Turner Valley, Alberta

The hike starts at the Chester Lake trailhead along the Smith Dorian road in Kananaskis. The first few kilometers follow the old logging roads, now used as cross country skiing trails. Find the beginning of the trail at the upper right end of the parking lot, and continue to follow parallel to t...

Chester Lake was officially one of my favorite hikes of 2016. It's a short & sweet 5 km's to the lake, with outstanding views in every direction. Fall colors were just starting to peak through and the sky looked amazing. From what I understand, this is one of the more popular hikes in the are...

Head to the northwest corner of the parking lot to find the trail. For the first 5.5 km the trail is quite easy, with only modest elevation increase. At 5.5 km you will arrive at what is known as the gravel flats. Depending on the time of year the gravel flats can be either quite dry or a wide, s...

The trail begins along the berm beside Mud Lake. After a rather uninspiring 3 km (you can mountain bike this part) the trail narrows and enters trees where tangled roots twist across the path and you breathe in the smells of damp earth and moss.Ten minutes later the trail spits you across a spl...

From the parking lot find the trail head that leads away from the highway. This is an easy, but very interesting hike that will take you through a winding slot canyon.Take your time and explore all the various options, there are small waterfalls, and if you're feeling really adventurous you can c...

If you're looking for views, vistas, and great scrambles in the Rockies, this is a great place to start. For any geology enthusiast, furthermore, this hike cannot be missed, offering great opportunities to search for some seriously ancient fossils.The trail begins on the west side of the parking ...

A bit of a jaunt is required to get to the start of the scramble - follow the Heart Creek Trail, and after crossing the creek, look for a yellow sign that marks the scramble route. There will be exposure as well as use of hands, but it is totally do-able as long as you keep your head right!After ...

This Alberta classic start just a few minutes off the Trans Canada. The trail begins gently through forests of Aspen. In spring and fall these are particularly lovely. Steadily the trail heads upwards bringing you to a three-way junction. Head right, and follow the trail Eastwards, as it zigs int...

First route put up on Yamnuska by Hans Gmoser, Leo GrillmairSome say this was the start of modern climbing in Canada5.6 Trad Route- 8 PitchesThis climb is very unique once you get to the last pitch- squeezing your way into a cave, once at the cave you climb through a small hole which brings you o...

Between Pigeon Mountain and Mount McGilliveray, pull off the road and slow down until you see a little dirt road turn off to the large parking area.Follow the trail heading south- don't take the transcanada trail- further up you will find another small trail that takes you to the creek bed. Follo...

The trailhead is is located at the first left after the bridge past Engandine Lodge in Kananaskis. The trail forks after a while and you need to take a right which takes you into Smuts Pass. This trail is actually really cool and fun to walk - undulating, narrow, rooted, and right along the edge ...

Starting off just past the Mt Engadine Lodge there is a make shift parking lot on your right hand side (usually filled with 10 or so cars depending when you go) This trail is a loop so there are two trail heads. The first is easily seen about 500m up the road on your left and the second was about...

Tent Ridge is located in Kananaskis Country, a 45 minute drive from Calgary, Alberta. Start on Mount Shark Road at the pull out to your right. You will have to walk a few 100 meters back down the road to access the trail head to begin this hike.Some decent elevation is gained during the hike with...

This is a great hike that could be a quick 2 hour sprint or stretch into a full day affair.  The trailhead is located just off Highway 1A at a fishing pond with outhouses and ample parking.  The trail is well signed and in a quick kilometre, hikers will be at the actual creek bed. In summer, hike...

To get to the trailhead, take Highway 1 and take the Seebe exit (Highway 1X). Continue north on Highway 1X and take a left at Highway 1A. A few kilometres after the town of Exshaw, turn into the parking lot marked by the Grotto Pond sign.The trailhead is well marked and follow the trail until the...

Important note: trail closure from December 1 - June 15th.Altitude: 2,394m (7,852 ft)Elevation gain: 990m (3,247 ft)Round trip: 6-6.5 hours (15 kms)Heading West from Calgary on Trans Canada Highway #1 - take the Dead Mans Flats overpass, and go South for 1 -1.5 kms until you reach a parking lot. ...