Mount James Walker Descent Route
Near Fortress Mountain Resort · Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Trail score 50 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality
About this trail
Mount James Walker Descent Route is a 6.0 km out and back trail near Fortress Mountain Resort in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. It runs 3.0 km each way. The route gains 697 m in total and tops out at 2,985 m. Hike Alberta rates it hard. Allow about 4 hours 30 minutes of moving time. Along the way you pass the summit of Mount James Walker.
- Length
- 6.0km
- 3.0 km each way
- Elevation gain
- 697m
- Estimated time
- 4h30min
- Moving time
- Route
- Out and back
- Highest point
- 2,985m
- Lowest point
- 2,297m
Elevation profile
2,297 m to 2,985 mHighest point 2,985 m, lowest 2,297 m, 697 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 60% 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
- 2.9 kmMount James WalkerSummit · 3,035 m
Good for
- Hiking
- Dog friendly (on leash)
- Summit, Views, Alpine
Trailhead
The trail starts at 50.7865° N, 115.2248° 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
- Mount James Walker Alt RouteHard · 6.1 km · 848 m gain · 0.7 km away
- Mount Inflexible RouteHard · 6.1 km · 1,180 m gain · 1.0 km away
- Kent Ridge North RouteHard · 3.5 km · 537 m gain · 2.0 km away
- James Walker Creek TrailEasy · 4.2 km · 152 m gain · 2.5 km away
- Headwall Lakes TrHard · 11.3 km · 660 m gain · 2.9 km away
- Fortress Southern Outlier RouteHard · 3.2 km · 512 m gain · 3.1 km away
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