Spring is coming and it’s a great time to plan the family’s first hike of the season. Many trails in Kananaskis start to come into condition by late March to early April, with frozen waterfalls still a delight on several easy trails. Check out these suggested options below and put one on your calendar for a fun outing.
\n \nPlan before you go:
\nPlease note, you will need ice cleats or spikes for all hikes at this time of year. Each trail will have slippery sections with packed snow and ice.
\nCheck trail reports before you go on the Alberta Parks website, and if you use the AllTrails website or app, you’ll be able to find more information on each hike below, along with recent reports from other hikers.
\nDon’t forget to purchase a Kananaskis Conservation Pass for the day before you go. It is required to park at all trailheads. You can also purchase an annual pass. Visit the following website to purchase your pass: alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass
\nFullerton Loop, Elbow Valley
\nLocated off Highway 66 past Bragg Creek, this is a great option for a short half-day outing on a Saturday
\nor Sunday afternoon, at 7km round-trip distance with 200m of elevation gain. The trail starts across from the Allen Bill Day Use Area, where there is a large parking lot. The trail is usually well-packed down through the winter for easy hiking.
\nTrail highlights: There’s a beautiful viewpoint over the Elbow Valley that makes for a great lunch break. Children might even feel like they’ve climbed a mountain when they reach the top of the scenic bench.
\nTroll Falls to the Upper Falls, Kananaskis Village
\nThis 5km return hike starts at the Troll Falls Trailhead below Kananaskis Village, where you’ll follow a wide well-packed trail to visit three separate waterfalls.
\nYou can either turn around at Troll Falls (3km round-trip and a very easy hike) or continue on the more difficult trail signed for the Upper Falls. This trail allows you to reach both Marmot Falls (where you can walk behind the waterfall) and the beautiful two-tier Upper Falls. It is approximately 1.5km round-trip to reach the Upper Falls from Troll Falls, and while the trail climbs steeply at times, there are staircases and good handrails along the path.
\nHeart Creek Trail and the Heart Creek Bunker, Bow Valley
\nYou’ll find the large Heart Creek parking lot located off the TransCanada Highway near Lac des Arcs east of Canmore. There is an overpass over the highway so you can access the parking lot coming from either direction. From the parking lot, you can either head east to access the Heart Creek Interpretive Trail or you can head west to access the Heart Creek bunker, a small cave left over from the Cold War era.
\nThe Heart Creek Trail is 5km in return distance and has seven bridges, along with a large frozen waterfall, guaranteeing a successful hike. Expect some lingering snow early in the season, a lot of water, and some icy sections. A change of clothes for the car ride home is highly recommended.
\nTo find the Heart Creek Bunker, head west from the parking lot on the wide TransCanada Trail. The hike is 4km round-trip and the cave is easy to find if you follow the route on the popular AllTrails app. Make sure you bring flashlights or headlamps for the cave.
\nGrotto Canyon, Bow Valley
\nThe hike is 4.2km return and there is minimal height gain from the Grotto Pond Day Use Area on Highway 1A, east of Canmore. In early spring this is a fun ice hike, as the entire canyon floor freezes into a giant slab of frozen slippery fun! There are two beautiful waterfalls that make a good turnaround point.
\nWe usually head to Canmore afterwards to visit one of the coffee shops or local restaurants. And if it’s still frozen, there’s a fun skating pond downtown Canmore on 7 Avenue. There’s also a great sledding hill just outside Canmore at the Nordic Centre that holds its snow longer than the hills in Calgary. Don’t forget your helmet!
\nMessa Butte, Millarville
\nMesa Butte is a popular spring hike in South Kananaskis and is the only trail I know that has a firepit on the summit! The promise of roasted marshmallows or hot dogs should motivate most youth to tromp their way up “the Grind” as the most popular trail is called.
\nFrom Calgary, drive southwest to Bragg Creek and then go through the traffic lights continuing to follow Highway 22. You'll come to the junction with Highway 66, where most of us would usually turn right, heading towards Elbow Falls. This time, you're going to turn left on Highway 22, heading east. You'll be turning right immediately on Highway 762 heading south. This quiet country road is paved and you'll follow it to the junction with Highway 549.
\nWhen you reach Highway 549, turn right (west) until the road turns to gravel. Follow the highway until you reach the McLean Creek Trail, where you’ll turn right. Drive past the Mesa Butte Campground until you come to a gas well access road and park here at the trailhead for the Mesa Grind Trail.
\nThe Mesa Grind is the shortest trail to the top of the Butte at 4.5km return with 268m of elevation gain. Using the AllTrails site, the hike is called “Square and Mesa Butte via Mesa Grind Trail.”
\nIf you’re using Google Maps, you can technically reach the trailhead by taking the McLean Creek Trail from Highway 66, but this section of the highway is closed in winter until May 1 of each year. Prior to May 1, you will have to access the trailhead from Highway 549.
\nSee you on the trails!
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Tanya is a freelance writer and mom to a spunky boy. She loves hiking, camping, skiing, and all things mountain-related. She is the author of the blog Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies, rockiesfamilyadventures.com. You can find her on Instagram @MountainMomYYC.
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