Ha Ling Peak — Local services in Alberta

Ha Ling peak is arguably the most popular peak in the Bow Valley. The trail is straight forward, elevation gain is moderate and the views are rewarding. All of these combined make for a great "first" peak experience for people (especially children).

Here is little Q&A for the benefit of the many tourists from around the world that visit Canmore and Ha Ling every year.

Q: How long is the trail? A: From the parking lot my watch measured a round-trip distance of 8.25 km and 774 m of elevation gain. (This does not include nearby Miner's Peak.)

Q: How long does it take to reach the summit? A: Quick answer: plan on 3 hours to summit and 6 hours for a round-trip. Long answer: this is a highly variable question! Local trail runners can reach the summit in under 40 minutes, strong/fit hikers will reach the summit in 60 minutes, families with children will take 3+ hours to summit and some people don't even make it above the tree-line before giving up. It is important that you be honest and realistic about your fitness level and your acclimation to altitude. Calgary is 1,042 m (3,420 ft) above sea level and Canmore is 1,375 m (4,511 ft) above sea level. If you're a tourist who normally lives at sea level you will have harder time on the trail.

Q: How can I be more successful on the hike? A: Slow and steady is the way to reach the summit. You want to hike at a pace that you can maintain for at least 30 minutes (ideally 60 minutes) without stopping. Your breaks need to be short (only 10 minutes long). If you're not familiar with the "rest" step in hiking, take the time to look up some videos on the subject. Using this approach most people should easily reach the summit in 2-3 hours.

Q: What should I bring on the hike? A: Another highly variable question. Assuming that you're hiking on a sunny summer day, I would recommend 2 litres of water, some food, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and a light jacket. Always check the weather before leaving and adjust your gear accordingly.

Q: What is the weather like in the summer? A: The weather in the Rocky Mountains is highly variable and can change very quickly. Temperatures in the summer can range from below 0°C to over 30°C. It is common for people to experience, sun, rain, hail, snow back to sun all in the space of an hour. Always check the weather forecast before you head out and keep an eye on the sky for signs of inclement...

Love this hike! A great trail just outside Canmore as you near Spray Lakes. Not a long hike at all but certainly one which will get the legs and lungs working. A reasonably decent incline which is about 3.5km one way straight up the back of Ha Ling Peak. You start from the car park and walk across the road and up the dirt oath to the trail head. Here you enter a steep trek through forestry for about 2.5kms. once clear of the treeline you tend to walk on loose scree until you reach the saddle. Once there it's a firther 7-10min oush to the peak. It can get a little tricky under foot and is therefore not for the unsteady but overall not too difficult. Once at the top the views of Canmore and the surrounding area is simply breathtaking. You then realise it was all worth it. The trek back down can be tough on the knees and thighs. It can also be quite slippery with the loose rubble under foot so again caution needs to be exercised. It is though again not too troublesome and you should be back down in at least 1 hour. Depending on how long you soend at the top, generally this is a 3 to 4 hour hike, but for the fitter amongst us this can be reduced. Nothing better than Ha Ling hike in the morning followed by lunch and a beer in Canmore. Overall a great half day out. BTW, trail isn't very wide in places and so it can get busy but dependent on the time of day and even time...

Great hiking place. It is not supper hard but is not for bigginerns either. There are supposed to be 2 viewpoints before reaching the top. Only one of them is well marked. It is a busy place, so u won't feel alone and a lot of people around to help in case u need it. There are beautiful views, and you have access to 3 different mountains peaks. The route starts from the parking lot (it is big). I got there at 9 a.m., and I was on the top by 11.15 a.m., and I took a nice break on viewpoint 1. After that, the hike gets steeper and is a bit harder 😅 but if you go to your own peace, it's manageable. My recommendations are: Arrive early Bring water or any liquid that keeps you hydrated Do the hike with plenty of time once you reach the top. You might as well enjoy the time there (I was there for like 3 hours i had breakfast, and i took a short nap) Get yourself a good pair of shoes. i got my sneakers on, and they were great, but I saw a lot of people's using boots. I think that you need to pay for a pass because when I was leaving there was a guy talking pictures of the cars plates (be aware of that) The must important have fun and enjoy every step to the top, admired the view and be happy. I think that is all I can remember. I'm going to leave you with some pictures so u have an idea of what to expect. I did the hike...