Canmore trails accessed via the Spray Lakes Road

Trail Name	Distance	Features	Level	Elevation
1. Rundle Riverside:	14.1 Km	B	M	+30 m	Map
To access this trail you need to get to the Canmore Nordic Centre (CNCentre). You will first need to take the Banff Trail (see CNCentre trail map) all the way to the end, where the Rundle Riversid trail (RRT) begins. The Banff trailhead is by the day-lodge at the CNCentre. The RRT is a fairly challenging trail (especially for mountain bikers) but it is easy to follow. Following the RRT will take you from Kananaskis Country into Banff National Park. It will eventually wind along the Bow River and lead you all the way to the Banff Springs Golf Course. You can access Goat Creek Trail via Golf Course Drive and use it to make a loop back to the Spray Lakes Trail near Canmore (this makes a loop of approximately 48 Km). Back to Hiking/Trails page Home

2. Goat Creek:	19.8 Km	F, B	E	+291 m	Map
You will find the trailhead along the Spray Lakes Road. There is a sign just south of the Canmore Nordic Centre, after Whiteman's Pond. One of the most popular biking and nordic skiing routes in the Rockies, this trail takes you all the way to the Banff Springs Hotel. It is a nice route to explore but does not offer much in the way of scenery - it's pleasant but not extraordinary. The first half of the trail wind along Goat Creek and then, after the bridge, you will be following the Spray River all the way to Banff. Like mentioned above, you can loop back to the Nordic Centre via the Rundle Riverside Trail. Just follow the Golf Course Drive all the way to the RRT West trailhead. Back to Hiking/Trails page Home

3. Grassi Lakes Trail:	3.1 Km L	F, S	E	+95 m	Map
You will find the trailhead at the start of the Smith-Dorian/Spray Hill, along an access road turning East. This might be a short 3.1 Km loop but it is a trail that needs to be hiked at least once by everyone. From the parking lot you will hike along an old fire road. About 200 m in you will be given the choice of 2 different ascents: to the left, the difficult route and to the right, the easier way up. The easy way doesn't offer much for views but is a slow, gradual ascent easily achievable by even young children. There is however an old log cabin (what's left of it anyway). The hard route is much more satisfying. Offering breathtaking views of mountain ranges, waterfalls and the town of Canomre. May we suggest the easy way up and the more challenging way down? We did it that way with the kids (our youngest was 3). Both routes link up at the Grassi Lakes; two gorgeous shallow lakes tied together with a mini-waterfall. You will also see ancient coral reefs (yes! evidence that the Rockies were once beneath the ocean) and indian pictographs (more than 1000 years old - do not touch please). The rock walls along each side of the upper lake are excellent for rock climbing. Don't attempt this hike too early in the spring, it holds snow and ice well into May. Back to Hiking/Trails page Home			Upper Grassi Lake in the foreground, Canmore Townsite in the background

4. Ha Ling Trail:	2.7 Km	S	D	+730 m	Map
To getto Ha Ling trail, follow Spray Lakes Road (Hwy 742) from Canmore. Turn right south of the Canmore Nordic Centre, after Whiteman's Pond. Park in the Goat Creek Trail parking lot. Cross the higway and follow the dirt road to the canal. The trail starts behind the hut. This is a muscle-aching trail. You climb straight up the side of Chinaman's Mountain (aka Ha Ling Mountain) right to the summit in under 2.7 Km. It is a very difficult trail to follow and is not recommended for novice hikers. However it offers a bird's eye view of Canmore and the Bow Valley and actually getting to the peak is quite rewarding. Back to Hiking/Trails page Home