Best hard hikes in Alberta
The 25 best hard hikes in Alberta, out of 1,193 that we map, ranked by trail score.
How we rank trails Ranked by trail score, highest first.
- All hikes
- Easy 1,139
- Moderate 662
- Under 5 km 1,547
- Kid friendly 1,101
- Waterfalls 89
- Lakes 445
- Summits 652
- Views 1,398
- Glaciers 137
- Canyons 50
- Loops 245
- Backpacking 266
- Wheelchair friendly 75
The list
Sorted by rank- 1SkylineNear Maligne Canyon · Jasper National ParkHard · 45.2 km · 1,953 m gain · 16 hLake · Views · Glacier · Camping · Passes Amber Mountain and Notch94score
- 2Johnston Canyon TrailNear Moose Meadows · Banff National ParkHard · 15.1 km · 556 m gain · 5 h 15 minWaterfall · Views · River or creek · Canyon · Passes Johnston Creek Valley and Lower Falls90score
- 3Moraine Lake HighlineNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkHard · 11.9 km · 387 m gain · 4 hLake · Views · Passes Moraine lake88score
- 4Bertha Lake TrailNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 10.6 km · 592 m gain · 4 h 30 minLake · Waterfall · Views · Passes Upper Waterton Lake and Lower Bertha Falls88score
- 5Caldron Peak TrailBanff National ParkHard · 20.1 km · 1,487 m gain · 10 h 30 minLake · Summit · Views · River or creek · Passes Peyto Lake · Viewpoint and Caldron Lake87score
- 6Panorama Ridge RouteNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkExpert · 16.9 km · 1,998 m gain · 16 hLake · Views · River or creek · Alpine · Passes Moraine lake and Consolation Lakes87score
- 7Paradise Valley TrailNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkHard · 23.8 km · 1,443 m gain · 10 h 45 minLake · Views · Alpine · Passes Lake Louise and Saddleback Pass86score
- 8Boundary Peak RouteJasper National ParkHard · 14.8 km · 1,625 m gain · 10 h 30 minSummit · Views · Glacier · Alpine85score
- 9Mount Niblock RouteNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkExpert · 4.8 km · 791 m gain · 6 hLake · Summit · Views · Glacier · Passes Lake Agnes and Mount Niblock83score
- 10Three Isle Lake TrailNear Fortress Junction · Peter Lougheed Provincial ParkHard · 22.5 km · 867 m gain · 8 hLake · Views · River or creek · Camping · Passes Upper Kananaskis Lake83score
- 11Mount Crandell East RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 7.8 km · 1,090 m gain · 6 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Crandell83score
- 12Mount Glasgow North RouteNear Kananaskis Village · Elbow Sheep Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 11.1 km · 904 m gain · 6 h 15 minSummit · Views · River or creek · Alpine · Passes Mount Glasgow North83score
- 13Tower of Babel RouteNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkExpert · 2.1 km · 504 m gain · 3 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Tower of Babel83score
- 14Mount Perren RouteNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkHard · 7.4 km · 1,120 m gain · 7 hLake · Views · Glacier · Hut or tea house · Passes Moraine Lake and Neil Colgan Hut82score
- 15Neil Colgan Hut RouteNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkHard · 10.0 km · 1,233 m gain · 7 h 45 minLake · Views · Glacier · Hut or tea house · Passes Moraine Lake and Peak 3.582score
- 16Devil's Thumb RouteNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkHard · 2.0 km · 258 m gain · 1 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Devil's Thumb82score
- 17Grotto CanyonNear Exshaw · Bow Valley Provincial ParkHard · 11.6 km · 741 m gain · 5 h 30 minLake · Waterfall · Canyon · Cave · Passes Grotto Mountain Pond81score
- 18Wilcox Pass TrailJasper National ParkHard · 19.6 km · 716 m gain · 6 h 45 minViews · Glacier · Alpine · Passes Wilcox Pass81score
- 19Mount Crandell RouteNear Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National ParkHard · 6.1 km · 883 m gain · 5 h 30 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Crandell81score
- 20Deception PassNear Lake Louise · Banff National ParkHard · 19.9 km · 731 m gain · 7 hLake · Views · Camping · Hut or tea house · Passes Halfway Hut and Ptarmigan Lake80score
- 21Eagle HillNear Mînî Thnî · Sibbald Lake Provincial Recreation AreaHard · 14.4 km · 443 m gain · 4 h 45 minSummit · Views · Passes Eagle Hill80score
- 22Pyramid MountainNear Jasper · Jasper National ParkHard · 20.5 km · 847 m gain · 7 h 30 minLake · Views · Passes Pyramid Lake80score
- 23Burstall Pass TrailNear Fortress Mountain Resort · Banff National ParkHard · 25.0 km · 1,036 m gain · 9 hLake · Views · River or creek · Alpine · Passes Mud Lake and Burstall Pass80score
- 24Mount Athabasca RouteJasper National ParkExpert · 9.9 km · 1,402 m gain · 11 hSummit · Views · Glacier · Alpine · Passes Mount Athabasca80score
- 25Columbia Icefield RouteJasper National ParkExpert · 11.5 km · 734 m gain · 6 h 45 minViews · Glacier · Historic site · Alpine80score