The Burstall Pass hike in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is a beautiful trail that brings hikers to the border of Kananaskis and Banff National Park. It’s a great hike to do during the summer. It’s also popular in the fall for hikers keen to see the golden larch trees in around the valleys on either side of the pass.
I hiked Burstall Pass at the beginning of October, just after one of our first snowfalls of the year in the Rockies. The snow made the trail slippery in sections, so bringing microspikes is recommended. Always check the trail conditions before you go out and remember to bring the hiking essentials.
Burstall Pass Hike Summary
- Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
- Distance: 16.3 km round trip
- Elevation: 654 metres
- Trail type: Out-and-back
- Time: 5-7 hours
- Trailhead: Burstall Pass Trailhead
The Burstall Pass Trailhead is easy to find off the Smith Dorrien Trail (Highway 742) right across the highway from the Chester Lake Trailhead. It is 2 hours from Calgary or 1 hour from Canmore. Please note that this trailhead is located on a section of the Smith Dorrien Trail that is not paved and has no cell service. A reliable vehicle is recommended.
Detailed Trail Description
The hike to Burstall Pass is long, but not difficult. The trail has some short steep sections, but for the most part includes long flat stretches and steady but gradual uphill sections. In the summer, there are creek crossing that make require water shoes (these can be any shoes you’re willing to get wet, but should be lightweight like crocs, sandals, or flip-flops). In the fall, the creek bed is mostly dry, so the extra shoes are not necessary.
Before embarking on any hike, you should check the trail conditions. This is especially true for shoulder-season hikes where quick changes in weather can take your from summer to winter hiking in an afternoon. Burstall Pass is a designated route, so you can check for closures or warnings on the Alberta Parks website.
Navigating the Burstall Pass Trail
Be aware that there are multiple trails starting from the parking lots. Download a map or check the route carefully to make sure you stay on the correct path. You’ll reach Mud Lake immediately after leaving the parking lot. Keep right and pass two trails to the left before taking the third left trail at the last fork in the path. This will keep you walking west with Mount Burstall rising on your left hand side.
You’ll gain a gradual 100 metres on a mostly flat trail on a fire road through the forest for the first 3 km. The trail will then open up into a meadow with multiple creek crossings. Do your best to follow the trail and the signs here. They are placed periodically to help you stay on the main path, but can be difficult to see during the summer while the vegetation is in full bloom.
Around kilometre 4.5 you’ll reach the base of the first uphill section. You’ll gain about 150 metres of elevation here over the next kilometre, before reaching another short, flat section. Around kilometre 6, you’ll ascend the final 230 metres to the top of the pass.
On one side of the pass, you have beautiful views Mount Birdwood, Pig’s Tail, and Commonwealth Peak and Ridge. If you keep hiking across the pass into Banff National Park, you can also get views of Leman Lake. The peaks behind this lake mark the continental divide and the boundary between Alberta and BC.
And Back Again
We reached the far end of the pass almost exactly 3 hours after beginning the trail. We found a nice spot here for lunch, and after about 30 minutes we began our descent. The descent took more time because the fresh snow had made sections slippery, so we needed to pick our way carefully down the path. By the time we reached the meadow around 12 km into our hike, much of snow in the exposed areas had melted.
Our final 4 km over the flat section felt quite long, with few landmarks to pass the distance. We did come across a group of grouse on the path, which were slow moving and unconcerned with our presence. When we finally reached Mud Lake, it looked completely different. The ice had melted and the morning’s snow capped peaks in the distance were bare. The entire trail took us just under 7 hours, including breaks and lunch.
