Local Guide

The best hikes near Canmore

Five hikes we recommend to guests at The Owl's Nest, from easy family walks to lung-burning summits. All within 30 minutes of Dead Man's Flats.

Grassi Lakes (Easy Route)

4 km · 1.5 hr · Easy

Wide, family-friendly path to a pair of turquoise glacier-fed lakes. Great with kids or as a warm-up hike. Trailhead is 15 minutes from The Owl's Nest.

Ha Ling Peak

7.5 km · 4 hr · Hard

The Canmore summit everyone photographs — because you can basically see it from town. Steep switchbacks and stairs; huge payoff at the top.

Chester Lake (Kananaskis)

9 km · 3–4 hr · Moderate

Rolling climb through pine and larch to an alpine lake ringed by Mount Chester. Peak larch season in late September is worth planning around.

Troll Falls

3.5 km · 1 hr · Easy

Kananaskis' easiest waterfall walk. Freezes into a blue ice column in winter and is a great snowshoe route in January and February.

Heart Mountain Horseshoe

11 km · 5 hr · Hard, scrambly

Exposed ridge with some scrambling. The trailhead is basically across the highway from Dead Man's Flats — walk out the door.

Want more? Check out AllTrails for hundreds more trails in the area — user reviews, maps, and current trail conditions.