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Southwestern Alberta

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Gems in Southwestern Alberta - 8

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gem Favorite Valley of the Ten Peaks: Time stands still during this beautiful early morning at Moraine Lake in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta.

Moraine Lake

(8) Lake Lo…, AB
gem Favorite Hanging Rock near 1st Bridge, Jasper NP

Maligne Canyon

(3) Jasper…, AB
gem Favorite Snake Indian Falls along the North Boundary Trail.

Snake Indian Falls

(1) Hinton, AB
gem Favorite The Alexandra River at its river flats near where Castleguard River empties into it. Looking downstream (east-northeast) the two peaks in the center are thought to be Mt. Amery (center left) and Willerval Mountain (center right).

Alexandra River Flats

(1) Lake Lo…, AB
gem Favorite The broad, powerful, silty Smoky River (foreground, right to center) flows to meet the smaller, clearer Sulphur River (darker river just left of center) at the Sulphur Gates - the cliffs the Smoky River is flowing through here.

Sulphur Gates

(1) Grande…, AB
gem Favorite Lake Louise poses with Victoria Glacier at its far end and Mt. Victoria hidden in the clouds.

Lake Louise

(7) Lake Lo…, AB
gem Favorite Takakkaw Falls is stunning from closer up.

Takkakaw Falls

(3) Golden, BC
gem Favorite The Burgess Shale, site of one of the most important fossil discoveries in the world. Unguided groups cannot venture higher in the fossil quarries. Stay on the trail.

Burgess Shale (entrance prohibited)

(1) Golden, BC

Recommended Routes in Southwestern Alberta - 20

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RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite Lake Louise poses with Victoria Glacier at its far end and Mt. Victoria hidden in the clouds.
Intermediate/Difficult

Plain of Six Glaciers to Mirror Pond Loop

9.2 mi 14.8 km • 2,569' Up 783.13 m Up • 2,568' Down 782.8 m Down

Lake Lo…, AB
RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite You'll pack on quite a bit of vertical in a very short time on this hike!
Difficult

Cory & Edith Passes

8.1 mi 13.0 km • 3,312' Up 1009.57 m Up • 3,314' Down 1010.24 m Down

Banff, AB
RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite Waterfall next to Lake Agnes tea house
Intermediate/Difficult

Lake Agnes and Big Beehive

6.1 mi 9.9 km • 1,892' Up 576.82 m Up • 1,891' Down 576.45 m Down

Lake Lo…, AB
RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite Healy Pass at sunrise in mid-September 2022.
Intermediate/Difficult

Healy Pass Out and Back

11.6 mi 18.6 km • 2,181' Up 664.7 m Up • 2,181' Down 664.68 m Down

Banff, AB
RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite Crossing Cairnes Creek on a log bridge. Left to right, Mount Whiteaves in the distance, Mount De Margerie, and Mount Termier. Glaciers and Freshfield Icefield are behind these mountains.
Difficult

Great Divide Trail (GDT)

698.0 mi 1,123.3 km • 105,398' Up 32125.3 m Up • 106,553' Down 32477.4 m Down

Swiftcu…, MT
RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite Incredible views abound at Peter Lougheed Provincial Park!
Very Difficult

Northover Ridge Figure Eight

29.2 mi 47.0 km • 5,129' Up 1563.39 m Up • 5,117' Down 1559.66 m Down

Canmore, AB
RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite View from top of trail
Difficult

Lake Louise to Mount St. Piran

7.9 mi 12.7 km • 3,211' Up 978.66 m Up • 3,210' Down 978.45 m Down

Lake Lo…, AB
RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite Panoramic view of Peyto Glacier to the left and Peyto Lake from the Glacier Viewpoint.
Intermediate

Peyto Lake and Payto Glacier Viewpoint

1.3 mi 2.2 km • 338' Up 103.12 m Up • 337' Down 102.65 m Down

Lake Lo…, AB
RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Favorite From Lineham Ridge, the trail on the south side of the ridge is etched in the shale at the foot of the Great Divide's rock wall, and at the edge of the green sub-alpine meadows below.
Difficult

Tamarack Hike

22.4 mi 36.0 km • 4,947' Up 1507.9 m Up • 4,618' Down 1407.51 m Down

Pincher…, AB

Southwestern Alberta Hiking

  • 1,230 Miles 1,980 Kilometers of Trail
  • 20 Recommended Routes
  • 8 Gems Gems
  • 16 Easy Trails Easy Trails
  • 130 Intermediate Trails Intermediate Trails
  • 54 Difficult Trails Difficult Trails
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Trails in Southwestern Alberta - 180

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2.6 mi 4.1 km #1Sulphur Skyline #30
Difficult
Hinton, AB
Difficult
Hinton, AB 8 
6.4 mi 10.3 km #2Crypt Lake Trail
Difficult
Pincher Creek, AB
Difficult
Pincher Creek, AB 5 
1.6 mi 2.6 km #3Parker Ridge Trail
Intermediate
Jasper Park Lodge, AB
Intermediate
Jasper Park Lodge, AB 3 
2.1 mi 3.4 km #4Upper Johnston Canyon to Inkpots
Intermediate
Banff, AB
Intermediate
Banff, AB 3 
93.8 mi 151.0 km #5Great Divide Trail - Section A (Canada/USA Border to Coleman)
Difficult
Swiftcurrent, MT
Difficult
Swiftcurrent, MT 2 
28.7 mi 46.3 km #6Skyline Trail
Difficult
Jasper Park Lodge, AB
Difficult
Jasper Park Lodge, AB 2 
0.8 mi 1.2 km #7Fairview Mountain Trail
Difficult
Lake Louise, AB
Difficult
Lake Louise, AB 7 
3.8 mi 6.2 km #8Helen Lake Trail
Difficult
Lake Louise, AB
Difficult
Lake Louise, AB 2 
24.0 mi 38.6 km #9Poboktan Pass Trail
Difficult
Jasper Park Lodge, AB
Difficult
Jasper Park Lodge, AB 1 
1.4 mi 2.3 km #10Harvey Trail to Harvey Pass (Trail:19B)
Intermediate/Difficult
Banff, AB
Intermediate/Difficult
Banff, AB 2 

Photos of Southwestern Alberta - 707

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Mt. Custer (center) stands amid a sea of peaks as seen from high on the Carthew - Anderson Traverse.
Dec 20, 2016 near Pincher…, AB
Leaving the gorgeous views from Emerald Basin in Yoho National Park is never easy.
Feb 4, 2017 near Golden, BC
Lake Louise poses with Victoria Glacier at its far end and Mt. Victoria hidden in the clouds.
Feb 6, 2017 near Lake Lo…, AB
Hanging Rock near 1st Bridge, Jasper NP
Aug 25, 2017 near Jasper…, AB
Crossing Cairnes Creek on a log bridge. Left to right, Mount Whiteaves in the distance, Mount De Margerie, and Mount Termier. Glaciers and Freshfield Icefield are behind these mountains.
Sep 8, 2018 near Golden, BC
Baker Lake, Fossil Mountain (left) and Brachiopod Mountain (right) in the Skoki highlands.
Feb 5, 2021 near Lake Lo…, AB
Path and benches around inkpots.
Aug 15, 2022 near Banff, AB
Beautiful turquoise Snake Indian River below. Rajah, 9,901 ft., the double peaked mountain in the center is quite photogenic on this perfect mid September morning.
Sep 16, 2023 near Hinton, AB