Hike Alberta
Blacksmith Ridge 500 m N
Route preview. The interactive map opens here with terrain, contours and live notices.Open the map

Blacksmith Ridge Route

Near Fortress Junction · Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Hard · Out and back

Trail score 64 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Blacksmith Ridge 500 m Open the map

About this trail

Blacksmith Ridge Route is a 6.6 km out and back trail near Fortress Junction in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. It runs 3.3 km each way. The route gains 611 m in total and tops out at 2,352 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 4 hours of moving time. It passes four mapped trail junctions. Two side branches with the same name split off the route, at 0.5 km and 2.4 km. The distance and climb above follow this route only, not its branches. Along the way you pass the summit of Blacksmith Ridge.

Length
6.6km
3.3 km each way
Elevation gain
611m
Estimated time
4h
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
2,352m
Lowest point
1,748m

Elevation profile

1,748 m to 2,352 m
2,3521,748 0 km3.3 km

Highest point 2,352 m, lowest 1,748 m, 611 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 42% over 100 m.

Predicted coverage: 0% of route

0% LTE · 0% 5G

Longest modelled gap
3.3 km
Model
2024 · Natural Resources Canada

Predicted coverage is not guaranteed. It varies by carrier, terrain, weather, device and network load, and it does not guarantee emergency service.

Along the way

  1. 3.2 kmBlacksmith RidgeSummit · 2,331 m

Good for

  • Hiking
  • Dog friendly (on leash)
  • Summit, Views, Alpine

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 50.7162° N, 115.2105° W.

Driving directions

Kananaskis Conservation Pass

Vehicle pass required when parking

Buy pass

Pass details

Vehicles parked at provincial park and public land sites in Kananaskis Country and the Bow Valley need this pass. It is registered to the licence plate. People arriving without a vehicle do not need one, and official exemptions and free days may apply.

$15 daily for one vehicle · $90 yearly for up to three vehicles

Information and prices checked October 21, 2026.

Official details

Before you go

Carry an offline map and plan for no service in backcountry areas. Trails close for wildlife, fire, weather and construction. Check the official sources:

Nearby trails

All 157 trails in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30