Categories: Travel

This spring hike is only an hour from Calgary and leads to a spectacular lake

Image via Shutterstock Greens and Blues

Spring hiking in Calgary is, admittedly, a bit of a misnomer. Sure, the calendar may say it’s a new season, but the mountains remain decidedly wintery until closer to summer. Nevertheless, there are still many beautiful trails to explore! If you’re on the hunt for a spring hike near Calgary to add to your list, then make sure you pencil in time for Rawson Lake.

This stunning out-and-back trail comes in at just under 8 km, but only a couple of those kilometres actually see you on an incline. Besides being pretty easy, it offers unbeatable views of some of the most spectacular peaks and glacier lakes in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.

Here’s why you should add Rawson Lake to your spring hiking list and how to get there from Calgary.

Getting There

Your trek begins at the Upper Lake Trailhead, which is a lovely hike worth a trip in and of itself. The trail circles Upper Kananaskis Lake and goes on for a whopping 15.7 km. While this may sound like a lot, it’s a very level path, making it a nice and easy stroll through the woods with lakeside views.

Upper Kananaskis Lake in the summer Image via Curiocity

Now, you don’t need to complete the entire Upper Lake Trail to get to Rawson Lake. You’ll only be on it for about 1 km until you get to the Rawson Lake interpretive sign on the left.

After leaving Upper Lake Trail, you have a steady climb for about 2 km through the forest before reaching the beautiful alpine lake. It’s surrounded by mountain peaks and offers a great view of Sarrail Ridge.

While it’s likely to still be snowy this time of year, you really can’t beat the view of the snowcapped ridge on a clear day.

As always, make sure to check Alberta Parks for the most up-to-date trail conditions and dress appropriately for the weather. It’s recommended to have microspikes on hand just in case you hit any icy patches.

If you decide to visit again in the summer, it might even be warm enough to swim!