If you’ve ever visited Canmore you’ve seen Ha Ling Peak awkwardly looming 2,407m over the city and Kananaskis country. Ha Ling is a staple rockies trail that needs to be adventured at least once by anyone spending time in the area. It gains almost 680m over 3km so you can be sure you’ll be giving your lungs and legs a proper bashing. It’s best hiked very early in the morning or in the evening as it gets extremely busy. The views are gorgeous and allow you to get very familiar with the surrounding mountains and Canmore.
Check out our Ha Ling Peak Video HERE
Remember the Backcountry Basics
- Carry your Survival Kit & Essentials
- Let someone know where you’re going with a Trip Plan
- Know how to avoid negative wildlife encounters
- Practice Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness pristine
- Carry a Satellite Communicator like SPOT X
Table of Contents
The Breakdown
| Distance (Round Trip) | 7km |
| Elevation Gain | 711m |
| Time (Round Trip) | 2-4 hours |
| Dogs | Yes - On Leash |
| Camping | No |
| Season | July-Sep |
| Difficulty | Difficulty |
| Remoteness | Extremely Busy |
How to Get There
Drive up Hwy 742 The Three Sisters Parkway from the town of Canmore. Be aware that the highway is gravel and has some pot holes so don’t take your low clearance car up there. At around 7.5km up the road you will see the Goat Creek parking lot to your right. Hopefully there are some parking spots available still!
The Route
The Ha Ling trail begins just after crossing the drainage canal to the uphill hikers right. It wastes no time and you begin the relentless ascent right off the kicker. You will be hiking in the trees for the initial portion. There are viewpoints at the 1.4km, 1.6km and the 2.3km mark. These are also the best spots for a water break since the trail is so busy allowing you to stand aside if you are going to stop.
At the 3km mark you will exit the tree-line and your views will begin to expand. Approx. 300m further you will hike up a steep set of stairs and will arrive at the saddle marking the end of the maintained trail.
The final 100m of elevation is up an unmaintained portion. There are plenty of well walked footpaths that you can follow. Please take your time heading up this portion if it is your first time experiencing this type of terrain, things can get slippery, especially with inclement weather.
The final stretch is very rewarding, and you’ll feel especially satisfied when you reach the summit and can enjoy the 360° views. I found it pretty fun standing up there and scoping out all of the spots where Laura and I slept in the truck in Canmore. Take some photos and keep some distance from the massive cliff face at the end.
The total hike took us around an hour and a half. We passed countless people on the way up and even more on the way down. It’s extremely heavily trafficked, so be prepared for that. Early morning is your best bet. Ha Ling is a fabulous hike that everyone should tackle one time and best part is, when you’re having beers back in town you can point up to it and say you were standing up there.
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments.
Happy Hiking!
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