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The Best Hikes
Grassi Lakes: The Canmore/Kananaskis area is overrun with great day hikes, but this one's a real winner. Short (5km/3 miles) but spectacular, the trail starts as a wide, rough road at the Canmore Nordic Centre but quickly narrows and climbs, past a towering waterfall and up, up, up to the lakes themselves, which are an intense hue of aquamarine, towering peaks all around them. People have been climbing to take in the view from Grassi Lakes for millennia; keep an eye out for Native Canadian pictographs just above the lakes themselves.
Skogan Pass: Start at the Alpine Resort Haven in Canmore, climbing up an old fire road to the pass, and you'll quickly find yourself in wilderness. This 9.8km (6.1-mile) hike isn't for beginners, but nor is it experts-only, and the views are worth the effort. From the top of the pass, you can see Cascade Mountain, all the way past the town of Banff to the west, and the slopes of the Nakiska Ski Area in Kananaskis Country to the east.
Crypt Lake: A water taxi across icy-blue Waterton Lake in Waterton National Park takes you to the Crypt Lake trail head, a full-day hike that takes you up 700m (2,297 ft.) to the shores of the even-icier aquamarine Crypt Lake. There's much to take in along the way, too, including a 182m (600-ft.) waterfall and a natural tunnel. Agoraphobes beware: There's also a dramatic cliff traverse.
Urban Safari: For those who like their hiking not too far from a well-stocked bar, Calgary's Urban Safari tour (tel. 403/283-3158) won't disappoint. Hike one of Calgary's central neighborhoods, foraging for culinary delights at some of the city's best restaurants, all included in the package.
Castle Mountain Lookout: Short, tough, and very steep, the trail to Castle Mountain Lookout will punish your thighs and reward your soul. Snug up to the mid-way point of Castle Mountain itself, towering above you, the lookout offers mind-bending views of the Bow Valley in each direction. At 8km (4.5 miles) it still takes about 4 hours, as you climb 436m (1,430 ft.) over that short span.
Lake Agnes and the Big Beehive: Set out from the Chateau Lake Louise along the lake's south shore about 500m and you'll be at the trail head for Lake Agnes, a short, popular, and utterly spectacular 11km (7-mile) loop that gradually climbs about 500m (1,640 ft.) over its span. First you'll pass Mirror Lake, and above it, the Big Beehive, an aptly named rock formation that looms over the lake and offers gorgeous views of the Chateau and the lake below. This is civilized wilderness; a little higher up offers respite at the Lake Agnes Teahouse, a log cabin coveted for tourism. Keep going; the farther you go, the thinner the crowd gets (many turn back at the teahouse) along with the air, and the better to absorb the spectacular scenery surrounding you.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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