Hike Alberta
Where the top 25 start

Best hikes in Southern Alberta

249 hiking trails in Southern Alberta, from 94 easy walks to 119 hard days. Every trail on one map with distance, elevation gain and difficulty. Ranked by trail score, which weighs scenery, trail quality and how often each trail is photographed and visited.

How we rank trails Ranked by trail score, highest first.

Trails
249
Total distance
2,138km
Easy
94
Moderate
36
Hard
119

Parks and areas

Top 25

Sorted by rank
  1. 1Livingstone Fire Lookout TrailNear Crowsnest Pass · Bob Creek Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 20.0 km · 830 m gain · 7 h 15 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Thrift Peak69score
  2. 2Coffin Mountain RouteDon Getty Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 11.0 km · 655 m gain · 4 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Coffin Mountain68score
  3. 3Windy Peak Hills RouteKananaskis Conservation Pass areaHard · 16.8 km · 1,055 m gain · 7 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine67score
  4. 4Sugarloaf Mtn TrailNear Crowsnest Pass · Livingstone Public Land Use ZoneHard · 16.1 km · 1,014 m gain · 7 h 30 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Sugarloaf Lookout65score
  5. 5Mount Burke North Peak RouteDon Getty Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 12.1 km · 1,134 m gain · 7 h 30 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Burke North Peak and Mount Burke63score
  6. 6Cache Creek TrailNear Elkford · Beehive Natural AreaEasy · 4.5 km · 111 m gain · 1 h 30 minWaterfall · Views · River or creek · Passes Oldman River Falls Viewing Area and Oldman River Falls62score
  7. 7Chaffen Ridge to Chaffen Peak RotueLivingstone Public Land Use ZoneHard · 17.6 km · 944 m gain · 7 h 15 minSummit · Views · River or creek · Alpine · Passes Chaffen Ridge and Chaffen Peak62score
  8. 8Rasberry Lookout TrailKananaskis Conservation Pass areaHard · 9.4 km · 658 m gain · 4 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Raspberry Ridge61score
  9. 9Thunder Mountain RouteNear Crowsnest Pass · Southern AlbertaHard · 9.6 km · 944 m gain · 6 h 15 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Thunder Mountain61score
  10. 10Johnson Creek Ridge TrailWillow Creek Public Land Use ZoneHard · 11.6 km · 585 m gain · 4 h 30 minSummit · Views · River or creek · Passes Johnson Creek Ridge60score
  11. 11David Thompson TrailNear Rocky Mountain House · Southern AlbertaEasy · 1.8 km · 9 m gain · 30 minViews · Historic site · Camping · Passes Rocky Mountain House Bison Lookout59score
  12. 12Pasque Mtn TrailNear Elkford · Kananaskis Conservation Pass areaHard · 14.0 km · 807 m gain · 6 hSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Pasque Mountain59score
  13. 13Walk on the Wild Side trailNear Picture Butte · Southern AlbertaEasy · 3.9 km · 1 m gain · 60 minLake · Camping · Passes Picture Butte Reservoir59score
  14. 14Chaffen Peak RouteLivingstone Public Land Use ZoneHard · 11.7 km · 701 m gain · 5 h 15 minSummit · Views · River or creek · Alpine58score
  15. 15Thrift Peak Alt RouteNear Crowsnest Pass · Bob Creek Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 11.5 km · 873 m gain · 6 hSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Thrift Peak58score
  16. 16Marshland TrailNear Lake Newell Resort · Kinbrook Island Provincial ParkModerate · 7.7 km · 1 m gain · 2 hLake · Passes Lake Newell57score
  17. 17Mount Burke TrailKananaskis Conservation Pass areaHard · 7.9 km · 765 m gain · 5 hSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Mount Burke and Cameron Lookout57score
  18. 18Cabin Ridge TrailNear Elkford · Livingstone Public Land Use ZoneHard · 14.5 km · 921 m gain · 6 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Twin Peaks56score
  19. 19Diane's WayNear Pincher Creek · Southern AlbertaEasy · 6.0 km · 38 m gain · 1 h 30 minRiver or creek · Camping55score
  20. 20Camp Ridge RouteNear Maycroft · Bob Creek Wildland Provincial ParkHard · 22.3 km · 1,096 m gain · 8 h 45 minViews · Alpine · Passes Thrift Peak55score
  21. 21Willow Creek Ridge RouteNear Nanton · Southern AlbertaHard · 22.2 km · 982 m gain · 8 h 15 minLake · Views · River or creek · Passes Chain Lakes Reservoir55score
  22. 22Hailstone Butte East Side TrailKananaskis Conservation Pass areaModerate · 4.2 km · 357 m gain · 2 h 30 minViews · Alpine54score
  23. 23Isola Peak RouteNear Elkford · Livingstone Public Land Use ZoneHard · 7.4 km · 1,053 m gain · 6 h 30 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Isola Peak53score
  24. 24Pasque Mountain RouteNear Elkford · Kananaskis Conservation Pass areaHard · 14.8 km · 1,219 m gain · 8 h 15 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Pasque Mountain53score
  25. 25Beehive Mountain RouteNear Elkford · Beehive Natural AreaHard · 14.3 km · 1,142 m gain · 7 h 45 minSummit · Views · Alpine · Passes Beehive Mountain52score

More trails

Plus 84 shorter or connecting trails on the map.

Questions

What is the best hike in Southern Alberta?
Livingstone Fire Lookout Trail ranks first: a 20.0 km out and back trail with 830 m of elevation gain, rated hard.
What is the best easy hike in Southern Alberta?
Cache Creek Trail, 4.5 km with 111 m of climbing.
What is the best waterfall hike in Southern Alberta?
Cache Creek Trail, 4.5 km with 111 m of climbing.
What is the best lake hike in Southern Alberta?
Walk on the Wild Side trail, 3.9 km with 1 m of climbing.
What is the hardest hike in Southern Alberta?
By elevation gain, Mount Erris Route: 2,507 m over 19.7 km.
How many hiking trails are in Southern Alberta?
Hike Alberta maps 165 hiking trails in Southern Alberta.

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