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Headwall Lakes Alt Trail

Near Fortress Mountain Resort · Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Moderate · Point to point

Trail score 55 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

1 km Open the map

About this trail

Headwall Lakes Alt Trail is a 6.8 km point to point trail near Fortress Mountain Resort in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. The route gains 277 m in total and tops out at 2,074 m. Hike Alberta rates it moderate. Allow about 2 hours 15 minutes of moving time. It meets Shortcut Trail at 1.3 km and High Rockies at 2.8 km, and passes one other mapped junction. At 1.4 km the trail forks. This route keeps right; the left fork is a 1.0 km side branch with the same name. The distance and climb above follow this route only, not its branches. Also used for trail running.

Length
6.8km
Elevation gain
277m
Estimated time
2h15min
Moving time
Route
Point to point
Highest point
2,074m
Lowest point
1,873m

Elevation profile

1,873 m to 2,074 m
2,0741,873 0 km6.8 km

Highest point 2,074 m, lowest 1,873 m, 277 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 19% over 100 m.

Predicted coverage: 72% of route

0% LTE · 72% 5G

Longest modelled gap
2.0 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. 6.8 kmHeadwall Lake trailheadTrailhead

Good for

  • Hiking, Trail running
  • Dog friendly (on leash)
  • Lake

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 50.7909° N, 115.3009° 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