Mount Arethusa Route
Elbow Sheep Wildland Provincial Park
Trail score 67 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality
About this trail
Mount Arethusa Route is a 3.5 km loop trail in Elbow Sheep Wildland Provincial Park. The route gains 493 m in total and tops out at 2,888 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 3 hours of moving time. It meets Storthusa Ridge Route at 0.4 km and Arethusa Cirque Route at 3.1 km. Along the way you pass the summit of Mount Arethusa.
- Length
- 3.5km
- Elevation gain
- 493m
- Estimated time
- 3h
- Moving time
- Route
- Loop
- Highest point
- 2,888m
- Lowest point
- 2,416m
Elevation profile
2,416 m to 2,888 mHighest point 2,888 m, lowest 2,416 m, 493 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 72% over 100 m.
Predicted coverage: 100% of route
100% LTE · 0% 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
- 1.6 kmMount ArethusaSummit · 2,912 m
Good for
- Hiking
- Dog friendly (on leash)
- Summit, Views, Alpine
Rankings
Trailhead
The trail starts at 50.5972° N, 114.9625° 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
- Little Arethusa RouteHard · 2.2 km · 312 m gain · 0.4 km away
- Storthusa Ridge RouteHard · 1.9 km · 272 m gain · 0.4 km away
- Arethusa Cirque RouteHard · 6.9 km · 468 m gain · 1.3 km away
- Highwood Meadows TrailEasy · 1.1 km · 14 m gain · 1.6 km away
- Mount Rae RouteExpert · 4.5 km · 754 m gain · 1.6 km away
- Pocaterra CirqueModerate · 7.0 km · 265 m gain · 1.8 km away
All 111 trails in Elbow Sheep Wildland Provincial Park
Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL
Elevation © Mapterhorn from NRCan HRDEM (Open Government Licence Canada) and Copernicus GLO 30