Chester Lake Hike: Kananaskis Trail Guide

We love the Chester Lake hike in Kananaskis and keep returning to it over and over. It has a great payoff for a manageable amount of effort, with a wide forested trail, mountain views, a beautiful alpine lake, and the option to continue to the fun and interesting Elephant Rocks if you still have energy left.

We’ve hiked and snowshoed the Chester Lake Trail in different seasons, and it remains one of our favourite hikes in Kananaskis. It’s especially beautiful in fall when the larches turn golden, but it’s also a great winter hike when conditions are right.

While it’s not the easiest Kananaskis hike, Chester Lake is manageable for most active hikers and families who are prepared for a steady climb. In this guide, I’ll walk you through what to expect on the Chester Lake Trail, how hard it is, when to go, what to know about the annual closure, and why this hike deserves its place on our list of the Best Hikes in Kananaskis.

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Is the Chester Lake Hike Right for You?

How Long is the Chester Lake Trail?

The total there-and-back distance of the Chester Lake Trail is 9.0 km. This does not include the short add-on hike to the Elephant Rocks.

How Steep is the Chester Lake Hike?

One of my favourite things about the Chester Lake hike is that you will get all the uphill sections of the hike out of the way in the first 3.5 km. Over this span you will gain 310 m in elevation. The middle 1.5 km of this stretch is reasonably steep, but it’s not too bad; anyone who is in reasonable shape will have no issues.

Once you reach the top, you’ll love that the remaining 6.2 km of the Chester Lake hike is either flat or downhill!

How Hard is Chester Lake Trail?

We have done the Chester Lake hike with a wide variety of people, ranging from our kids (aged 4 & 6) to grandparents. The 310 m incline over the first 3.5 km can be a bit tough on people who aren’t accustomed to mountain hiking.

That said, everyone we’ve hiked with has made it to the lake and back, so it’s definitely do-able for most people. We’d rate the Chester Lake hike as a “moderate” Kananaskis hiking trail.

How Long Does it Take to Hike Chester Lake?

It should take a typical adult about 2 – 3 hours to hike the full there-and-back distance of Chester Lake. Your time will vary if stopping for photos, lunch, or the Elephant Rocks side trip.

We most recently did this hike with our kids, so we were a bit slower, completing the full distance in 3.5 hours.

Alternatives to the Chester Lake Hike

If the Chester Lake hike isn’t right for you, don’t worry as there are plenty of excellent easy hikes in Kananaskis Country.

One of the most fun attractions in Kananaskis Country is just a short drive up the Smith-Dorrien highway from Chester Lake. The Blackshale Suspension Bridge is a lot of fun to visit and is reached by an easy hiking trail.

The Karst Spring Trail is another easy Kananaskis hike nearby. One of my favourite hikes in Kananaskis, the waterfall at the end is one of the most beautiful and powerful in all the Canadian Rockies!

What to Expect on the Chester Lake Trail

Forest Climb to the Alpine Meadow

Unlike typical single-track mountain hiking trails, the Chester Lake hike has a nice wide trail allowing groups of people to easily socialize along the way up. The wide hiking trail makes this an excellent Kananaskis hike for group outings, whether you are hiking with family, friends, or a larger group.

The Chester Lake Trail is one of those great hikes where you get the elevation gain out of the way first. You reach your peak altitude after 3.5 km and it’s either flat or downhill for the remaining 6.2 km.

Once you reach your peak altitude, the Chester Lake Trail ventures into the heart of a beautiful alpine meadow with rocky mountain peaks towering above on all sides. We especially enjoy the massive rock wall created by Mount Chester along the right-hand side.

Having a picnic lunch along the shores of Chester Lake is one of our favourite things to do in Kananaskis. When you reach the lake, watch for a small log bridge which crosses Chester Creek. This leads to a nice little patch of forest alongside the lakeshore.

Chester Lake and Mountain Views

There is a modest cluster of larch trees along the shores of Chester Lake. If you enjoy larch trees, consider adding on the Elephant Rocks side trail where you will find larger patches of larch trees. The timing varies from year to year, but larch trees typically change colour from late September to early October.

Elephant Rocks Side Trip

If you have some energy left after reaching Chester Lake, we highly recommend extending your hike to see the Elephant Rocks. The Elephant Rocks are a collection of massive rocks which have tumbled from a nearby mountain long ago. Based on their location, we’re guessing these boulders fell from Gusty Peak.

The Elephant Rocks are great fun to walk around, admire and explore, especially with kids who will absolutely love the adventure of climbing on these amazing rocks.

To get to the Elephant Rocks, walk along the western side of Chester Lake until you see a well established trail heading into the forest. This is the Three Lakes Valley Trail and the Elephant Rocks are only 300 m away from the lakeshore.

If you are feeling extra energetic, the Three Lakes Valley Trail continues on beyond the Elephant Rocks into the valley between Mount Galatea and Gusty Peak. Hiking to the third lake extends the round trip distance of this amazing Kananaskis hike to 13.5 km.

Chester Lake Trailhead, Parking and Directions

Calgary to Chester Lake

The Chester Lake Trailhead leaves from the Chester Lake parking lot in the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park area within Kananaskis Country.

The fastest way to get from Calgary to the Chester Lake parking lot is to turn south on Kananaskis Trail (Highway 40) and drive all the way to the winter gate, where you turn right on Kananaskis Lakes Trail. In a few minutes you’ll make another right onto the Smith-Dorrien Trail Highway (AB742). This very scenic drive should take you about 2 hours.

As Chester Lake is in Kananaskis Country, you will need a Kananaskis Conservation Pass to park here.

Google Maps Directions – Calgary to Chester Lake Trail

Banff to Chester Lake

The fastest way to get from Banff to the Chester Lake parking lot is to turn off the Trans-Canada Highway in Canmore and take the very dusty Smith-Dorrien Trail Highway (AB742). This very scenic drive should take you approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Google Maps Directions – Banff to Chester Lake Trail

Chester Lake Seasonal Closure and Access Rules

Annual May and June Trail Closure

As part of an ongoing Kananaskis trail closures program, the Chester Lake hike is closed every year from May 1 to June 29 to allow the area to dry and prevent damage.

Biking on Chester Lake Trail

Biking is only allowed on the first 2 km of the Chester Lake Trail.

Chester Lake Trail Map

I recommend downloading a Chester Lake Trail map before you go. We use AllTrails for this, and it is especially helpful here because cell service can be unreliable deep into Kananaskis Country.

To get the map, simply click on this link for the “Chester Lake Trail Map”. Be sure to download the hiking map for offline use as you will not have a cell signal anywhere along the trail.

Hiking Chester Lake with Kids

Chester Lake is not always listed as a kid-friendly hike in Kananaskis because of its moderate difficulty. But if your kids are active, it can be a great choice, just budget extra time. The wide trail at the start of the Chester Lake hike is great for families as it allows easy side-by-side conversation.

Because much of the trail passes through dense pine forest, kids can have fun balancing on fallen tree trunks and looking for treasures. The flat stretch along the top to and from the lake is easy and often prompts a game of tag or hide-and-seek.

If you are considering hiking Chester Lake with a baby, we would not recommend a stroller due to the steepness and the presence of tree roots and big rocks in the trail. When we hiked Chester Lake with our babies, we really enjoyed hiking with our Deuter hiking baby carrier.

If you made it all the way to Chester Lake with your kids, we highly recommend continuing on the Three Lakes Valley Trail for another 300 m to reach the Elephant Rocks. Your kids will love the adventure of exploring and climbing on these massive boulders. Be warned, your kids will not want to leave the Elephant Rocks!

With the larches around Chester Lake and the stands of larches near the Elephant Rocks, we’d consider this one of the best larch hikes for kids.

We have some great resources for hiking with kids on our Family Can Travel website. Check out our best tips for hiking with kids, the best hiking gear for kids and the 9 Best Hiking Songs for Your Family.

Chester Lake Larch Trees

It may sound funny to those who are not familiar, but larch trees are the rock stars of the Canadian Rocky Mountain forests. Larch trees look like normal evergreen trees, but their needles turn a beautiful golden colour in the fall, before falling off like a leaf. Seeing a cluster of golden larch trees on a sunny fall day is nothing short of breathtaking.

There are better Alberta larch tree hikes such as Larch Valley or Saddleback Mountain in Banff, Ptarmigan Cirque or Arethusa Cirque in Kananaskis. But many of these popular larch hikes are affected by parking, shuttle, or access constraints, especially around Moraine Lake, which makes Chester Lake a good alternative when you want a less complicated Kananaskis option.

Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break

There are a few good places to stop along the way, but the best lunch spots are around Chester Lake. Once you reach the lake, our favourite spot can be found by crossing a little wooden bridge on the right.

This takes you to a patch of trees along the shores of Chester Lake where you can stop and soak in the majesty of this special place.

There are no picnic tables or benches on the Chester Lake hike, so a compact picnic blanket is a nice treat if you have room in your pack. We always seem to forget ours and regret it every time!

Chester Lake Trail Safety

Keep Your Dog On Leash

You may see off-leash dogs on the Chester Lake Trail, but please keep yours on leash. Besides being the law, an off-leash dog can very easily draw a bear or cougar back to your group.

Wildlife encounters involving dogs can escalate quickly, putting both people and animals at risk. It’s just not worth it. Here’s an example of a person with an off-leash dog who was lucky to walk away from a Kananaskis grizzly attack.

Chester Lake Trail Report

We recommend checking the latest Chester Lake Trail Report for trail conditions and possible closures before you head out.

Chester Lake Trail Logistics

There are toilets at the Chester Lake trailhead. There is also a porta potty along the trail as you near Chester Lake. It’s about 100 m away from Chester Lake on the left-hand side.

There are no drinking water facilities, so fill your hydration packs before you leave.

Camping and fires are not allowed in this area. If you are looking for a place to camp nearby, see our guide to the best Kananaskis camping.

Chester Lake is a dog-friendly hike in Kananaskis. Dogs must be on-leash at all times.

What to Bring for Hiking Chester Lake

As the Chester Lake Trail is a moderate Kananaskis hike, you need to be properly prepared for a day of safe hiking in the mountains. Before hitting the trail, please take the time to review our recommended hiking gear for Kananaskis Country.

Chester Lake in Winter

Chester Lake is a popular winter activity in Kananaskis. There are separate trails for people on snowshoes or on cross-country skis, so please follow the signs for your activity.

If you are visiting Chester Lake in winter, consider bringing traction devices, such as ice cleats, for your winter boots. Because Chester Lake is popular in winter, the trail is often packed down. Depending on conditions, ice cleats may be more useful than snowshoes. When on popular winter Kananaskis snowshoe trails, I often find hiking with ice cleats on preferable to using snowshoes.

Chester Lake is one of our all-time favourite hiking trails in Kananaskis Country. We hope that it is one of the highlights of your visit!