The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Elbow Pass is home to the Elbow Lake Trailhead, lots of parking, and restrooms. Sitting at 2,120 meters on Highway 40, this high point is the divide between watersheds. In July, the area is bursting with colorful wildflowers.

Highwood Pass sits at 2,206 meters and is the highest paved road in Canada. Keep your eyes out for wildlife near the road like bighorn sheep, elk, deer, moose, and sometimes grizzly or black bears. There is parking and restrooms at the turnaround here and the Highwood Meadows Trailhead.

The Kananaskis Trail (Highway 40) is a seasonal driving route and at other times of the year a biking/hiking route. From Peter Lougheed Provincial Park to Highwood House Junction, the road is closed from December 1 to June 20 due to snow. There are times of year, usually closer to late spring, when the road is snow-free, making it easy to hike or bike and enjoy this wide, paved path while it's car-free, depending on the snowpack.

Elk Lakes Provincial Park is a beautiful, easily accessible wilderness area located in the Southern Rocky Mountains, known for its impressive sub-alpine landscapes, rugged peaks, and pristine lakes. The park protects the headwaters of the Elk River and has a diverse ecosystem, including mature forests, alpine meadows, remnant glaciers, and multiple lakes such as Upper and Lower Elk Lake. There are plenty of backcountry activities to choose from, from hiking, mountaineering, fishing, and wildlife viewing, all set against a backdrop of breathtaking mountain scenery.

Elk Lakes Cabin is a cozy, backcountry retreat nestled in the subalpine forest just west of the Continental Divide. Built and maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada, the cabin is a rustic but well-equipped base for year-round adventures, with sleeping platforms, a wood stove, propane cooktops, and a nearby outhouse. Although remote, the cabin is accessible via an 11-kilometre hike or ski from Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Alberta, making it a popular destination for hikers in the summer and ski tourers in the winter. With no running water or electricity, visitors melt snow or draw from nearby lakes, embracing self-sufficiency that matches the wild beauty of the surrounding landscape. **Reservations for Elk Lakes Cabin can be made through the Alpine Club of Canada’s website here: https://alpineclubofcanada.ca/hut/elk-lakes-cabin/

You can access this waterfall as part of the loop hike, as a short out and back hike, or via canoe. However you manage to get here, it is a nice waterfall with great views across the lake as well.

From here a very short spur trail will take you to a waterfall near where the Upper Kananaskis River joins Upper Kananaskis Lake.

Framed by rugged peaks and evergreen forest, Upper Kananaskis Lake is one of Kananaskis Country’s most scenic alpine lakes. A popular day-use spot, it offers hiking trails, picnic areas, and access for paddling or fishing in its deep, glacier-fed waters. The loop trail around the lake features waterfalls, wildflowers, and sweeping mountain views. Weather can change quickly at this elevation, so bring layers and start early to enjoy calm waters and fewer crowds.