5 Larch Hikes for Fall in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains

September is in full swing, and all Albertans know that autumn doesn’t last long. If you want to get out to enjoy the fall colours in the mountains (and see the larches in their golden glory), there’s no better time that the present.

Here are five hikes, ranging from easy to difficult, that I’ve done in September and October over the years that I’d highly recommend you try this autumn.

Larch Valley

The ever-famous Larch Valley hike in Banff National park is an 8.6 km out-and-back with 535 metres of elevation. This is perhaps the most famous of all the larch hikes in Banff because of the large quantity of larch trees in the valley. It is accessible from Moraine Lake which is closed to personal vehicles. You will need to book a ticket on the Parks Canada shuttle or Roam transit. This hike is maybe the best place to see larch trees within a 2-hours of Calgary, and it can be combined with a hike to Sentinel Pass which adds an extra 3 km and 282 metres of elevation. You can find a full description of the hike here.

Arethusa Cirque

Arethusa Cirque is a short and sweet loop near the more popular Ptarmigan Cirque in Kananaskis. It has a couple steep sections, but for a hike with only 4.5 km with 378 metres of elevation it would hard to find an equal with a better view. Arethusa Cirque is one of the great larch hikes in Kananaskis to visit in the September/October season. I hiked Arethusa in October 2021, and you can find my description here.

Pocaterra Cirque

Another cirque on the list! I hiked Pocaterra Cirque in late September and was blown away by the rainbow of fall colours that blanketed the slopes. Its a 7 km out-and-back with 419 metres of elevation gain. I hiked the cirque because I was so impressed by Pocaterra ridge previously, and I was not disappointed. Do plan ahead and arrive early, as this hike shares a parking lot with Ptarmigan Cirque and Pocaterra Ridge, meaning it can get very busy on the weekends.

Pocaterra Ridge

If you’re looking for a more difficult hike, I would recommend Pocaterra Ridge. It follows the same route as Pocaterra Cirque for the first section, before splitting off to conquer the ridge. The hike is 9.8 km point-to-point with 728 metres of elevation. If you’re short on time or don’t have two cars to shuttle between the Little Highwood Pass lot and the Pocaterra Ridge lot, hike as an out-and-back after summiting the ridge.

Chester Lake

The final hike on the list is Chester Lake, which is good in any season. It’s a 9.3 km route with 300 metres of elevation. During the winter there are snowshoe and cross country ski trails as well, so in the summer and fall months make sure to stay on the main trail. I’ve done Chester Lake four times, in September, October, November, and March. October is the best time to see the larches in their golden colour. If you haven’t done this Kananaskis trail yet, add it to your fall larch hikes list!