. Tent Ridge Horseshoe is a 10-kilometer loop trail. From the top you’ll have beautiful panoramic views of Upper and Kananaskis Lakes. Don’t worry, it doesn’t make much of a difference in real life, but it may help avoid a little confusion during your research. We never saw anyone else on the trail on a beautiful summer day in July. Brief hike description. Somehow the bus tours haven’t made it out there yet, so any adventures into K-Country (as we like to call it here) are like a breath of fresh air; a complete escape into what the Canadian wilderness should actually feel like. That being said, all of these hikes should pose no risk if you stick to the trail. The ascent is fairly easy to the ridge. There is some easy scrambling involved, and it definitely requires some navigation skills around West Wind Pass. Smutwood Peak is easily my favourite hike in Canada. However, for a really hard day and sense of accomplishment set your goals on actually summiting Mist Mountain. Backpacking to Petain Basin gives you access to one of the largest waterfalls in the Rockies, just a short hike from the campground! 12 Incredible Canmore & Kananaskis Hikes for All Levels Easy Hikes in Canmore & Kananaskis Bow River Loop. We climbed late in the afternoon and saw multiple tracks from ill-prepared hikers sliding down the trail. Make sure you check the trail report for updates! In case you haven't heard the news yet, Kananaskis Provincial Park is the new Banff National Park. The views in particular from Sarrail Ridge are stunning, but you’ll have to put in plenty of work. Before you reach the parking point for Grizzly Peak (Coming from Calgary/Canmore) you’ll come across the Fortress petrol station stop. We receive compensation if you make a purchase, but it won’t cost you anything extra. Described are 12 Kananaskis Trail hikes with a view I have done over the years. Once you reach the summit of Windtower enjoy the views over Canmore to one end and the Spray Lakes to the other. The Troll Falls Loop is a short and sweet Kananaskis day hike with great views! Seriously, it looks like you’re in Switzerland here! I realized that there is nothing scary about either of these sections and they actually make the hike more exciting, which is necessary because it’s honestly quite a boring hike. The out and back would put your day at 9.3 km and 745 meters of gain. For the more adventurous and locals, there are a number of rock faces popular for rock climbing. What’s of most interest is the excellent alpine pass views on the approach, exceptional cirque, and small hot springs with a great view. It’s technically outside of Kananaskis on Crown Land at the foothills, meaning you can wild camp here if you want. Grotto Canyon. Either visit super early or pick a weekday to hike to avoid the crowds. There are two parking areas, but the latter from Canmore is the best for access to EEOR. The trail is 15.4 km in length and has an elevation gain of 850 meters. As a result, you may encounter more wildlife on the trails. From there the trail continues along through the forest and valley. You have about 45 minutes to one hour to go. Smutwood, Rummel Lake and Tryst Lake trails all begin just seconds from Mt. It’s easily the shortest on this list and as far as hikes go, pretty straightforward. Make sure you read our post on packing for the mountains if you need a bit more advice! We only had one car and decided to start our journey at Centennial Ridge trailhead where we had a steady but easy incline up into the valley. All of them are breathtaking and offered some of the best views on the hike until reaching the pass at the end. The remoteness means you’re more likely to see some wildlife too, and we ran into 2 grizzlies on the trail! The Banff Blog Facebook Group is your headquarters for the Canadian Rockies travel advice and information. To start on this trail you do have to walk past a big sign stating that this is Grizzly territory. Wasootch Ridge is a favorite near Canmore in Kananaskis Country. Not just a moderate uphill grind either, but a steep and loose uphill battle. Not surprisingly, that’s because Pocaterra Ridge is a Larch hike, meaning the leaves change colour during the Fall. We weren’t sure what to expect from Read’s Tower. Poles are ideal for the steep downhill climb. Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country Distance: 4 km loop Difficulty: Easy to moderate (due to the steep ascent at the beginning) Elevation: 221 m gain Time: 1 – 2 hours Dog-friendly: Absolutely; Belle enjoyed this one, but all dogs need a leash. I want to share with you our favorite Kananaskis hikes from this summer and will continue to update this list year after year as we get out more. We stashed them in the trees around the 8km mark and only hiked 2km. He has been featured as a travel expert with numerous publications around the world and has spoken on a number of occasions about the power of travel. If you get cliffed out, you’ve made a mistake. Just an hour drive from Canmore in the Spray Valley is this beautiful loop trail. Hey, we’re Cameron and Natasha and have been writing about travel for the last decade. Once it opens up you can continue along Pocaterra Cirque which only takes you 430 m up and is easier than trying to summit the ridgeline. Barrier Lake will be on your left as you continue along the closed off road. When we reached the top of the ridge it was snowing, and the wind was howling, no views at all, then we waited over the Spray lakes and the beautiful sun showed it’s face again. Hiking from Rawson Lake to Sarrail Ridge is only easy in one way – you can’t get lost. Grizzly Peak is an uphill grind all the way up. However, once you’re at the top you will have spectacular views over the valley you just crossed through. The great thing about this is that you can virtually run down it and lose hundreds of feet of elevation while barely breaking a sweat! You can read our full account of Pocaterra Ridge in Fall here. Rawson Lake is a beautiful glacier lake suitable for a wide range of abilities and when combined with Sarrail Ridge it makes for a quick classic hike in the Canadian Rockies. If that’s not a reason to go hiking, I don’t know what is. The trail has officially been decommissioned as it’s a high activity area for bears. The trail is not easy to follow. Mainly because it’s one of the best larch hikes in all of the Canadian Rockies. In no particular order, these are our absolute must do hikes in Kananaskis: This is one of my favourite hikes of all time, but it’s also one of the hardest. Hiking up Prairie View Trail is one of the most visually rewarding Kananaskis hikes relative to effort I’ve done. Distance: 3.5km to the Saddle, 3.9km to the Summit (each way), Elevation gain: 810m (100m from saddle to summit), Time to complete: approx 3-5 hours depending on season. The EEOR hike in Canmore is another hike on the outskirts of Kananaskis, just minutes from the town. If you only have one car you can still do it as an out and back hike called South Pocaterra Ridge, and get amazing views, especially during larch season. Part of that is because it’s so short and close to the town of Canmore, and part of it is because of the breathtakingly clear, green lakes you’ll find at the end of the trail. Our list contains Kananaskis and Banff hikes because Kananaskis trails tend to be less popular but are still very much worth the time to do, plus fewer crowds! For amazing views walk past the campers and up the trail about 50 more meters. There are one or two steep ish sections, so bringing grippy boots is a must. Conservation is a deep fundamental in his life and he aims to inspire others to care about our natural world. The trail winds up through the trees, until eventually you punch through the tree line and hit a few hundred feet of scree. This is where we take any visitor who want a short and very easy hike to beautiful lakes. It just takes a bit of exploration for a big payoff on the Troll Falls trail, which makes this all-season spectacle one of the best hikes in Kananaskis Country for … It’s home to some of the most eye watering hikes, lakes and views in the world and we’ve been preaching it as the must-see destination in the Canadian Rockies for years. Once you get to the rockband you’ll want to put your gloves on (and helmet if you have one) as you’ll be walking along the cliff for about five minutes using your hands and careful footing. Sarrail Ridge hike – Kananaskis Getting there. All narratives and opinions are my... One correction: Ha Ling Peak upgrades are mentioned as being provided by Parks Canada. Most of the hikes on the Kananaskis Trail don’t see anywhere near the number of people you see in the national park. Fight the rock slide and slabs uphill until it opens up. From there it takes around a half-hour to reach a sub-alpine meadow filled with wildflowers. The hike starts out along Mud Lake before heading along an old road for 2.7 kilometers which can be used by bicycles. This is very easy to miss, so download the Alltrails map and pay attention. Your email address will not be published. https://www.alltrails.com/canada/alberta/kananaskis-improvement/kids I’ve done this 4 or 5 times now and don’t think I’ve ever successfully made it without slipping over! The turnaround for it would be at the summit of Pocaterra Ridge. If it wasn’t for my trusty Topo Canada app, I wouldn’t have spotted that we’d gone off trail. As you near the summit around 2.8 km there will be some light scrambling involved over cliffs. The Galatea Creek Trail is a true testament to this power. If you want to actually summit a mountain today (and you should!) We made the quick decision to summit Mount Allan, a popular hike in Kananaskis, but a long day with significant elevation gain. The trailhead is on the south side of Highway 1. We spent over an hour on the ridge exploring, taking photos, and enjoying the view. The low end of the times in this post is a constant fast pace uphill with little to no breaks and a brisk pace downhill. The hike was never on our list, but thanks to a friend’s recommendation we crossed it off for one stunning evening hike. Pocaterra Ridge is one of the most popular Kananaskis hikes on this list. It’s a long one at 16km and a little redundant since it’s an out and back trail, but it has everything you could want out of Canadian hike. In regards to times keep in mind your mountain fitness — different than the gym. So as you can see, Kananaskis is absolutely full of spectacular adventures. There are no sites and viewpoints, but it’s fast and easy, so it goes by quickly. read our post for beginner hikers in Banff too. Make sure to stay on the trail though, scores of people going off-trail have caused this trail to become extremely braided and confusing to navigate. This hike took us four hours round trip and was perfect for a half day, regardless of the leg burn. Now we live in Canmore and spend as much time as possible exploring and hiking around Banff. The Ptarmigan Cirque is the most famous – and consequently, busy– larch viewing hike in Kananaskis. It’s nothing difficult and any hiker should be able to handle the terrain, but it is steep. When the needles start to turn yellow this is one of the first places you should head. Once you enter the trailhead and make your way through the forest it’s a constant uphill climb to the summit. It’s a very kid-friendly, short & easy 1.7 km (one way) trail through a beautiful wintery forest to the base of a frozen waterfall. Alberta Parks decommissioned this trail in 2005 due to grizzly habitat, but it is not a closed trail, it is a voluntary closed trail. Prev: 11 of the best places to go Ice Skating in Banff, Next: THE ICE CASTLES EDMONTON EXPERIENCE. If you’re looking for a quick, but moderately difficult hike Tent Ridge is a must do. Once you reach the summit you’ll have stellar views over the Spray Lakes as well as the back of the sisters. I would like to plan some light hikes in Kananaskis and other less crowded areas around calgary. Jura Creek, Kananaskis While there are other good hikes in Kananaskis that can be done in winter, ... Best of all, this is a short half-day outing and less than an hour away from the west side of Calgary. Don’t try and work your way around it, just take it slow and ask for help from a partner if you need some foot placements. Otherwise you’ll end up hiking 20km! We hiked this in the dark, setting off from the trailhead around 2am. Like Grizzly, it’s a pretty steep climb but the views from the summit are amazing. It’s still a peak in the Rockies, meaning there’s gonna be some effort involved in getting to the top. Most people stop when they reach the ridge, but it’s worth it to keep pushing and go for the summit of Mount Allan. After about 1km in the creek bed, you’ll see a trail in the treeline. The hike starts at the Upper Kananaskis Day Use Parking lot. In the last few metres you’ll emerge from the trees, with a beautiful lake stretching away in front of you. The Ha Ling Peak hike in Canmore is also technically in Kananaskis, and is one of the most popular hikes in the provincial park. It was a bit of an unknown, but we hit the trail anyway and hoped for the best! It’s beautiful for one and it’s easy, but you can reach it in less than an hour from Calgary, as it’s located right after the entrance to Kananaskis. For the less adventurous the hike up to Rawson lake is a great beginner hike in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. It can be easy to get turned around when heading up Rimwall. Grizzly Peak is a short trail that rises directly above the main highway running through Kananaskis. Mt. You’ll hike in the treeline for the first 45 minutes or so until you reach West Wind Pass. Located near Highwood Pass in Kananaskis, Pocaterra Ridge is home to tons of larches. Yellow larch trees (tamarack) at the beginning of October. With an elevation gain of nearly 700 metres it’s often compared to Vancouver’s Grouse Grind, and is one of the best short hikes in Kananaskis for getting a quick workout. This hike is a highlight in the area as the well-trodden and wide trail is manageable for any skill level of hiker. I have to say that we’ve seen far more grizzlies on the trails in Kananaskis than Banff. You should expect a long hike if you finish at the peak.
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