5 Fabulous Fall Hikes Near Calgary

Ask any hiker: fall is the best time of year to slip on your lederhosen, yodel your way to the mountains and take a lovely lap around your favourite trail. From mid-September to early October — when the trees turn fiery gold and the summer haze has lifted — the hills are bound to be alive with, well, the sound of music. And people making fun of your pants.

Thankfully, you don’t have to sing “Edelweiss” or dress like Hansel or Gretel to appreciate a classic Canadian Rockies ramble. You can just be you. And sing whatever song you want. The problem? Where do you go? Some trails can be extremely busy. Others require cliff-dangling, harnesses or extreme agility to complete. What you might be looking for is a trail that the average, non-yodelling hiker can readily take on without the need for a Swiss guide packing you to the finish line.

While beauty — and, to some extent, difficulty — is in the eye of the beholder, one thing is certain: these five trails will serve up a fabulous feast of fall colours.

Easy

Wild Rose Loop

Brown-Lowery Provincial Park

4.7 km | 146 m elevation gain | 1.5 hours

Located in underrated Brown-Lowery Provincial Park near Priddis, the Wild Rose Loop is a sweet little saunter through the poplars and pines. The fall colours here — and on the easy half-hour drive to the trailhead — can be spectacular. While there’s a wee bit of elevation change, this trail is friendly for all ages and dogs. The main view to the west is a stunner, with the rolling, farm-dotted foothills melding into the Rockies. Pack a lunch and your alpenhorn.

Mesa Butte from the Equestrian Campground

Mesa Butte Provincial Recreation Area

4.2 km | 269 m elevation gain | 1.5 hours

Thanks to the gravel access road, the Mesa Butte Provincial Recreation Area, 15 minutes west of Millarville on the McLean Creek Trail, may be less busy than your go-to popular trails. Park at the equestrian campground and start on the Curley Connector Trail, which cuts the time in half. Mesa Butte’s south-facing orientation makes it a great early-season scamper. But in the fall, the eye-popping colours painting the hillsides are next level. Bring bratwurst to enjoy at the sheltered fire pit area at the top of the butte.

Medium

Foran Grade

Sheep River Provincial Park

6.8 km | 293 m elevation gain | 2.25 hours

The Sheep River area is perfect if you like quieter trails that are quick to get to and visually rewarding. A staple in the area is Foran Grade, which straddles Bluerock Wildland Provincial Park and Sheep River Provincial Park. The ridge section of the hike features views both east and west with yodel-worthy looks at the chiselled peaks of Gibraltar Mountain, Mist Mountain and Mount Rae — in the heart of K-Country. Roadside parking is available at a couple of access points along Highway 546. Do this trail as an out-and-back or make it a loop that incorporates a section of Windy Point Trail and the road.

Arethusa Cirque

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

4.5 km | 377 m elevation gain | 3 hours

When fall colours are at their prime, weekends can get extremely busy on Highway 40 through the Highwood Pass. If you can, do this hike — or any of the popular larch hikes — at sunrise, a couple of hours before sunset or, preferably, mid-week. Thanks to the large parking area and the spectacular nature of this hike, Arethusa Cirque is a great choice. The expansive cirque (a glacier-carved alpine amphitheatre), the golden larches, the little creek crossings and a couple of steep sections make this a memorable meander in the mountains. Best to do this loop trail clockwise.

Hard

Aster Lake

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

21.9 km | 1,248 m elevation gain | 9 hours

The strenuous journey up to Aster Lake will likely require a few Swiss chocolate power boosts (maybe bring a stash of Toblerones) to complete. But the jaw-dropping beauty of this high-alpine lake makes the trek worth it. Steep and technical at times, Aster Lake is not for the beginner. You’ll face loose scree, some scrambling and some fairly exposed sections on the second half of the hike. And, yes, this is prime grizzly habitat. Be bear aware! An overnight stay in the charming lakeside campground — to make it a two-day journey — is a great option. The trail begins at Upper Kananaskis Lake, where there is typically plenty of parking available.

If, after these five fabulous fall hikes, the mountains are still calling, consider the 26-km backcountry journey to Mount Assiniboine. Known as the “Matterhorn of the Canadian Rockies,” Mount Assiniboine might be the ultimate Alp-like adventure in the Rockies. However, this is a multi-day journey that requires plenty of organization and scheduling, so plan accordingly.

Non-Swiss Hiking Gear

As every conscious Canadian knows, wherever possible, we’re looking for Canadian goods to support our hiking adventures. While the Swiss do make some, ahem, lovely leather goods, there are many Canadian companies that manufacture great gear for hiking. Check out these three examples.

Canada Goose

$550.00

Makers of luxury cold-weather apparel, Canada Goose has become a superstar when it comes to fall and winter fashion. The HyBridge Lite Vest (pictured above) is a near-weightless item that’s ideal for cool-weather hiking.

canadagoose.com

Arc’teryx

$240.00

Known primarily for its awesome outerwear, Arc’teryx also makes a mean hiking shoe. For example, its Kopec Mid GTX Boot can easily handle technical scrambles and high-alpine treks.

arcteryx.com

Taiga Works

$59.95

This quirky Vancouver-based outdoor equipment manufacturer makes everything from booties to sleeping bags. One of the highlights of Taiga’s extensive product line is its Merino-200 Crewneck. It’s perhaps a tad more comfortable than your average pair of lederhosen.

taigaworks.com

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