Spring arrived temporarily early in the Rockies this year and so we kept it easy one warm day and did the Heart Creek Hike. Having completed the Heart Mountain Horseshoe scramble in the fall, we’d had the ability to see the top of the large rock walls which make up the sides of the creek and we wanted to explore the creek itself. The Heart Creek hike is popular in the summer but on this January day we had the whole place to ourselves, making winter, in my opinion, the ideal time to check this one off your list.
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The Heart Creek Hike
Distance: 2.8km return
The Heart Creek hike starts from beside the washrooms in the parking lot, look for the trail sign and the trail is obvious, beside it. Follow the path through the trees and soon after it climbs somewhat steeply up through the powerline cut, before heading back down steeply. It is just a small hill but it can be slippery in the winter.
The trail runs parallel to the highway here and can be a bit noisy as it goes through the trees. When we hiked the trail, due to the warm weather causing snow melt the trail was very muddy here. Stick to the path to avoid any further trail erosion though.
As the trail heads upwards slightly and around a corner, it opens up and shows a view of Heart Mountain. There is a bench here to enjoy the view. We stopped to put on our ice cleats as it was very icy here. Shortly after the bench, the trail forks, there is a clear signpost, the Heart Creek hike continues almost straight on at the junction, while those heading to the scramble will fork left.
Shortly after the junction you appear at the creek and the first of many bridges which cross it along the Heart Creek hike. Following the trail it winds through the forest and across the creek in numerous spots. There are plenty of interpretive signs as well, making this a great family friendly hike.
We did lose the trail at one point under the ice, but the joy of having ice spikes meant we could also just walk up the frozen creek if we wanted to and this was a lot of fun. At one point we seemed to have to walk up a wide section of ice straight up the middle of the creek, this section offered up some wonderful views but would have been very difficult to navigate without ice spikes and was unavoidable, at least when we did the Heart Creek hike.
As we neared the end we were treated to the remains of some ice falls on the far wall of the creek, they were not in all their glory unfortunately due to the unseasonably warm weather we had been having over the days prior to the hike. From here the creek was mostly flowing water, so we stuck to the trail which ran beside the water and crossed one final bridge.
There is a bench at the of the trail so you can sit and enjoy your achievement. As well as plenty of large rocks around if the bench is taken when you arrive. This is the perfect spot to enjoy a picnic or a snack if you are making a day of it.
Disappointingly you don’t get a glimpse of the waterfall you can hear flowing at the end, however someone had tried to make it possible by putting rocks and wood down in the creek, I didn’t venture past the end of the trail, since I didn’t fancy getting cold, wet feet, if I ended up in the creek. It is back the way you came from the end of the trail. That being said the earlier ice falls and the grandeur of the towering creek walls more than make this trail is must do.
Stop and watch the bubbles flowing under the ice sheet if you are doing the Heart Creek hike in winter or spring but be careful to not go through the ice, although the creek isnt deep it sure would be cold!
Where Is The Trailhead
The trailhead to hike to the Heart Creek Bunker is just off of Highway 1 at Lac Des Arcs, it is clearly signposted from the highway. The trailhead is located just under 20 kilometres east from Canmore and around 86 kilometres west of Calgary.
Since the Heart Creek hike is located in Kananaskis you do require a conservation pass to park at the trailhead and hike the trail. It is possible to buy a daily pass or an annual pass, depending on how long you plan on exploring Kananaskis. These can be purchased online or at one of the Alberta visitor center’s.
What You Might Need To Complete The Hike
To complete the Heart Creek hike in winter, I would say ice spikes are a must, we encountered many unavoidable patches of ice and using spikes allowed us to navigate these sections safely and easily. I used my Yaktrax and these were perfectly adequate for this trail.
Due to the mud and puddles along the trail and in case you happen to break through the ice, it is worth wearing waterproof boots to complete the Heart Creek hike in winter. These will keep your feet both warm and dry, I wore my usual La Sportiva Raptor 2 boots and these were perfect.
If you are hiking this trail it is worth taking a backpack with a few extra layers in, along with some water and bear spray, plus any snacks you might want.
