Stanley Glacier Trail

July 16, 2020. A scenic hike in Kootenay National Park, featuring glaciers, cliffs, boulders and waterfalls. Region: Kootenay National Park. Traditional territory of the Ktunaxa, Tsuu T’ina, and Blackfoot First Nations. Distance: 11 km round-trip Total Ascent: 395 m Total Time: 3h 55m After an absence of several years, my family returned to Kootenay National Park this summer […]

Takakkaw Falls

July 15, 2020. A visit to a magnificent waterfall in Yoho National Park. Region: Yoho National Park. Traditional territory of the Tsuu T’ina, Ktunaxa, Blackfoot and Kelly Lake Metis First Nations. Distance: 1.4 km return Total Ascent: negligible This is an easy walking trail to one of the most amazing places in the Canadian Rockies: Takakkaw […]

Lake Minnewanka

July 15, 2020. A short, fun, walk/hike in Banff. Perfect for kids. Region: Banff National Park. Traditional territory of the Blackfoot, Ktunaxa, Stoney Nakoda, and Tsuu T’ina First Nations. Distance: 2.8 km round-trip to Stewart Canyon bridge Total ascent: 49 m Lake Minnewanka is right outside the Banff townsite. As a result, it is a massively popular destination […]

Rawson Lake

February 8, 2020. A popular all-season hike to a gorgeous lake in Kananaskis Country. Distance: 7 km round-trip to and from the nearest part of the lake Total Ascent: 292 m Elevation of Objective: 1997 m Total time: 2h I have visited Rawson Lake a few times over the years. It’s the first “real” hike that my wife and […]

Troll Falls & Marmot Creek Upper Falls

February 7, 2020. A trip to K-country’s most famous accessible waterfall, followed by an exploration of a new trail to the less frequently visited Upper Falls. Distance: 5.4 km round-trip Total Ascent: 100 m Elevation of Objective: 1,538 m Hiking time: 1h 30m Virtually every hiking book, map, or blog detailing the Kananaskis area features Troll Falls. It’s […]

Pocaterra Cirque

July 21, 2019. A hike with kids to a lovely but lesser-visited cirque just across the highway from one of K-country’s most heavily trafficked trails. Distance: 3.67 km one-way Total Ascent: 415 m Elevation of Objective: 2435 m Hiking time: 2h 13m ascent Pocaterra Cirque is accessed from the same trailhead as the massively popular Ptarmigan Cirque, but draws […]

Star Creek Falls

June 9, 2019. An easy hike to a waterfall in the Crowsnest Pass. Perfect for young kids. Distance: 1 km one-way from the parking area to the best views of the waterfall Total ascent: Approximately 90 m Star Creek Falls is a picturesque waterfall accessible by a short trail. There’s actually a loop route that […]

Black Prince Cirque

August 21, 2018. A short hike with kids to a rocky cirque in Kananaskis Country. With summer holidays approaching their conclusion, the family and I have once again had a chance to spend a few days in K-country. Looking over our hiking options, it struck me that over the preceding years we’d hit most of […]

Carbondale Hill

March 17, 2018. A rewarding snowshoe trip up to a fire lookout in the Castle Wilderness. (see November 2019 update below for a shoulder-season report, and the May 2020 update for a summer hike with kids report) Distance: 9 km round-trip (winter distance due to road closure) Total Ascent: 496 m Elevation of Objective: 1798 m Total […]

Goat Lake

July 17, 2017. A moderately challenging hike to a lake in a hanging valley in Waterton Lakes National Park. I’d been promising my 9-year-old daughter that we could do a hike together, just the two of us. Last year she made it up and around Bertha Lake with no problems, so I figured she’d be […]