Alberta

Spray Lakes is one of my favorite areas in Kananaskis, and the view of Spray Lakes from the summit is absolutely breathtaking. The trailhead is located along the Smith-Dorrien Trail (Spray Lakes Road) – look for a yellow sign on the eastern side of the road, about 1 mile (1.5 km) south of the Dr...

Park at the Evan Thomas parking lot to and the trailhead is in the south of that parking lot. It follows a well-defined trail up for most of the way before you start gaining elevation. When the trail starts heading south, keep an eye out for a small trail that will keep you heading east. This por...

Drive south on Highway 40 and your adventure begins at Wedge Pond. Parking in the parking lot is easy enough if you're there early enough in the day (before 10:00). The trail up the Wedge starts near the bathrooms, and heads south - not southwest towards the pond. After only a few minutes of walk...

To get to the Grassi Lake trailhead, continue past the Nordic Center about 2km and take a small left when you reach a junction between a gravel road and a paved road. You want to be on the paved road, as this will lead you down to the Grassi Lake parking lot. The trail starts right behind the res...

This hike can be done as a full traverse, starting at the Ribbon Creek Trailhead and taking you to Dead Man's Flats, just off of the Trans Canada Highway. Starting at the trailhead in the Ribbon Creek parking lot, go north on Hidden Trail. You will be on this trail for ~ 200 m before you need to ...

This is an amazing trail, but not for the feint of heart!The trailhead is located on the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A) in Banff National Park, AB at the Castle Mountain sign. The trailhead is marked by an information sign in the north of the parking lot and the trail initially heads north - not...

Every year, over 5 million visitors make their way through Banff National Park to soak in the surrounding peaks, bountiful wildlife, and turquoise-colored lakes. With this many visitors, it's hard to find yourself alone, especially during the peak seasons of summer and fall. Right next door to Ba...

Start at the Pocaterra/Highwood pass parking lot. The pond is about 1.5km directly west from the parking lot, but the trail head is not always obvious, especially if there is snow. Keep an eye out for the flagging tape that marks the trail. Consider bringing snowshoes in November.This makes for ...

Ribbon Creek trail is accessible via Highway 40 at the turn off for Nakiska Mountain Resort. From there take a left at Centennial Drive and then a right onto Ribbon Creek Road. The hike begins at the far end of the Ribbon Creek Trailhead parking lot. There is an old coal mining cart at the start...

Opal Ridge is located on the East side of highway 40 in Kananaskis.The trailhead starts at Fortress Gas Station. Park at the North end of the parking lot. The trailhead is easy to spot from here. Follow the creek a couple hundred meters till you reach an open area with power lines. Turn left. Con...

To reach White Buddha, park at the Powerface Creek parking lot. Between December and May, Route 66 is closed at Elbow Falls, so you may need to park at the gate and walk in, about 0.3 miles (500 m). The trailhead is well marked from the parking lot.The first section of the trail is mellow, though...

Geraldine Lakes is one of the more physically demanding half-day/day trails in Jasper National Park. However, this hike rewards you with everything that makes the Canadian Rockies wonderful, with views of pristine lakes, cascading waterfalls, and mountain vistas.The first 1.8km to Lower Geraldine...

Take Hwy. 40 to Kananaskis Lakes Trail. Continue on this road until you reach a turn off for Upper Kananaskis Lake Day Use Area. This is your trail head. Follow the trail along west side of the lake. After about 1 km you will reach Sarrail Falls. Shortly after crossing the bridge, take the trail ...

For anyone looking to leave crowds behind but still have a killer day, Crystal Ridge might be up your alley! On an unseasonably warm January Saturday, I was the only one to access the trail. My singular trail was the only blemish on the pristine field of snow.The trailhead is located in the north...

I’ve heard a lot about the hiking in Waterton and the stunning scenery, but I never really bought into it from the pictures alone – I’m glad I finally took the opportunity to find out for myself. Mount Lineham is a short extension of Lineham Ridge, and while it might not eclipse the views from th...

Make the trek down Hwy. 40 (about 33 km’s) to the trail head - Galatea Day Use Area. It’s very easy to find, as this is one of Kananaskis most popular day hikes. The trail leads into the forest, crossing a suspension bridge and a couple more bridges after that. Due to some flood damage, the bridg...