12 Easy Kananaskis Snowshoe Trails for Beginners

If you’re looking for easy Kananaskis snowshoe trails, there are plenty of great options for beginners, families and anyone who wants an easy winter outing without giving up the mountain scenery. Snowshoeing in Kananaskis is one of our favourite ways to get outside in winter, especially when the trails are quiet and the trees are covered in fresh snow.

As Canmore locals, we’ve snowshoed many of these trails more than once, both on our own and with our kids. Some are short and flat, while others give you a little more distance or climbing, but all of the Kananaskis snowshoe trails in this list are approachable enough for most people who are comfortable spending a few hours outside in winter.

In this guide, we’re sharing 12 of our favourite Kananaskis snowshoe trails, along with what we like about each one, who they are best for and what to expect on the trail. If you’re new to snowshoeing, don’t worry. Many of these routes are simple, scenic and a great place to start.

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12 Easy Kananaskis Snowshoe Trails

Kananaskis Country is one of our favourite places to go snowshoeing in the Canadian Rockies. There are plenty of easy routes with great mountain scenery, and you can often enjoy a quieter experience than you’ll find on the busier trails closer to Banff.

It’s also an easy day trip from Banff, Canmore or Calgary, and snowshoe rentals are available in all three. If you’re looking for the best things to do in Canmore in winter, snowshoeing in Kananaskis is a great option.

Below are 12 of our favourite easy Kananaskis snowshoe trails, including short beginner-friendly routes, family-friendly options and a few longer trails with a bit more effort.

1. Hogarth Lakes Snowshoe Trail

Hogarth Lakes Snowshoe Loop is a near-perfect Kananaskis snowshoe trail for beginners. Hogarth Lakes is a 3.9 km loop over flat terrain around and over a series of frozen lakes.

Take the opportunity to play in the deeper snow along the trail to have some fun and test out your snowshoes. One important caution is to make sure the lakes are completely frozen. Nobody wants to end a snowshoe with a cold, wet foot after breaking through thin ice.

Want more details? Read our complete guide to the Hogarth Lakes Snowshoe Loop for the trail map, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

2. Troll Falls Snowshoe Trail

The Troll Falls Trail is popular all year round for hiking and snowshoeing. In fact, this Kananaskis winter hiking trail is so popular that unless you are there shortly after a snowfall, you might find Microspikes to be a better option than wearing snowshoes. It’s important you know about your winter traction options before hitting the snowy or icy winter trails

The Troll Falls snowshoeing trail is one of the most popular Kananaskis snowshoe trails for good reason. It’s a very kid-friendly, short & easy 1.7 km (one way) trail through a beautiful wintery forest to the base of a frozen waterfall.

The Troll Falls snowshoe trail is nice and wide with very little elevation gain for most of the way, making it ideal for a family snowshoe outing or a winter activity for a group of friends.

Want more details? Read our complete guide to the Troll Falls Trail for the trail map, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

3. Penstock Loop Snowshoe Trail

The Penstock Loop is one of our all-time favourite easy Kananaskis snowshoe trails, and we’ve been coming back to it for years. What we like most is the variety. For such an easy trail, you get a little bit of everything: forest, open mountain views, Lower Kananaskis Lake and some surprisingly interesting hydroelectric features along the way.

The Penstock Loop snowshoe trail starts with a short walk to a bridge over the Lower Kananaskis Lake spillway. If the spillway is running, the water can shoot dramatically into the air below, which makes for a pretty memorable start to the snowshoe.

From there, much of the loop winds through the forest, with a few short hills and open sections along the way. One of our favourite parts comes later when the trail follows an elevated berm and wooden aqueduct, with excellent views back toward the surrounding mountains. The final stretch along Lower Kananaskis Lake is another highlight and gives you some of the best scenery on the loop.

It’s a great choice if you want an easy snowshoe that still feels varied and interesting from start to finish. Just be aware that the route crosses the Smith-Dorrien, so watch carefully for traffic before crossing.

Want more details? Read our complete guide to the Penstock Loop snowshoe trail for the trail map, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

4. Sawmill Loop Snowshoe Trail

The Sawmill Snowshoe Loop is one of our favourite Kananaskis snowshoe trails when we want something a little more challenging without committing to a long day. It’s one of the harder trails on this list, but the 5.1 km distance keeps it manageable for most people with a reasonable level of fitness.

The trail starts in the forest and climbs steadily, gaining about 155 m of elevation. The uphill effort is well worth it for the views across the valley and surrounding mountains, and the changing scenery makes this loop feel more interesting than a simple forest walk.

Once you reach the high point, the return is one of the reasons we enjoy this trail so much. Much of the second half is downhill, making for a fun and easy finish back toward the parking lot. If you’re ready to move beyond the flattest beginner trails, Sawmill is a great option.

Want more details? Read our complete guide to the Sawmill Snowshoe Loop Trail for the trail map, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

5. Wintour Snowshoe Trail

Snowshoeing down a road doesn’t always give you that sense of being in nature, but you’ll get some amazing winter mountain views along this unique Kananaskis snowshoe trail. Highway 40 closes for the winter every year on December 1 from Kananaskis Lakes Trail to Hwy 541, turning it into a fun opportunity to go snowshoeing.

The Wintour snowshoeing trail starts at the Highway #40 Winter Gate and continues for 5.1 km, but you can keep snowshoeing as long as you want then turn back. Snowshoeing on a snow-covered highway provides lots of space to spread out, making it a great Kananaskis snowshoeing trail for a group outing or for parents pulling a chariot.

Note: This is the only Kananaskis snowshoe trail on this list without a toilet at the trailhead. If you the facilities before you start the Wintour snowshoeing trail, you can stop at the Galatea trailhead, just 10 minutes north on Highway 40.

Need a trail map? See the Wintour snowshoeing trail on the Alberta Parks website for the route map, trailhead location and directions.

6. Lower Kananaskis Lake Snowshoe Trail

The Lower Kananaskis Lake snowshoe trail is a scenic 3.9 km one-way trail that follows the shoreline of Lower Kananaskis Lake. This Kananaskis snowshoe trail is nice and easy due to its moderate length and flat elevation profile. The trail combines a peaceful forest walk with wide-open mountain views across Lower Kananaskis Lake.

If you are looking for a slightly longer Kananaskis snowshoe, the Lower Lake snowshoe trail will connect up with the 1.8 km Marsh Loop snowshoe trail.

Want more details? Read our complete guide to the Lower Kananaskis Lake snowshoe trail for the trail map, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

7. Elkwood Loop Snowshoe Trail

Another great Kananaskis snowshoe trail for beginners is the Elkwood Loop snowshoe trail. This trail takes you through a forested area, past Elkwood Campground and Marl Lake, with plenty of places to enjoy the views and play in the deep snow.

This easy Kananaskis snowshoeing trail leaves from the Elkwood Campground parking lot. This trail can be done from the William Watson Lodge, which will add an additional 0.7 km to the 3.4 km loop.

There are lots of cross-country ski trails in Elkwood so please be careful not to step on them. Just follow the trail map and signs to the snowshoe trail.

Need a trail map? See the Elkwood Loop Snowshoe Trail on AllTrails for the route map, trailhead location and directions.

8. Canyon Snowshoe Trail

The Canyon snowshoe trail is the third easy Kananaskis snowshoe trail which starts from the Canyon Day use area (the other two are the Penstock Loop snowshoe trail and the Lower Lake snowshoe trail).

The Canyon Trail is a kid-friendly snowshoe trail which runs for 2 km (one-way) from the Canyon Day Use area to the Peter Lougheed Park Discovery & Information Centre.

Along the way, this easy Kananaskis snowshoe trail alternates between forest trails and the wide open winter roads of the Canyon Campground. The Canyon Snowshoe Trail is a great place to find solitude in the winter in Kananaskis; chances are you won’t see any other people snowshoeing this beautiful trail.

Need a trail map? See the Canyon Snowshoe Trail on AllTrails for the route map, trailhead location and directions.

9. Watridge Lake Snowshoe Trail

The Watridge Lake Trail to the Karst Spring Trail is one of our favourite Kananaskis hikes in the summer. Thankfully, the fun continues after the snow starts to fly as Watridge Lake becomes a very popular multi-sport winter trail.

Watridge Lake is a shared winter trail used by cross-country skiers, winter hikers, snowshoers and other permitted winter users. Stay off the groomed ski tracks. The Watridge Lake Trail is groomed in the winter, so you may not need snowshoes to manage the deep snow, but you’ll appreciate the traction they will give you on the hills.

If you snowshoe Watridge Lake Trail, we highly recommend continuing on to do the short, but steep Karst Spring Trail. In spring/summer Karst Spring is an incredible cascading waterfall and, as you might imagine, it’s very scenic in the wintertime. The water flow is lower, but this is offset by beautiful ice and snow formations along the waterfall.

Want more details? Read our complete guides to the Watridge Lake Trail and the Karst Spring Trail for the trail maps, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

10. Shark Lake Snowshoe Trail

We always like finding new Kananaskis snowshoe trails and we started the new year by snowshoeing to Shark Lake. This was a brand new snowshoe trail in Kananaskis to us, though we’ve done plenty of other activities in the area. Just up the road from Mount Engadine Lodge, an unmarked parking lot is where you’ll start the snowshoe to Shark Lake.

While some might consider the 8 km Shark Lake snowshoe trail a moderate snowshoe, we would still rank it as an easy snowshoe trail given how flat it is. There are a few small hills, but they are short and relatively easy. Our kids managed this snowshoe quite easily, though thankfully we weren’t the first ones out breaking this snowy trail.

Along the Shark Lake snowshoe trail, you’ll have some mountain views behind you and you’ll also catch some glimpses of the Spray Lakes. The trail meanders along the base of Tent Ridge with snow covered trees on both sides.

Towards the end of the trail, you’ll find yourself descending into a more dense forest as you near the lake. Eventually the trees open up to reveal Shark Lake resting at the base of Mt. Shark.

The Shark Lake snowshoe trail is easy to follow, but if you find yourself breaking trail, look for the trail markers periodically tied to the trees.

Want more details? Read our complete guide to the Shark Lake snowshoe trail for the trail map, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

11. Torpor Snowshoe Trail

As we continue discovering easy snowshoeing in Kananaskis, our second new snowshoe trail of the year was the Torpor snowshoe trail. This is a marked snowshoe trail in the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, which is a shared fat biking trail in Kananaskis.

The Torpor loop snowshoe trail can be accessed from three different parking lots: Elk Pass, Boulton Creek Campground or the Boulton Bridge parking lots. The best way to find this easy Kananaskis snowshoe trail is from the Boulton Bridge parking lot. The Torpor trailhead is directly to the right of the toilets.

The 6 km Torpor snowshoe trail starts with a short uphill climb followed by a short section in the trees and then following a powerline. You’ll get mountain views both behind and in front of you the entire way (if the skies are clear). The Torpor snowshoe trail follows the powerline to the Elk Pass parking lot where it veers to the right back into the trees and across the access road to the parking lot.

From there, the route follows a narrow trail through the trees before joining the High Rockies winter trail through the Lower Lake Campground, past the Boulton Bridge Trading Post (closed for winter) and back to the Boulton Bridge parking lot.

Be cautious doing the Torpor Loop Trail with kids, as it crosses the Kananaskis Lakes Trail on two separate occasions in addition to the Elk Pass parking lot access road.

Want more details? Read our complete guide to the Torpor snowshoe trail for the trail map, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

12. Frozen Toad Loop Snowshoe Trail

The Frozen Toad Loop snowshoe had been on our list of Kananaskis snowshoe trails to try for some time and we finally made it out in late January. Snowshoeing the Frozen Toad Loop is relatively easy, especially when the trail is packed down. We’d consider this an easy snowshoe trail in Kananaskis, but its 8.1 km distance pushes it slightly toward moderate.

Despite the distance, the trail is flat almost the entire way. Starting at the Boulton Creek Campground parking lot, the trail begins with a short uphill section. From there it’s flat through the wetlands between the Boulton Creek and Elkwood campgrounds.

The real draw of this trail is the stunning mountain scenery you get as you walk along the shores of Marl Lake. This is the perfect place to stop for lunch.

After returning into the forest, there’s a small section that descends to another open, flat area to finish off the second half of this snowshoe loop.

For extra distance the Elkwood Loop can be done as an add on to the Frozen Toad Loop.

Want more details? Read our complete guide to the Frozen Toad Loop Trail for the trail map, directions, parking information and everything you need to plan your snowshoe.

Snowshoeing in Kananaskis: What to Know Before You Go

If you’re new to snowshoeing, don’t be intimidated. Modern snowshoes are lightweight, easy to use and have metal teeth underneath to give you extra traction on snow and hills. You’ll still sink into deep snow, but nowhere near as much as you would without them. If you really want to appreciate how much they help, take them off for a few steps in deep snow!

Most of the easy Kananaskis snowshoe trails on this list are popular enough that you’ll often be following a packed trail. Fresh snow can change things quickly, though, and breaking trail through deep snow takes considerably more effort.

Check Trail and Weather Conditions Before You Go

Mountain conditions can change quickly in winter, so always check the weather forecast before leaving and be prepared to turn around if conditions deteriorate. Blowing snow can significantly reduce visibility, and daylight disappears surprisingly early once the sun drops behind the mountains.

Before heading out, check the Kananaskis snowshoe trail report for current conditions, cautions and closures. If you need additional information, you can also stop at the Kananaskis Visitor Information Centre along Highway 40.

We recommend starting your snowshoe earlier in the day than you might during summer. Winter days are short, and it can get dark much sooner than expected in the mountains.

Be Aware of Wildlife and Avalanche Risk

Know the risks before heading onto any winter trail, including how to stay safe around wildlife and whether avalanche hazards could affect your route.

Even when you’re travelling on relatively flat terrain, it’s important to understand the terrain around and above you. Avalanche Canada has an excellent introduction to avalanche basics if you’re new to winter travel in the mountains.

Follow Winter Trail Etiquette

Many winter trails in Kananaskis are shared by snowshoers, winter hikers, cross-country skiers and fat bikers. Stay off dedicated groomed cross-country ski trails, and on shared-use trails, avoid walking or snowshoeing on the groomed ski tracks.

Dogs should be kept on leash and away from cross-country ski tracks.

Dress for Winter Conditions

Dress in layers so you can adjust as you warm up or cool down. Snowshoeing can be surprisingly physical, especially in deep snow, so adding and removing layers will help keep you from getting too sweaty. Keeping your feet warm and dry is especially important.

For more advice on staying comfortable outside in winter, see our guide to Banff winter essentials.

Snowshoes vs. Microspikes

You may not always need snowshoes. On popular trails that have been packed down, microspikes can sometimes be the better choice. When we aren’t sure what trail conditions will be like, we often bring both and decide when we get there.

If you’re unsure which one you need, our guide to the best winter traction devices explains when we use snowshoes, microspikes and other traction options.

Don’t Forget Your Kananaskis Conservation Pass

A Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required for vehicles parked at the trailheads in Kananaskis Country. We recommend purchasing your pass before leaving Canmore, Banff or Calgary, since cell service can be limited in parts of Kananaskis.

Most importantly, have fun. Snowshoeing in Kananaskis is one of our favourite ways to enjoy winter in the Canadian Rockies, and these easy trails are a great place to start.

Where to Rent Snowshoes in Kananaskis

If you are visiting Kananaskis, it’s easiest to rent your snowshoes the evening before you plan to head out. With snowshoes in hand you can leave at your leisure in the morning without having to take time to visit the snowshoe rental shop first.

If you live near Kananaskis, we recommend renting snowshoes for your first time snowshoeing Once you are convinced that it’s something you’ll be doing more often, then pick up your own pair of snowshoes!

Here are some rental shops which carry snowshoes in Calgary, Canmore and Banff.

More Challenging Kananaskis Snowshoe Trails

Once you’re comfortable on the easier trails above, there are some excellent Kananaskis snowshoe trails that offer more distance, climbing and a bigger workout. These are better suited to snowshoers who are comfortable spending several hours outside in winter conditions.

Chester Lake Snowshoe Trail

The Chester Lake snowshoe trail is one of our favourite options when we want a longer outing with a great payoff. The first part of the trail involves a steady climb through the forest, but you’re rewarded with Chester Lake, wide-open mountain scenery and plenty of deep snow higher up.

We’ve done Chester Lake with our kids and other family members over the years, but the climb makes it noticeably more challenging than the easy Kananaskis snowshoe trails in this guide.

Rawson Lake Snowshoe

Rawson Lake in winter is another beautiful step up from the easier trails. The route begins along Upper Kananaskis Lake before climbing more steeply through the forest to Rawson Lake.

The climb can feel considerably harder in snow, but the frozen lake surrounded by mountains makes it well worth the effort. Depending on how packed the trail is, you may find snowshoes or microspikes useful, so we recommend being prepared for either.

Looking for an Even Bigger Snowshoe?

If you’re also spending time in Banff National Park, the Cascade Amphitheatre snowshoe is a much more challenging winter outing with significantly more distance and elevation gain. It’s best for experienced winter hikers who are prepared for a longer day in the mountains.