8 Alberta Hikes With Breathtaking Views You Need To Do Before Summer Ends
Catch them while you can!
Someone at Crypt Lake. Right: Someone at Devil's Thumb.
As much as we'd like to pretend otherwise, there are just a few short months until the dreaded snow arrives. But until then, there's still some time to enjoy a lot of Alberta's most beautiful hikes and make the most of those remaining summer days.
While it's definitely possible to hike in winter, there are some trails and areas that get closed off for the colder months meaning a lot of these stunning views won't be around to see in person until next year.
You'll want to dust off your hiking boots one last time to take on these spectacular Alberta hikes before summer is out.
Crypt Lake
Address: Waterton Lakes National Park, AB
Why You Need To Go: As one of the world's "most thrilling trails," Crypt Lake is well worth the visit. You'll need to get a ferry from Waterton town to get to the trailhead.
On the 17-kilometre hike, you'll pass waterfalls, climb ladders and crawl through caves before reaching the stunning lake.
Devil's Thumb
Address: Lake Louise, Banff National Park, AB
Why You Need To Go: This challenging hike kicks off at the Lake Louise lakeshore and gives you a birds-eye view of both Lake Louise and Lake Agnes as well as mountain views as far as the eye can see.
If you're not an experienced hiker, you can also try the Lake Agnes trail which is a lot more manageable.
Table Mountain
Address: Castle Provincial Park, AB
Why You Need To Go: This mountain hike feels like you've reached the edge of the world with prairie and mountain views for miles. It's nine kilometres out-and-back so the trail definitely isn't for the faint of heart but the views are well worth the effort.
You'll hike through forests up to a stunning mountain creek where you'll get to take in the spectacular scenery of Castle Provincial Park.
Tent Ridge
Address: Spray Valley Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country, AB
Why You Need To Go: While it can be a challenging hike with some scrambling involved, Tent Ridge has some stunning views over the Spray Valley that are well worth the hard work.
If you're looking to take on Tent Ridge, make sure to take the clockwise route for a slightly easier hike and hiking poles and good footwear are a must because it can get pretty steep.
Vision Quest
Address: Clearwater County, AB
Why You Need To Go: Vision Quest is definitely a tough hike with some scrambling involved so if you're not an experienced hiker, it probably isn't the trail for you. The 6.4-kilometre trail is pretty steep all the way up so be prepared to work hard.
However, once you get through it, Vision Quest Ridge has the most incredible view of the bright blue Abraham Lake and the incredible Rocky Mountains.
Sunshine Meadow
Address: Sunshine Village, Banff, AB
Why You Need To Go: While Sunshine Village is famous for skiing in the winter months, it's also home to the most stunning hikes in summer with wildflowers and towering trees.
You can ride the gondola to the gorgeous meadow hike which takes you to three lakes, stretched across the border of Alberta and B.C.
Consolation Lakes
Address: Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, AB
Why You Need To Go: This 6-kilometre hike is super easy and starts on the Moraine Lake shore and it's around a three-hour round trip.
You'll get stunning views of Panorama Peak, Bident Mountain and Quadra Mountains over the lakes. Be warned, the area is known to be home to bears and on some occasions, you'll need to travel in a group of four people or more to do the trail.
Ha Ling Peak
Address: Canmore, Kananaskis Country, AB
Why You Need To Go: This incredible hike gives you incredible panoramic views over the town of Canmore and the surrounding mountains.
There's a maintained trail with stairs for 3.5 kilometres up to the saddle but you can also continue on for 400 metres to the peak, which means climbing up some pretty rocky terrain to get there so hiking poles and good walking shoes will be necessary.
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