Holy Cross Mountain Route
Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park
Trail score 39 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality
About this trail
Holy Cross Mountain Route is a 4.8 km out and back trail in Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park. It runs 2.4 km each way. The route gains 708 m in total and tops out at 2,652 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 4 hours 30 minutes of moving time. It meets Colonel Belcher Route at 80 m and Holy Cross Mountain Descent Route at 0.3 km. Along the way you pass the summit of Holy Cross Mountain.
- Length
- 4.8km
- 2.4 km each way
- Elevation gain
- 708m
- Estimated time
- 4h30min
- Moving time
- Route
- Out and back
- Highest point
- 2,652m
- Lowest point
- 1,982m
Elevation profile
1,982 m to 2,652 mHighest point 2,652 m, lowest 1,982 m, 708 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 70% 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
- 2.3 kmHoly Cross MountainSummit · 2,650 m
Good for
- Hiking
- Dog friendly (on leash)
- Summit, Views, Alpine
Rankings
Trailhead
The trail starts at 50.4244° N, 114.6111° 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
- Holy Cross Mountain Descent RouteHard · 3.0 km · 662 m gain · 0.3 km away
- Holy Cross Mountain Approach TrailEasy · 2.1 km · 182 m gain · 0.9 km away
- Colonel Belcher Holy Cross Traverse RouteHard · 4.4 km · 643 m gain · 1.0 km away
- Gunnery Mountain TrailHard · 3.7 km · 298 m gain · 1.1 km away
- Mount Head SE DescentHard · 7.3 km · 900 m gain · 1.4 km away
- Mount Head East AscentHard · 9.2 km · 1,257 m gain · 1.7 km away
All 103 trails in Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park
Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30