Sawmill Loop Trail
Near Fortress Junction · Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Trail score 36 out of 100, from popularity, scenery and trail quality
About this trail
Sawmill Loop Trail is a 5.1 km loop trail near Fortress Junction in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. The route gains 168 m in total and tops out at 1,972 m. Hike Alberta rates it moderate. Allow about 1 hour 45 minutes of moving time. It meets Kent Ridge North Route at 0.4 km and Mount Chesmill Route at 1.8 km, and passes two other mapped junctions. Much of the route follows James Walker Creek. Also used for trail running.
- Length
- 5.1km
- Elevation gain
- 168m
- Estimated time
- 1h45min
- Moving time
- Route
- Loop
- Highest point
- 1,972m
- Lowest point
- 1,825m
Elevation profile
1,825 m to 1,972 mHighest point 1,972 m, lowest 1,825 m, 168 m of climbing in total. Steepest sustained grade about 21% over 100 m.
Predicted coverage: 47% of route
0% LTE · 47% 5G
- Longest modelled gap
- 1.4 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.
Good for
- Hiking, Trail running
- Dog friendly (on leash)
- River or creek
Rankings
Trailhead
The trail starts at 50.7492° N, 115.2438° 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 Chesmill RouteHard · 10.0 km · 983 m gain · 0.0 km away
- Sawmill LoopEasy · 3.8 km · 80 m gain · 0.2 km away
- Hero's Knob RouteHard · 8.2 km · 723 m gain · 0.6 km away
- Kent Ridge North RouteHard · 3.5 km · 537 m gain · 2.3 km away
- James Walker Creek TrailEasy · 4.2 km · 152 m gain · 2.4 km away
- Mount Inflexible RouteHard · 6.1 km · 1,180 m gain · 3.4 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