Where is the best mountain hike around Calgary?

[Happy Everafter]

Few years ago i went to climb amountain, i think me and some of my dad's friends went to Banff and climbed a mountain that looks very majestic, open landscape at the bottom of the mountain, slowly the trail wound to the top where the peak of the mountain is bold and rocks at the edges. i never able to finish to the top, because my company is all tired and so forced me to discontinue and go home. the trail that leads up the mountain goes around and around all the way to the top. I really appreciated of someone can indicate what that mountain is called and where i can go there. By the way neither does my dad and me knows the phone numbers of those friends that accompanied me to climb that mountain.

 

[Annie]

OK, first thing to know is the real mountains, not the foothills, are an hour's drive away.

As for info - try looking through this site from Parks Canada about Banff and area.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/progs/np-pn/sp-ps/sec6.aspx

There are all kinds of things to do. Try this link for the Banff/Lake Louise Area: http://www.banfflakelouise.com/things-to-do/summer-adventures
If you want a little bit of a refresher after walking/hiking, the Hot Springs are great - you will come out smelling of sulfur, but that's the price of being able to relax in a really big hot tub ;-)

I've climbed up through Johnson Canyon which is west of Banff.
http://www.banff.com/hiking/johnston_canyon.shtml

If you've got time, you should travel north to Jasper, on the Icefields Parkway (aka Banff-Jasper Parkway). About halfway between Banff and Jasper is the Columbia Icefields. Water from the melting ice eventually end up in three different oceans: Arctic, Atlantic, and the Pacific. There is a company which will take you out on the glacier itself; the downside is that the trip is rather expensive at $50 per adult.

Parker Ridge is approximately 2 1/2 hours north of Banff http://peakery.com/Parker-Ridge-Alberta/. There you can hike without needing hiking gear - depending upon the snow pack, you might be able to throw snowballs (I did with my family, on July 1st one year). You'll also find interesting fossils of plants and animals that now inhabit the oceans, demonstrating that part of North America you walk on today was originally under thousands of feet of water. The Rocky Mountains were formed when there was a ginormous earthquake which thrust the land up thousands of feet like you see today (BTW it's illegal to take any of the fossils with you.

As you go further north, take time to see the Athabasca Falls - they are truly beautiful and awe-inspiring. Note, the water going through these falls will eventually go through Fort MacMurry, Alberta, and the tar sands.

Finally, Jasper is a great little place, and IMO much less touristy than Banff. Worth the trip to see and to compare with Banff.

Wow, this is sort of a trip along memory lane because I've been to all of these places on numerous occasions. When you're in Banff, you should meander down Banff Avenue - there's a great place which makes the best fudge while you watch through the windows.

Hope you really enjoy your time...

 

[fuzzy p]

My favorite hike is in the upper lakes in Kananaskis. It's about an hour drive from Calgary and if you do the whole hike it is about 20kms and around 6 hours if you stop once in awhile. There are waterfalls, a big mountain to walk across, some beautiful lakes, and lots of nice trails. You basically just follow the signs for the upper lakes, and there is only one main path going around them.

If you like closer walks there is a nice hike in Bragg Creek. It's about 8kms, 2 hours or so. There are some nice views, a river, lots of families around. I don't remember the name of it, but you drive outside of bragg creek, and turn right on the 22X towards the mountains. There is a lake on the left hand side a few kms away where you can park. There are picnic tables, boat launches, etc...

really you can just drive towards banff, pick a random road, and it will take you to a hiking trail. There are thousands of them in the area.