Chester Lake Snowshoe Trail
Near Fortress Mountain Resort · Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Trail score 75 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality
About this trail
Chester Lake Snowshoe Trail is a 6.2 km out and back trail near Fortress Mountain Resort in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. It runs 3.1 km each way. The route gains 292 m in total and tops out at 2,202 m. Hike Alberta rates it moderate. Allow about 2 hours 15 minutes of moving time. It meets Chester Lake Trail at 2.9 km. Much of the route follows Chester Creek. Also used for trail running.
- Length
- 6.2km
- 3.1 km each way
- Elevation gain
- 292m
- Estimated time
- 2h15min
- Moving time
- Route
- Out and back
- Highest point
- 2,202m
- Lowest point
- 1,939m
Elevation profile
1,939 m to 2,202 mHighest point 2,202 m, lowest 1,939 m, 292 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 32% over 100 m.
Predicted coverage: 27% of route
0% LTE · 27% 5G
- Longest modelled gap
- 2.3 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.
Good for
- Hiking, Trail running
- Dog friendly (on leash)
- Lake, Views, River or creek, Alpine
Rankings
Trailhead
The trail starts at 50.7929° N, 115.2994° W.
Kananaskis Conservation Pass
Vehicle pass required when parking
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.
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
- Snow DriftEasy · 4.2 km · 110 m gain · 0.1 km away
- Chester LakeModerate · 8.9 km · 356 m gain · 0.2 km away
- Headwall Lakes Alt TrailModerate · 6.8 km · 277 m gain · 0.2 km away
- Burstall Pass TrailHard · 25.0 km · 1,036 m gain · 0.4 km away
- Hogarth Lakes LoopEasy · 4.0 km · 38 m gain · 0.7 km away
- Mount Murray RouteHard · 11.5 km · 1,342 m gain · 0.8 km away
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