As easy of a snowshoe route that you will ever get, but scenic just the same.

Difficulty: Light - moderate

Round trip: 10 km

Hiking Time: 2.5 - 3.5 hours 

Elevation Gain: 120 m

FitBit: approx. 14,000 steps and 19 flights of stairs

Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

TRAIL HEAD

Marked: Yes

Facilities: No

How to get there: From Calgary drive west on Hwy 1 until exit 118 to Kananaskis Trail/Hwy 40. Drive about 50 km to where the road closes (Dec - Jun). Park and walk to the road blockades and you will see the trail sign.

The yellow portion is your trail.

TRAIL DETAILS

Your trail head will be marked by a sign that says Wintour Trail 5 km (note this is one way and will be another 5 km to return). Route finding is non-existent on this one. You are simply following the highway there and back. Where the snowshoe tracks stop and you see a little neon orange snowshoe sign veering to the left you may continue a short ways. (But this is where we turned around). Return the way you came.

Kid Friendly: yes
Dog Friendly: yes 
But note the snow is deep off the pre-trampled path (if there is one).

Happy Snowshoeing!

Difficulty: easy

Round trip: 3.9km 

Hiking Time: 1hr -1.5hrs

Elevation Gain: 45 m 

FitBit: approx 5,750 steps and 15 flights of stairs

Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Click for directions on Google Maps

TRAIL HEAD

Marked: No

Facilities: Yes

How to get there: From Calgary drive west on HWY 1 towards Canmore. Take exit 118 toward Kananaskis Country and turn left onto Kananaskis Trail/AB-40 S. Drive about 50km to where the road is closed and turn right onto Kananaskis Lakes Trail. Continue approximately 12.6 km and turn left when you see the sign for the Upper Lakes. Drive about 500m and turn right, there are multiple parking lots, so keep right and at the T turning into the north parking lot.

HIKE DETAILS

Ultimately there are numerous ways you can venture on or around Upper Kananaskis Lake. The directions following are just one option.

There is no official trail or snowshoe markings for this one. When you leave the parking lot at the north end you will see the rock lined and elevated path at the end of the lake ahead. Follow it around and you'll come to a path through the trees around the eastern perimeter of the lake. We snowshoed on fresh snow so there were no footprints to guide our way, but the path was still clear enough for a ways.

Snowshoe to your hearts content, the time and km listed above are for the distance that we went. We came to a point where the path came out of the trees and became quite undefined under all the fresh snow, in addition there were also large animal tracks and scat, likely from a cougar, so we opted to turn around at that point.

EXTRA TIPS

-Always be cautions of the ice conditions if you venture out onto the lake at this time of year. Just because others are out there doesn't mean it's safe. Stopping by the local Peter Lougheed Visitor's Center to ask would be a good start.

Linus' 1st snowshoeing adventure!

Happy Snowshoeing!

Happy Snowshoeing!

Difficulty: easy

Round trip:  4 km

Hiking Time: 1.5-2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 30 m

FitBit: approx 6,350 steps and 10 flights of stairs

Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

TRAIL HEAD

Marked: Yes

Facilities: Yes

How to get there: From Calgary drive west on HWY 1 to Canmore*. Get onto the Smith-Dorrien (HWY 742) on which you will pass the Canmore Nordic Centre. At that point you can choose to reset your odometer to 0 and your turn off will be approximately 42km from there. Your sign to turn is plenty in advance labeled as Burstall Pass. It is to the west (Chester Lake on your left, Burstall on your right). The trail begins at the west end of the parking lot.

Click for Google Maps directions

HIKE DETAILS

You can do this trip two ways as it is a nice loop. Head west out of the parking lot following the little orange snowshoe man signs. Option #1 is to go counter-clockwise and take the first right when you see the green sign that says Spray Valley Snowshoe Trails (as shown in the picture above). Option #2 is to do the loop clockwise by continuing straight and follow the orange signs that way. Either way it's straightforward route finding with your path clearly marked.

Hike the trail enjoying the forested scenery for most of the way, but find yourself quickly at the lakes. Although, with such heavy snowfall it's likely you won't actually see them! Follow the path around the perimeter of the lakes with a lovely mountain view you can't help but ooohhh and awwwee at :) Sooner than you expect you'll round the bend and see the highway and parking lot to the east and know your trip is almost at then end, but perhaps you might just have time for one more?!

Perfect snowman snow, but we can't take credit for this guy.

EXTRA TIPS

-No need to worry that there won't be enough snow in this part of the mountains! +16 degrees in the city, but still snowing on the trail!
-Some may attempt this trip without snowshoes, but be very cautious of stepping off to the side of the path created before you because it's deeper than you think!
*You also have the option of driving to this trail via HWY 40. Click here for those directions on Google Maps. It's hard to say which route is better, it is really just personal preference. I find that either way your timing ultimately depends on whether you get stuck behind a slower vehicle (or train of vehicles). Though it is also worth noting that the Smith-Dorrien is gravel and HWY 40 is paved.

Snowshoe malfunction, should have packed duck tape! Note the snow is deeper and not as solid as you think!

Happy Snowshoeing!

A simple trail following along Ribbon Creek, mostly in the forest with mountain views peeping through at times. 

Difficulty: easy - light

Round trip:  3.8 km

Hiking Time: 1 - 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 30 m

FitBit: approx 5,700 steps and 25 flights of stairs

Location: Ribbon Creek in Kananaskis, near Kananaskis Village

TRAIL HEAD

Marked: Yes

Facilities: Yes

How to get there: From Calgary drive west on HWY 1 towards Canmore. Take exit 118 toward Kananaskis Country and turn left onto Kananaskis Trail/AB-40 S. Drive about 23km and turn right on Mt Allen Dr. (same way to Kananaskis Village). Drive approx 850m and take your first left towards Kananaskis Village, then taking the first right onto Ribbon Creek Rd following the signs to Ribbon Creek. Drive all the way to the end where you can't go any further. The trail starts at the far west end of the large parking lot, opposite the outhouse and info boards.

Click map for directions from Calgary

HIKE DETAILS

You'll find the sign for the start of the trail near some old run-down wooden mine carts (look for the green sign like above - your trail highlighted in red). Follow the trodden path west, along the right hand side of the frozen creek. Soon you'll encounter a bridge to cross over to the south side, you'll cross over a few bridges and even encounter a set of stairs, but nothing unmanageable.

Snowshoe the trail to your heart's content and turn around when you get into avalanche territory at approx 4.1 km. (We didn't go that far so the km and Fit bit guide above is to about 1.9km one way).

EXTRA TIPS

-There was only a skiff of snow over top a thick layer of ice when we went (early Feb), and some people were walking in shoes and boots however we found that our snowshoes provided the anti-slip traction needed on ice as slick as that! Ice cleats would also do nicely and would be a less clunky option.
-Not many spectacular mountain views on this one so if it's a clear day save this one for another time. 

Happy Snowshoeing!

A family friendly snowshoe trail through the Elkwood Campground to Marl Lake. A peaceful non-strenuous trek through the woods with lovely mountain views across the lake.

Difficulty: easy

Round trip: 3.4 km

Hiking Time: 45 min - 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 23 m

FitBit: approx 4,800 steps and 7 flights of stairs

Location: Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Click for Google Maps from Calgary

TRAIL HEAD

Marked: Yes

Facilities: Yes

How to get there: From Calgary drive west on HWY 1 towards Canmore. Take exit 118 toward Kananaskis Country and turn left onto Kananaskis Trail/AB-40 S. Drive about 50km to where the road is closed and turn right onto Kananaskis Lakes Trail. Continue approximately 5.7km and turn left when you see the sign for the Elkwood Amphitheater. Pull into the parking lot, you will find orange guide signs for the trail just past the outhouse. 

HIKE DETAILS

Begin your hike by following the orange snowshoe signs through the campground, when you get to a three-way junction turn left towards the next orange sign in the distance and make your way into the forest. You'll eventually end up on the Marl Lake Interpretive Trail on which you can continue to follow enjoying pleasant mountain scenery along the way. At Marl Lake you will get lovely views of Mount Indefatigable. 

Follow the orange signs around to the northwest end of the lake where you be directed to turn right back into the woods. There is a steep, but very short hill where you will then emerge back in the campground. Follow the signs back to the initial junction and turn right to go back to the parking lot.

EXTRA TIPS

-This is a short trail so if you desire more then you have other options right close by like Marsh Loop and Lower Lake Trail. Simply keep straight at the 3-way junction, cross the road (you may want to do this on foot vs in snowshoes), and make your way to William Watson Lodge.

Happy Snowshoeing!