I hiked Rawson Lake for the first time on a rainy day in September 2016, but have been wanting to go back since. In recent years, there have been frequent closures to the area due to a grizzly who likes to hang out near the lakes. As well, the social media popularity of Sarrail Ridge behind Rawson Lake often leads to an exceptionally busy summer season when closures aren’t in place.
Luckily, Rawson Lake is also accessible during the winter (and Sarrail is not), making it an ideal time to complete the trail. I unfortunately missed a winter trip here last year due to illness, so I was excited to get a chance to hike the trail again over the February long weekend.
Rawson Lake Hike Summary
- Difficulty:Â Moderate
- Distance:Â 7.1 km round trip
- Elevation:Â 526 metres
- Trail type: Out-and-back
- Time: 2-3 hours
- Trailhead: Upper Kananaskis Lake Day Use Parking Lot
From Highway 40, take the right turn onto Highway 742. During the winter, this turn occurs right before the Highway 40 road closure. Then, at the intersection with the Smith-Dorrien Trail and Kananaskis Lakes Trail, take Kananaskis Lakes Trail until the end of the road, where you’ll find the Upper Kananaskis Lake Day Use parking area.
Detailed Trail Description
The Rawson Lake trailhead sits just past the pit toilets at the end of the parking lot. Here you will find a sign with a map of the trails and any recent warnings for the area. The trail continues directly from here.
Although the recent snowfall had not yet hit Kananaskis when we arrived, the Kananaskis Lakes area had significantly more snow than the areas around Nakiska, Evan-Thomas, and Barrier Lake, which we drove past that morning, and hiked in the previous weekend. That being said, plenty of snow began falling during our hike back from the lake and continued into Tuesday. Make sure to be fully equipped for winter hiking, including warm layers, a good toque and gloves or mitts, and a winter-ready vehicle with snow tires.
The hike starts with beautiful views of Upper Kananaskis Lake. You can admire the lake from the parking lot, and check out the ice fishing tents on the lake. As the hike begins through the forest, you’ll wrap around the lakeshore, popping out of the trees periodically to get a good view over the lake and snowy landscape.
Beginning the Climb
The trail to Rawson Lake begins relatively flat for the first kilometre, until you reach the bridge over a frozen (and snow-covered) waterfall that flows into Upper Kananaskis Lake. Keep an eye out for the signs here, as the trail around Upper Kananaskis Lake and towards Point Campground branches off just after the bridge. Follow the signs for Rawson Lake, which will point to the trail on the left-hand side.
From here, the trail begins some steep switchbacks up towards the lake for the next kilometre and a half. Pace yourself on the switchbacks. The trail is not long, but you do gain about 350 metres of elevation over 1.6 km. It becomes flatter for a short section before reaching the lake, about 3.4 km from the trailhead.
Depending on the weather and your preferences, you can sit along the lakeshore or continue in a clockwise direction about a quarter of the way around the lake. We enjoyed a quick lunch here, as the weather was starting to cool down and clouds began descending over Mount Sarrail, across the lake from us.
Return Trip from Rawson Lake
The hike back down felt easy, especially because we were wearing microspikes (trail crampons) that gave us good grip on the snow. As always, I recommend you bring a pair for Rawson Lakes, as an essential for winter hiking.
The total hike took us about 2 hours, plus a short break for lunch at the top. If you’re planning to complete the trail in the winter, be sure to look up the forecast, bring lots of warm layers, and start early enough to avoid hiking in the dark. Happy trails!
