Ridge hikes are the ultimate type of hike, providing stunning views for longer distances. Kananaskis is a Provincial Park located in Alberta, Canada with neighbouring Banff National Park. Kananaskis Provincial Park offers some of the best ridge hikes within the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Keep reading this blog post to find 9 of the best ridge hikes in Kananaskis, Alberta with stunning views.
Top 9 Ridge Hikes
1) Tent Ridge Horseshoe
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 10.1 km
- Elevation: 828 m
- Route Type: Loop
The Tent Ridge Horseshoe hike begins in the forest before entering the mountain valley. Little elevation gain is made in the first section, but your heart will start pumping in preparation for the next section. The climb up to the start of the ridge is the most difficult and where you will gain most of your elevation. Once you make it up though, the rest of the way is not too difficult and you will be rewarded with 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains and lakes in Kananaskis.
AllTrails rates this trail as hard, though it is moderate for the majority of the hike with the most difficult part as you climb up to the first ridge. While you hike along the ridge, walking is quite easy and spacious. There are many sections of rock that you will need to climb through. Be careful as you reach the areas with loose rock. This is a point-to-point/loop hike, which means you will come out a different way than you entered. Since the ridge has many sections of rocks, it is not always simple to follow a marked path.
Ensure to bring with you a map (hard copy or on your phone) to avoid walking off the trail, as I did for some time. If you go while there is still some snow left, you may be lucky and can slide down the mountain as many others have done. Be careful if you do slide down as there can be rocks and sticks poking out through the snow.
2) Nihali Ridge Hike
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 8.4 km
- Elevation: 713 m
- Route Type: Out & Back
The Nihali Ridge hike is quite beautiful and provides stunning views of Kananaskis. At the beginning of the winter season, the mountains offered breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains with some almost knee-deep snow along the last few kilometres towards the highest point. Get ready for switchbacks and scrambling on this hike, reaching the challenging portion as you near the end of the ridge.
The start of the hike will lead you through a forest beginning quite easily before starting a series of switchbacks 1 km in. Going through the switchbacks is where you will gain quite a bit of elevation leading you to a section that offers the first views of the surrounding mountains. And as you begin your descent, ensure to follow a map as there is a section not clearly marked with a quick turn that is easily missed. I continued straight, going downhill for almost 1 km before realizing I had gone too far and had to turn back.
To get to this trail, you will drive to Bragg Creek, continuing along Highway 66. Make sure to confirm the trail is open through the Alberta Parks trail report as the road leading to this trail is closed during winter months (starting around December). In the last 5 minutes of driving, watch for signage leading you to the trail parking lot.
3) Pocaterra Ridge Hike
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 9.8 km
- Elevation: 728 m
- Route Type: Point to Point
Have you been looking for the perfect hike during the larch season? Well, you can find this on the Pocaterra Ridge hike. After reading about this hike in multiple blog posts, I knew I had to give this hike a go during the larch season. Larch season is extremely short, but one of the most beautiful times to explore the rocky mountains. In Banff and Kananaskis, the larches have typically turned golden between the 3rd week of September and the first week of October. By the first weekend of October, you will find that most of the needles have fallen off the larch trees and the trails will have quieted down as well.
We began this hike in the dark and as we left the densely forested section, the sun started to rise. By the time we were within the larch trees in the valley of the mountains, the sky reminded me of cotton candy and was absolutely breathtaking. A perfect sunrise hike among the larches meant fewer hikers up to the ridge.
Technically Pocaterra Ridge is a point-to-point hike and if you plan on completing it as such, you will want to bring two cars and park the one at the parking lot where this trail ends. Otherwise, you will have to hike back to your car via the road which isn’t very fun. We only had one car so turned around about halfway along the ridge and went back down the way we entered.
4) Sarrail Ridge via Rawson Lake Trail
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 11.3 km
- Elevation: 1,066 m
- Route Type: Out & Back
Sarrail Ridge is one of the toughest hikes on this list as it is full of switchbacks and you will gain a whopping 1,066 m total in elevation. I recommend completing this hike in the summer or early fall seasons so you can enjoy the beautiful view of Rawson Lake. Make sure to pack lots of water, snacks and a lunch and enjoy your lunch lakeside either before you begin the ascent to the ridge or after you have descended.
This ridge hike starts off by hiking the trail to Rawson Lake so expect it to be busy, regardless of the season you are hiking. There are 2 sections for parking so make sure to arrive early through the nicer seasons to avoid having a long trek back to your car.
5) King Creek Ridge Hike
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 6.8 km
- Elevation: 777 m
- Route Type: Out & Back
If you are looking for a challenge in a short amount of time, the King Creek Ridge hike is a great option. With the difficulty of the terrain and the stunning views, this hike is worth the trek. When you arrive at the summit, you will be treated to views of the nearby rocky mountains and surrounding valleys.
Completing this trail in the winter and early spring creates an extra challenge with snow and large sections covered in ice. Ensure to bring with you enough layers, including a hat, gloves, mid-layer, and a windproof jacket. It is also important to bring crampons and hiking poles to assist you as you navigate the steep icy sections.
6) Gypsum Ridge
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 6.3 km
- Elevation: 495 m
- Route Type: Out & Back
The trail is well-maintained, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to follow. The views from the top are breathtaking, and an excellent reward for your hard work. You will hike primarily through the forest before the trees open up to incredible panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies. Be sure to bring plenty of water and a windproof jacket, as the ridge can be quite windy.
AllTrails rates this hike as hard, while there are steep portions along this trail, it is an easy to moderate hike overall. As you hike along the ridge, it gets rockier near the end where you can decide how far you would like to go. There is a great photo opportunity while you stand at the edge of the rock and have the beautiful rocky mountains behind you. It is not a long hike so definitely make sure to add this one to your list of ridge hikes to complete!
7) Opal Ridge Loop
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 11.1 km
- Elevation: 1,101 m
- Route Type: Loop
Loop hikes in the Canadian Rocky Mountains are rare, making the Opal Ridge Loop trail particularly special. Whether you visit during the winter, with the mountains covered in snow, or in the summertime when the grass is green and wildflowers are in full bloom, you can enjoy awe-inspiring views of the surrounding area.
This hike includes a scramble among other varying terrains that requires a bit of grinding and is recommended for experienced hikers. This trail has steep elevation gain with technical terrain with a well-marked trail with orange ribbons that make it relatively easy to follow up to the ridge.
8) Porcupine Ridge Hike
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 10.8 km
- Elevation: 904 m
- Route Type: Out & Back
If you’re looking for a challenging hike, then this one is for you! I recommend planning to tackle it during the summertime when the snow has cleared. Be aware that this is a more difficult trail and you should plan for it to take up most of your day. The beginning of the trail includes scaling a rock face beside the river. You can opt to cross the river through a shallow part but be prepared to get your socks and shoes wet, or take them off and roll up your pants to stay dry.
9) Wasootch Ridge Hike
- Difficulty: Hard
- Length: 13.4 km
- Elevation: 931 m
- Route Type: Out & Back
The trail is well-maintained, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to follow. The views from the top are breathtaking, and an excellent reward for your hard work. You will hike primarily through the forest before the trees open up to incredible panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies. Be sure to bring plenty of water and a windproof jacket, as the ridge can be quite windy.
Recommended Ridge Hike Gear
Many ridge hikes will take you through densely forested areas with trees towering over you. As you reach the ridge, at the highest elevation, the space will open up and can often be windy. Hiking poles can be a great help on the steeper portions and make climbing easier. If you are hiking in the winter season, make sure to read my blog post for the top tips for winter hiking.
- Windproof Jacket
- Hiking Poles
- Offline Map/Navigation
- Spikes (bring along between November and June)
- Lots of Water
- Extra Food and Snacks
- Gloves
- Winter: bring 2 pairs – waterproof and warm
- Summer: light but durable (for traversing rock sections)
- Sunglasses
- Emergency bivy
- Headlamp
- Leg gaiters (Winter and Spring)
Kananaskis Provincial Park Pass
A Conservation pass is required when parking your vehicle within the park. You can purchase a pass online or in person at one of the visitor information centers and ultimately need to register your license plate. The provincial park is cracking down on those who have not purchased a pass, so plan ahead to avoid a fine. More information can be found by visiting the province’s website.
Seasonal Clousures
Through the winter months in Kananaskis Provincial Park, there are various areas that are closed off from sections of a highway to hiking trails. If you plan on hiking in Kananaskis during the winter months, I have included some information and imagery of where you will find some of these closures.
Winter Road & Trail Closures
There are a number of roads or sections of roadways that are closed annually within Kananaskis Provincial Park. You may come across some temporary closures as well, for information on any temporary road closure, make sure to check the Advisory page on Alberta Parks website.
*Note there are some other closures south of Highwood Junction Provincial Park, however none of the hikes indicated in this post are that south so have not been included.
There are a few trails and sections that are closed to either allow for the ground to dry up and preserve the space to sections closed off that are meant to allow for protection of big horn sheep and elk as it is their birthing period.
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