78 Best Sights in Alberta, Canada

This moderately steep 8-km (5-mile) trail will take four to six hours. Into early summer the upper section is still covered in snow and not recommended, but from mid-July to mid-August you can enjoy the carpet of wildflowers. There's also an excellent view of the Angel Glacier. Moderate.

Awe-inspiring and strenuous, this 17.2-km (11-mile) round-trip trail is one of the most stunning hikes in the Canadian Rockies. Conquering the trail involves taking a boat taxi across Waterton Lake, climbing 700 meters (2,300 feet), crawling through a tunnel nearly 30 meters (100 feet) long, and scrambling across a sheer rock face. The reward, and well worth it: views of a 183-meter (600-foot) cascading waterfall and the turquoise waters of Crypt Lake. This hike was completely untouched by the wildfires of recent years. Difficult.

Rushing water has carved a path through this must-see limestone canyon. The first 1.1 km (0.7 mile) is a paved walkway that leads to the 10-meter (33-foot) Lower Falls. From here, a slightly more rugged 2.7-km (1¾-mile) trail leads to the nearly 30-meter (100-foot) Upper Falls and a 5-km (3-mile) trail runs to the Ink Pots—six green pools filled with spring water. It takes four to five hours round-trip to complete. Moderate.

This must-do 1.6-km (1-mile) trail only takes about an hour. The kid-friendly path, paved at the start, runs across a rocky landscape once covered in glacial ice. Eventually you come to a viewpoint overlooking Cavell Pond, which is fed by Cavell Glacier. Small icebergs often float in the water. The view across the valley takes in Angel Glacier, resting her wings between Mount Edith Cavell and Sorrow Peak. Easy.

Explore the Highwood Meadows Interpretive Trail before you cross Highway 40 to begin the Ptarmigan Cirque trail. The trail leads to a high alpine meadow with incredible views of the surrounding mountains. This hike is popular with wildflower enthusiasts, especially in early to mid-July when glacier lilies blossom shortly after the snow melts. In late July to early August, more than 80 different species of wildflowers might be seen in the meadows. The hike is also popular in autumn when the larch trees turn golden before dropping their needles. The 4.5-km (2.8-mile) trail has 225 meters (700 feet) of elevation gain. Moderate.

The steep 36.7-km (22.8-mile) round-trip hike to Adams Creek Fire Lookout from the Big Berland River staging area makes a nice overnight expedition in Willmore Wilderness Park. The trail has 1,369 meters (4,491 feet) of elevation gain. Difficult.

This moderately strenuous 13-km (8.1-mile) round-trip hike leads to a lovely alpine lake with beautiful views along the way. If you climb to the top of the peak near the lake you'll have a stunning view of Abraham Lake and the surrounding mountains. Moderate.

Just south of Ptarmigan Cirque, this 5-km (3.1-mile) loop trail actually has more larches than its better-known neighbor. The trail begins by passing through a forested area and then opens up into a wide meadow. There's 274 meters (899 feet) of elevation gain, but it's a relatively easy hike. Easy.

This steep, 2.8-km (1.4-mile) trail climbs to an overlook with a great view of Upper Waterton Lake and the townsite. Moderate.

This short and relatively easy hike features a narrow canyon with eight waterfalls---the largest of which is Stanley Falls. The trailhead is not well marked. Look for a highway pullout 2 km (1 mile) south of Beauty Creek Hostel where two large culverts divert water under the highway. The return hike is about 4 km (2½ miles) and has an elevation gain of about 140 meters (460 feet). The views are fantastic, but there are no safety barriers. Be careful to stay back from the canyon edge and keep a tight hold on children, so they do not fall in. Easy.

This unique wooden boardwalk winds through wetlands and a beaver pond and is said to be the longest freshwater boardwalk in the world. Along its 3-km (2-mile) length you'll find interpretive signage, benches, and two observation towers. The boardwalk is part of a longer trail system that winds through natural areas in the town.

With picturesque views of flowing waterfalls, mountains, and glaciers, the Berg Lake Trail is one of the top backpacking destinations in the Rockies. This moderately difficult 21-km (13-mile) one-way hike is one of the most popular overnight trails in the Canadian Rockies. Turquoise-blue Berg Lake gets its name from the fact that it's dotted with mini icebergs—even in the middle of summer. The lake sits at the base of the north face of Mount Robson and glaciers on the mountain regularly calve off into the water. Since 2022, BC Parks has been rebuilding the trail after major flooding; the section that leads to Kinney Lake reopened in 2023 for day use and overnight camping. Reconstruction of the rest of the trail is expected to be completed in 2025.

This well-maintained trail takes hikers to some of the best scenery in the Canadian Rockies. The first 4½ km (2.8 miles) are relatively easy hiking along the Robson River and then through dense forest before arriving at glacier-fed Kinney Lake. After crossing a steel bridge at the end of Kinney Lake, it's just 2.8 km (1.7 miles) to the Kinney Lake campground.

Beyond the Kinney Lake campground, the trail splits and gives the option of hiking through Kinney Lake Flats or continuing through the forest. At that point, the trail merges together again and begins climbing steeply to the Valley of a Thousand Falls where it provides views of four spectacular waterfalls. The trail then crosses the Robson River on a suspension bridge and arrives at Whitehorn campground at the 11-km (6.8-mile) mark.

Once the trail gets above the valley, you will start getting glimpses of the Emperor Face of Mount Robson. The Emperor Campground lies about 3 km (2 miles) from the shores of Berg Lake. Marmot Campground and Berg Lake Campground sit right on the shores of the lake. Several popular day hikes depart from the Berg Lake Campground and there are two more campgrounds just past the lake, Rearguard and Robson Pass.

The Berg Lake Trail is one of the most popular backpacking trails in the Canadian Rockies and campsites should be booked well in advance, especially during the peak summer months. All hikers must check in at the Mount Robson Visitor Centre before setting out on the trail.

If you can't get a backcountry camping reservation on the Berg Lake Trail, you could opt to fly into Berg Lake and hike down the trail as a day hike. It would be very difficult to hike the trail in both directions in a single day. Difficult.

This 11.4-km (7.1-mile) round-trip trail leads from Waterton townsite through a Douglas fir forest to a beautiful overlook of Upper Waterton Lake, and on to Lower Bertha Falls. From there, a steeper climb takes you past Upper Bertha Falls to Bertha Lake. In June, the wildflowers along the trail are stunning. Moderate.

This easy 4.2-km (2.6-mile) interpretive loop trail climbs 90 meters (300 feet) to beautiful Warspite Lake through forested and open areas. The first section of the trail follows an old logging road. Alberta Parks has created a four-page interpretive brochure for this trail, which you can pick up at any of the visitor centers in the park. Numbered posts along the trail correspond to numbers in the booklet. Easy.

This 1-km (0.6-mile) loop trail leads to a dramatic suspension bridge over Blackshale Creek. This is a section of the High Rockies Trail, which is a part of the Trans-Canada Trail. You can do a longer hike along the trail or just do a short loop and take in the bridge and its wonderful views. The trail is best used from April to October and has an elevation gain of 53 meters (174 feet). Dogs are also able to use this trail if they are kept on a leash. Easy.

A 2-km (1-mile) round-trip hike will take you from Red Rock Canyon to Blakiston Falls. Several viewpoints overlook the falls. Easy.

This 5-km (3-mile) hike climbs through a forest of pine, fir, and spruce amid mountains and glaciers. The waters of the lake itself are crystal clear. Allow half a day for this hike round-trip. Moderate.

A trail from the bottom of the parking lot at Bow Lake leads to this stunning cascade, which can't be seen from the road. At the base of the falls, you'll not only feel the spray and hear the roar, you'll also witness the birth of the Bow River—part of western Canada's largest watershed. The hike is about 4 km (2½ miles) one-way and takes from 1½ to 3 hours to complete, depending on how many photos you stop to take.

This 4.2-km (2.6-mile) one-way paved trail stretches from the Bow Valley Campground to the Bow Valley Administration and Information Centre. The trail passes through forest and rolling terrain with good views of meadows along the way. There are short steep hills at either end of the trail making it less accommodating for wheelchairs. Easy.

Winding through the forest, this 7.4-km (4.6-mile) one-way trail leads to two shallow bodies of water known as the Burstall Lakes. From there, you cross what is known as the Willow Flats, an area with many streams, before climbing through forest and then across a picturesque valley to a cirque (an amphitheater-like valley formed by glacial erosion). The views of the remote southern end of Banff National Park at the end of this challenging hike are worth the effort. There's 470 meters (1,550 feet) of elevation gain. Moderate.

Relatively flat and paved, this 1.6-km (1-mile) one-way trail offers a peaceful hike. Look for wildflowers along the shoreline and grizzlies on the lower slopes of the mountains at the far end of the lake. Easy.

Outstanding views of the mountains above the Bow River Valley are the highlight of this 3.7-km (2.3-mile) one-way trail that is somewhat steep. Moderate.

Although those who hike this 13-km (8-mile) trail are rewarded with awesome views, it's one of the park's most strenuous treks, requiring about six hours to complete, and so it's recommended only for experienced hikers who can trace a difficult route. The return trip loops around Mount Edith Clavell and descends the Edith Pass Trail. Difficult.

This moderate/difficult 13-km (8-mile) hike takes hikers to the top of Cox Hill and features beautiful wildflowers and fantastic panoramic views. This trail is not highly traveled, fairly steep at the start, and you may have the summit all to yourself---make sure you don't stop at the false summit. By continuing along the trail through a treed section, you will arrive at the true summit. The best time to hike this trail is June through October. Difficult

This 2½-km (1½-mile) trail winds through fragrant pine forest, ending at a popular mountain lake. Easy.

On a hillside above the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, this 0.8-km (½-mile) boardwalk takes you past the vent of the cave to a spring flowing out of the hillside. Interpretive signage explains the geology and history of the cave and basin. Follow the Marsh Trail to observe the birdlife and the lush vegetation fed by the mineral water. Along the boardwalk are telescopes, benches, and interpretive signage as well as a bird blind on the marsh itself. Wheelchairs have limited access to the boardwalk. Easy.

This half-day hike gives you a taste of the Willmore Wilderness. It's a 6-km (3.7-mile) round-trip hike from the Sulphur Gates parking lot to beautiful Eaton Falls. With 120 meters (394 feet) of elevation gain, the hike is relatively easy and one of the few day-trip options in the Willmore Wilderness. There's a viewpoint partway along the trail that is worth stopping for. Moderate.

Starting at the Funicular, the walkway travels for 10 km (6 miles) through the North Saskatchewan River Valley ending at the Groat Bridge. Along the way, the path passes popular city landmarks like the Indigenous Art Park and the John Walter Museum. In 2024, the experience was enriched with nearly 50 new stories by Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, and storytellers.

For an interactive experience, there's a downloadable app (available on the website) that helps you embark on the Quest for the Golden Key along the walkway. There are five storylines (Indigenous, history, family, river, and winter) to follow, and an icon appears on the app's virtual map when you get close to a clue. 

This pretty lake is a good spot for a picnic hike. The 1.4-km (0.9-mile) one-way trail begins at the Elbow Pass Day Use Area and follows a wide road. If you're hiking, keep an eye out for mountain bikers and horses, as both are allowed to use the trail. There is a 120-meter (400-foot) elevation gain. Easy.

It will take about an hour round-trip to walk the 2-km (1-mile) trail that slowly changes from marsh to dense forest. Watch for beavers, muskrat, and waterfowl. The trail is popular with joggers and cyclists. Easy.