A few steep pitches will have you panting, but I believe the real reason its rated as hard is because of the scramble up (or down, depending on which way you go) from the ridge. This is also a place where you can meet one another when you need adventure buddies. We did all three in an afternoon and it made for a wonderful day trip from Calgary. Even though we didnt have a 44 wed recommend one because the gravel road going to Chester Lake isnt in the greatest condition. Whether you're getting ready to hike, bike, trail run, or explore other outdoor activities, AllTrails has 511 scenic trails in the Kananaskis Improvement area. Microspikes were a must today and poles were handy. Hopefully, this helped you determine which of these Kananaskis hikes and Kananaskis trails are for you. One very steep and loose section is better to ascend than descend especially with children or older hikers. Passes may be purchased online and are attached to a license plate number. Rawson lake took us just under 45 minutes from the car park, and continuing to Sarrail Ridge took another hour. 2022 Update: The Ha Ling Trail is closed for the season to allow trail improvements. You cant miss the trailhead by the picnic tables. Loved it and didn't regret we pushed to the top despite the really crappy weather. I highly recommend this hike I love it and its beautiful but the weather was starting to turn and get cloudy and snow is coming down so we just made it to the summit and then turned around and came back No bears Met three or four other nice hikers We plan to do this hike again this summer.. Heres where your ascent truly begins. See some of our favorite winter hiking trails in Kananaskis. 20+ Super Scenic Hikes in Southern Alberta. Elbow Lake is one of the most beautiful short hikes in Kananaskis that follows a well-maintained trail to the beautiful Elbow Lake. This is where the route gets a bit scrambly and slightly exposed. It is possible to descend the backside of the peak for a circuit, but the descent involves bushwacking and loose scree. There is not much cell service in the Canadian Rockies. Looking forward! Or you can walk along the flat path on one side of Lake Louise. I took a couple long breaks, all in all took me 5 hours to complete, Id say hard is an accurate rating! however, that the Highwood Pass area, as well as the highway leading from Highwood Pass to Kananaskis Village, is closed during the winter from December 1st to June 15th due to animal migrations. Mount Allan via Centennial Ridge links Ribbon Creek and Dead Mans Flats. So here are 3 of the best easy hikes in Kananaskis Country. What a day. To reach Carnarvon Lake, its gonna take you 10km of hiking and over 800 meters of elevation gain. I took the scramblers route (the dotted line that isnt highlighted on the map) It was a lot more technical than I thought it would be which was a pleasant surprise. That was at a pretty good pace with some miles under our legs. To get the views in the photos above Kananaskis Lakes, you will have to continue on and work for them. Moraine Lake - Larch Valley 7.5 km / 3 hrs / 430m But that gave us the opportunity to see the unique tent shaped feature of the rocks over there which you can see in one of the pics. Learn how your comment data is processed. The trail goes through the treeline until you break past it for magnificent views. Some scrambles are dangerous and may require a helmet. We were so pleased with the waterfalls, pond, and of course the view from the Summit of Jumpingpound. went clockwise ,crux is snowbound. Once you got past the tree line you were able to see all the surrounding mountains covered in snow. Its one I would readily do again! Around 8km, the hiking opens up to beautiful views and is a pretty steady climb on a scree trail. Buller Pass. But wow, Piper Pass really blew me away. The hike to Tombstone campground is a long one but youll pass an alpine lake, one of the most beautiful meadows in Kananaskis. Youll eventually get spit out into a big beautiful valley next to Mount Elpoca on your left and Tombstone Mountain and Mount Schlee right in front of you. Most of the campground spots fill up pretty fast during summer months. See some of our favorite winter hiking trails in Kananaskis. Distance: 4.4 kilometers Type of trail: Out-and-back Estimated time: 1.5 to 3 hours One of the most unique hikes in Canmore, the Grotto Canyon trail is a short, easy hike that takes you through huge rock structures and canyon areas. Take a left for the viewpoint; youll find a large slab, likely with some other hikers on it. Flowing Water Trail is a fun, short hike with stairs, boardwalk, wetlands, and river views. Wasootch is quite the challenging day hike in Kananaskis but very rewarding. Troll Falls is a very family friendly hike. It could be fine, finer or coarse. Its moderately difficult, mainly due to the steep incline, and even though the trail has been improved recently with a series of stairs, it can still be challenging for the legs. It is a typical in and out hike. Mt. At the top of the path, you reach the ridge, which provides unreal views. Such a great hike! Lots of loose holds, route finding and a bit of exposure made for an enjoyable day in the mountains. Distance: 9km loop. Heres any extra information you may need on the Chester Lake Trail. Keep an eye on alltrails map. Once you reach the ridges summit, which is about 600 meters up, you can either keep walking the ridge with some easy scrambling or head back down! Conditions may turn awry, wind may pick up, boulders could be fatal and you're inviting disaster and strain on fellow responsible hikers and rescue services for nothing. Once you are past the chains, you only have 50 meters or so until you lay your eyes on Carnarvon Lake for the first time. Try to spot all of the mini trolls!! , Its a fairly straightforward hike most of the way up as you can see the path the whole way. Most hikes in Kananaskis are in and outs so this one is no different in that sense. There's very little elevation change and that makes it fun for all ages. I love scrambling as its more challenging than hiking, and its typically required to access some of the significant peaks in the Rockies. You should have proper Avalanche training too; deaths have occurred back here as this is serious avalanche terrain. We took the lower trail option up to the seventh, and it was quite doable (we rarely hike with poles and didnt feel any need for them here either). Gets windy at the top and would not suggest going after rain or snowfall. If anyone finds a black/gray hiking pole end piece pls message me at 825-561-5642. Great hike in the winter! West Wind Pass is a very popular Kananaskis hike for those looking for a quick journey out. That drive from Calgary towards Canmore and Banff may be one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Light snow heading up, moderate snowfall on the way down. As my first big hike I would say its quite difficult but if you leave yourself plenty of time its a stunning trail. It's about a 45-minute drive from Canmore to the Stoney Trail Day Use Area where the hike begins This hike is fun in every season and has a great reward at the end - beautiful Troll Falls. After that, its one of the best easy hikes on the Kananaskis Trail. Find me on the trails, on the water, or road tripping around our beautiful province of Alberta - often with my kids in tow. Its a stunning hike and the perfect place to unwind in nature. For the milder adventure, the hike up to Rawson lake is a great beginner hike in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. As you continue along the closed road, Barrier Lake will be on your left. A fantastic workout if youre looking for that! Most popular winter hikes in Kananaskis: Prairie Mountain. The ascent makes several switchbacks, followed by a few rocky sections, followed by relentless scree, before several rocky sections that may require a handhold or two. Which made for a quick day and a much more thrilling time back to the trailhead. We quickly decided to summit Mount Allan, a popular hike in Kananaskis, but a long day with significant elevation gain. Well worth it though- the pictures and memories made up for the sore legs! There are two trails at Grassi, both end at the same beautiful lakes, one is easy and one is more difficult. The views of Lower Kananaskis Lake, King Creek Ridge and Opal Mountain are well worth the grind to get to the peak! Once you make it past the incline at the beginning of the loop, the prize . Its an easy trail with a wide path that leads through the forest up to two sparkling turquoise lakes. Its also good to go all year round even in the winter. Most hikers either turn around before this point or at the beginning of the scramble. The views almost the entire way are absolutely stunning, and it doesnt truly get challenging until the end. At just under an hour up, it can quickly be done at sunrise or sunset. These features make this hike one for the books alone. When the needles start to turn yellow, this is one of the first places you should head. I forgot to turn off my AllTrails until after Ive been driving for a while but in total I think we did an 8 km today We wanted to do the whole horseshoe but the snow is already up to past my knees. We saw many parties doing this. To make it a full day, consider scrambling up the much larger and more challenging Mount Sparrowhawk (1,342 m gain/ 9.2 km). Once you reach the summit, youll have stellar views over the Spray Lakes and the back of the Three Sisters. Please, dont make the same mistake as us and either download the map beforehand, use AllTrails or take some pictures to help you remember the way down. A popular hike. For more awesome things to do in Alberta, check out these travel guides below: Matthew G. Bailey is the founder and editor-in-chief of Must Do Canada. Once you get above the final bit treeline, youll find a steep wide open scree section waiting for you. West Wind Pass is the most challenging of these hikes, but if you take it slow and steady and are ok with route-finding on unofficial trails, its manageable with strong hikers aged 4 & up. To return, follow the route you came up on. Camping at Elbow Lake Backcountry Campground. Your itinerary is as follows: Day1: Trailhead to Turbine Canyon Campground and day trip to Haig Glacier (20.0km / 1177m )Return to Turbine Canyon Campground and enjoy your night in the backcountry.Day 2: Day trip to North Kananaskis Pass and on to Three Isle Lake via Forks Campground (16.0km / 600m)Day 3/4: Three Isle Lake back to the trailhead via Forks Campground (9.5km / 350m ). Montane Interpretive Trail - Quick Details Trailhead: Montane trailhead Distance: 1.6 km loop Elevation: 58m elevation gain Elevation: 1,090m. All Rights Reserved. Awesome day out and up Windtower. Easy. If you follow the route to Marmot Creek, you will find beautiful views of the surrounding peaks through Hay Meadow, walking along the Kananaskis River. When it comes to easy hikes Canmore has plenty of options, and this is one of our favorite short hikes near Calgary. So check in advance before heading out on the trail. We hiked this trail on Canada Day weekend (July 1st). Grotto Canyon Trail 6. The final approach and the summit were extremely windy and cold but we were prepared with winter gear and spent 40 minutes at the summit. If you want to actually summit a mountain today (and you should! Enjoyed the tranquility. Pickle Jar is my next destination with the kids, lets do this! Couple of inches of snow on lower elevations, knee deep when you break the tree line. With so much to explore and so much to see in Kananaskis, we wanted to share 5 hikes in Kananaskis that you must do if youre travelling the area or live close by. Difficulty: HardDistance : 44kmElevation: 2127mTime: 4-5 daysWhere to park: North Interlakes Day Use Area. The lake is the goal for this hike and once you get there youll have a perfect place for a picnic. It is a steady incline all the way up. Here, local rock climbers can often be found scaling the vertical rock faces. There are plenty of things to do on Kananaskis Improvement's hiking trails. Here are 10 of the best hikes in Kananaskis that guarantee incredible views, a good diversity of landscapes, and are good for most skill levels. The trailhead faces where parking is and NOT the start of the trail. We have hiked most of these trails over the years and love them all. If you'd like to support our work check out our shop for unique prints and souvenirs or support us directly here. It is extremely steep, slippery and the ground is not stable. 1. August is the best time to scrambleas most snow has melted off the mountain peaks. The trail is well-maintained and easy to follow. Hi, I'm Karen! 30 more minutes from there to the summit. Hiking up Prairie View Trail is one of the most visually rewarding Kananaskis hikes relative to my effort. We were looking for a hike over 15 km with not a ton of elevation gain and landed on Piper Pass. The trail will break left or right, with a sign saying it is not maintained any further if you take a right. 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