Table Mountain Trail – Castle Provincial Park

The route up Alberta's Table Mountain isn’t just about the stunning views. This enchanting hike gives you the opportunity to experience several vegetation zones, master a few climbing sections and enjoy some bird watching.

The Tour starts at the Beaver Mines Lake campsite. After the last coal mine closed in the 1970s the community here transformed into something of a ghost town, but tourism has since revitalised the region. To begin with, you’ll follow the course of the stream through delightful aspen forests. The landscape opens up as you continue to ascend mountain meadows. You’ll need to negotiate scree fields to gain the high plateau – there are gradients of up to 30 degrees and the odd scramble to overcome.

Once you reach the cliff, a glorious view opens up of the lake and the Rocky Mountains. The Continental Divide can be seen to the west and the vastness of the prairie to the east. From here, you’ll also be able to see the summit of Table Mountain, now almost within touching distance. The trail across the range’s barren landscape is hugely impressive, but it’s an easy walk. At its northernmost point, the summit of Table Mountain awaits at an altitude of 2,232 metres (7,323 ft). Marvel in the view of the dramatic peaks of Windsor, Castle and Victoria.

Good quality hiking footwear and proper layering are important for this hike, even in summer. During the warmer months expect mosquitoes in the woods near the lake – we recommend long sleeves and insect repellent.