Best backpacking trails near Calgary
The 15 best backpacking trails near Calgary, out of 84 that we map, ranked by trail score.
How we rank trails Ranked by trail score and distance from Calgary, so the score is one of two inputs.
- All hikes
- Easy 373
- Moderate 348
- Hard 647
- Under 5 km 653
- Kid friendly 347
- Waterfalls 44
- Lakes 151
- Summits 409
- Views 773
- Glaciers 24
- Canyons 21
- Loops 100
- Wheelchair friendly 26
The list
Sorted by rank- 1Elbow Pass/Lake TrailNear Fortress Junction · Elbow Sheep Wildland Provincial ParkModerate · 10.5 km · 264 m gain · 3 h 15 min · 82 km from CalgaryLake · Waterfall · Views · River or creek · Passes Elbow Pass and Elbow Lake82score
- 2Three Isle Lake TrailNear Fortress Junction · Peter Lougheed Provincial ParkHard · 22.5 km · 867 m gain · 8 h · 89 km from CalgaryLake · Views · River or creek · Camping · Passes Upper Kananaskis Lake83score
- 3Upper Kananaskis Lake TrailNear Fortress Junction · Peter Lougheed Provincial ParkModerate · 10.4 km · 249 m gain · 3 h 15 min · 89 km from CalgaryLake · Waterfall · Camping · Passes Upper Kananaskis Lake80score
- 4Gorge CreekNear Diamond Valley · Bluerock Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 21.6 km · 713 m gain · 7 h 15 min · 61 km from CalgaryWaterfall · River or creek · Canyon72score
- 5Burstall Pass TrailNear Fortress Mountain Resort · Banff National ParkHard · 25.0 km · 1,036 m gain · 9 h · 92 km from CalgaryLake · Views · River or creek · Alpine · Passes Mud Lake and Burstall Pass80score
- 6Johnston Canyon TrailNear Moose Meadows · Banff National ParkHard · 15.1 km · 556 m gain · 5 h 15 min · 126 km from CalgaryWaterfall · Views · River or creek · Canyon · Passes Johnston Creek Valley and Lower Falls90score
- 7Gorge Creek LoopNear Diamond Valley · Bluerock Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 21.7 km · 641 m gain · 7 h 15 min · 61 km from CalgaryWaterfall · River or creek · Canyon · Camping70score
- 8Big ElbowNear Kananaskis Village · Elbow Sheep Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 43.8 km · 904 m gain · 13 h 15 min · 64 km from CalgaryLake · Waterfall · River or creek · Camping · Passes Edworthy Falls and Elbow Lake70score
- 9PneumaNear Paddy's Flat · Kananaskis Conservation Pass areaHard · 20.5 km · 787 m gain · 7 h 15 min · 50 km from CalgaryViews · Passes Lookout65score
- 10Palliser PassNear Kananaskis Village · Banff National ParkHard · 37.8 km · 726 m gain · 11 h 30 min · 99 km from CalgaryLake · Views · River or creek · Camping · Passes Spray Lakes Reservoir and Belgium Lake76score
- 11Lost Lake RouteNear Fortress Mountain Resort · Spray Valley Provincial ParkHard · 13.7 km · 791 m gain · 6 h · 84 km from CalgaryLake · Views · Camping · Alpine · Passes Lost Lake71score
- 12Cascade ValleyNear Anthracite · Banff National ParkModerate · 118.2 km · 2,481 m gain · 36 h 15 min · 104 km from CalgaryLake · Waterfall · Views · River or creek · Passes Wigmore Lake76score
- 13Stoney TrailNear Kananaskis Village · Bow Valley Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 23.4 km · 437 m gain · 7 h · 77 km from CalgaryLake · Camping · Passes Barrier Lake69score
- 14Citadel Pass TrNear Banff · Banff National ParkHard · 18.1 km · 679 m gain · 6 h 15 min · 121 km from CalgaryLake · Views · Camping · Alpine · Passes Mad Trapper's Smokehouse and Howard Douglas Lake78score
- 15Jumpingpound RidgeNear Kananaskis Village · Kananaskis Conservation Pass areaHard · 24.7 km · 1,187 m gain · 9 h 30 min · 63 km from CalgaryViews · Alpine · Passes Canyon Creek Hill63score