Hike Alberta
Headwall Lakes 1 km N
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Headwall Lakes Tr

Near Fortress Mountain Resort · Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Hard · Out and back

The Headwall Lakes from the air, between Mount Chester and The Fortress
The Headwall Lakes from the air, between Mount Chester and The Fortress. Photo by Kevin Lenz, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Trail score 65 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Headwall Lakes 2 km Open the map

About this trail

Headwall Lakes Tr is a 11.3 km out and back trail near Fortress Mountain Resort in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. It runs 5.7 km each way. The route gains 660 m in total and tops out at 2,667 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 5 hours of moving time. It meets Fortress Southern Outlier Route at 4.3 km and Fortress SE Ridge Alt Rt at 4.7 km. Along the way you pass Headwall Lakes. Much of the route follows Headwall Creek.

Length
11.3km
5.7 km each way
Elevation gain
660m
Estimated time
5h
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
2,667m
Lowest point
2,059m

Elevation profile

2,059 m to 2,667 m
2,6672,059 0 km5.7 km

Highest point 2,667 m, lowest 2,059 m, 660 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 45% over 100 m.

Predicted coverage: 100% of route

0% LTE · 100% 5G

Longest modelled gap
0.0 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. 0.0 kmHeadwall Lake trailheadTrailhead
  2. 2.7 kmHeadwall LakesLake

Good for

  • Hiking
  • Dog friendly (on leash)
  • Lake, Views, River or creek, Alpine

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 50.7840° N, 115.2664° 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