Chester Lake Hike

Where:

• Chester Lake

 

When:

• November 7, 2026

 

Who:

• Ed, Reggie, Rod, Shonda, Dally, Roger, Lisa, Peter, Carolyn, Gerard, Kardy

 

Trailhead:

• a 60-minute drive (45 km) up the Smith Dorrien (Spray Lakes) road from Canmore
• turn left (east) into the parking lot, which is directly across from the Burstall Pass parking lot
• you can also access it from the Kananaskis Lakes Road, which is slightly shorter if you are coming from Calgary
• the trail is at the far end of the parking lot

 

 

Degree of difficulty:

• 450 meters elevation to the Elephant Rocks
• 11 km
• the hike took three hours
• the route up the snowshoe trail is a steady climb that always catches us off guard with its gradual steepness
• at the lake, take the first trail (there are two of them that end up at the same place) on the left-hand side of the lake up to the Elephant Rocks although we did the reverse route on this day

 

 

Interesting notes:

• the initial part of the trail is quite forested, but once you break out of the trees, the 360 views are amazing
• the views include Mount Chester, Fortress Mountain, Mount Galatea, Mount Burstall, and Commonwealth Peak
• most people are not aware of these Elephant Rocks, and it is one of the most unique and majestic sites in the Bow Valley
• as well most people don’t know about the Three Lakes Valley which is a short jaunt beyond the Elephant Rocks, which is like being on the moon with rocks blanketing the entire valley
• the other unique feature on this trail is the fields of small ‘hummock’ mounds which can be found about ten minutes south of the lake on the ski trail