Trail Stats
Distance: 10.6 KM Loop
Elevation: 750m
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Time: 5 hours
Parking: There is a small “unofficial” parking lot but lots of room to park along the side of the road too
Getting to the trailhead
The trail starts along Mount Shark Road. It is a few minutes past the Mount Engadine Lodge. We drove from Banff and had to drive for about 30-40 minutes down a wide gravel/dirt road. We had to drive slowly due to the loose gravel but it is a really nice drive.
The trail
his trail is a loop, (the best kind of trail) and there is definitely a recommended route to take. As you approach a small carpark, the trail head is to your left. There is another trail head at the end of the carpark but you are best to take the other entrance. This is what most people do so
- you won’t be going against the traffic
- there are some pretty steep sections that are much easier to climb up versus go down
By beginning at this trailhead, the trail takes you through a forest for some time before opening up into a meadow of larches. We could see the outlines of other hikers all along the top of the mountains that surrounded the meadow and realized that’s where we were going to be hiking which was so exciting! Usually, you just climb to the top of the mountain and that’s that, you relax and take in the view before heading back down. Whereas this time, the majority of the hike is trailing across the mountain’s ridges from one side all the way across to the other.
The hike is 10.6 KM with 750m elevation gain. It took us approximately 5 hours with a lunchbreak at the top. The trail involves scrambling up to the ridge where you’ll eventually make it to a weather station. You could stop here for lunch or continue across the saddle to get to the highest point (about 2500m). It is a scramble to climb up this section as it is very steep and it was also very windy which didn’t help! But as I mentioned, I’d much rather climb up than go down this part.
Tips / Advice
Do this hike during larch season!! (September)
Head south from the car park
It was very windy as the top so pack extra layers