Arethusa Cirque Hike in Kananaskis

On a cold, snowy September day – the sort of day where a good book, a hot drink and a fireplace has appeal, John and I found ourselves driving Highway 40 towards Highwood Pass in Kananaskis Country.

Our goal was the easy Arethusa Cirque hike where we’d been told we’d find larches in all their fall glory. We did and the dusting of snow added a beauty to the hike – without causing any extra appreciable difficulty.

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Arethusa Cirque hike

The hike to the cirque is neither marked nor maintained but there is one sign at the start of the trail (at the far end of the rough parking lot) and a very easy to follow trail once you’ve found the start of it.

For the first 0.7 km the trail climbs through the woods at a pretty gentle grade. Because of the snow, the trail was muddy and slippery in areas but still very manageable.

We were thankful that we came prepared with all the right clothes (always take extra warm clothes for the mountains) despite the fact that the weather had been warm and sunny in Calgary.

The little girl in a pink tutu we passed was not quite so happy. This storm blew in quickly and her parents were obviously completely unprepared.

Read: The 10 Hiking Essentials Everyone Should Carry

When you reach the tarn, you get the first inkling of the visual treat that’s in store. We ended up with peak-a-boo mountain views over the course of our two hour hike as the snow competed with the sun and won for about 30 minutes.

How the hike unfolds

There’s a small creek to the east of the tarn you want to follow to reach the cirque. The trail is really obvious in here as it weaves through open areas and then alongside the creek itself.

There is a wee bit of boulder hopping just before you reach tree line. Once at tree line the trails go all over the place so look up and to your right (east) and start making your own way up and over a couple of talus filled hills to gain the high point.

From there you can wander towards the cirque – and decide how far up you want to travel. It’s about a kilometre from tree line to get into the cirque.

How about adding on a hike to the summit of Little Arethusa?

Want to spend more time enjoying the beauty of the mountains? Add on the hike to the summit of Little Arethusa – situated northwest near Ptarmigan Cirque.

You’d want to take the left fork of the trail when it crosses the creek and work your way to the western part of the lower slope where from all reports there is a good trail to the top. That hike is now on my list for next summer.

On this day John and I were more interested in capturing the larches in their glory. Another time we’d explore the talus field as its known for it’s fossilized shells.

For the effort and the time, this hike delivers fantastic mountain views. I highly recommend it but do go prepared as this is grizzly bear country and everyone should carry a can of bear spray that is under two – three year’s old.

Read: Tips for Staying Safe in Bear Country

Finding the trailhead to the cirque

The trailhead is located approximately 1.25 km south of the Highwood Pass parking lot on the east side of Highway 40. If it’s a nice day or a weekend there is a good chance you’ll see other cars parked in a large informal dirt parking lot.

Pick up a copy of the Gem Trek Kananaskis Lakes map here. 

More hikes that are perfect for fall you might enjoy

• The Larch Valley Hike – Sentinel Pass Hike in Fall
• The Stunning Hike to Buller Pass in Kananaskis Country
• The Moose Mountain Hike in Kananaskis Country, Alberta
• The Pocaterra Ridge Hike in Kananaskis

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