Turner Valley, Alberta

No better way to watch the stars with friends than huddled up in your sleeping bag on top of a 3000m summit. This describes the bivy at The Fortress. Starting at the Chester Lake Trailhead, take the unmarked trail on the right side of the parking lot. These winter cross-country ski trails take y...

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...

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 ...

The trailhead to Rummel Lake/Pass is off of Kananaskis Trail (Smith Dorrien Trail) directly across from the turn to Mt. Shark at the south end of Spray Lakes - it will likely be marked by cars attempting the same trail. The trail is well packed and snowshoes aren't even necessary until after Rumm...

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 ...

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...

South of the Driftwood turnoff (approximately 4 km) on Spray/Smith-Dorrien Trail a large creek bed on the east of the road is the beginning of Spencer Creek. The trail is easy enough to find, just have to do a bit of looking.Once on the trail, you'll basically have no trouble at all. The trail it...

This moderate-graded backcountry hike or ski in the winter can take 5-8 hours (one way). Most people hike or ski in from the Mt. Shark parking lot in Kananaskis Country, a 30 min. drive from Canmore, Alberta. From Mt. Shark Parking Lot (off the Smith-Dorrien Road), take the Watridge Lake Trail t...

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...

Wind Ridge is a 7,217 ft / 2,200 m mountain peak near Canmore, Alberta, Canada, with spectacular views into the Bow Valley. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible from May until November.Take the Spray Lakes Road from the town of Canmore for 22km. The trail head is just below th...