Hike Alberta
Upper Waterton Lake 250 m N
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Hell Roaring Falls Trail

Near Waterton Park · Waterton Lakes National Park

Hard · Out and back

Upper Waterton Lake near the start of the trail
Upper Waterton Lake near the start of the trail. Photo by R. Sieben, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trail score 71 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality

Upper Waterton Lake 500 m Open the map

About this trail

Hell Roaring Falls Trail is a 4.6 km out and back trail near Waterton Park in Waterton Lakes National Park. It runs 2.3 km each way. The route gains 243 m in total and tops out at 1,518 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 1 hour 45 minutes of moving time. Along the way you pass Upper Waterton Lake. Much of the route follows Hell Roaring Creek. Some sections are steep, rough or exposed. Nearly all of it is mapped as T3 demanding mountain hiking.

Length
4.6km
2.3 km each way
Elevation gain
243m
Estimated time
1h45min
Moving time
Route
Out and back
Highest point
1,518m
Lowest point
1,331m

Elevation profile

1,331 m to 1,518 m
1,5181,331 0 km2.3 km

Highest point 1,518 m, lowest 1,331 m, 243 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 38% 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. 0.1 kmUpper Waterton LakeLake

Good for

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

Rankings

Trailhead

The trail starts at 49.0292° N, 113.8940° W.

Driving directions

Waterton Lakes National Park admission

National park admission required

Buy Discovery Pass

Pass details

Visitors spending time in a national park need valid daily admission or a Parks Canada Discovery Pass. Admission is separate from camping, reservations, parking and other service fees.

Information 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 63 trails in Waterton Lakes National Park

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