West Wind Pass Hike in Kananaskis

The West Wind Pass is one of our favourite short Kananaskis hikes. A highly enjoyable hike up the side of a river valley to a mountain pass, the West Wind Pass trail packs in a ton of scenery for the effort.

At the top of the West Wind Pass trail, you’ll be at a mountain pass below The Rimwall and Windtower mountains. Looking northeast, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of Wind Ridge (another of our favourite Kananaskis hikes), the Little Sister (Hope) from Canmore’s Three Sisters as well as Pigeon Peak. It’s an incredible viewpoint which requires less than 3km of hiking to get there.

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West Went Pass Hike Highlights

The initial hiking trail is a short access trail which lasts only a minute or two. Soon you’ll arrive at a T-intersection for the High Rockies trail (also a portion of the Great Trail – formerly known as the TransCanada Trail). Turn left onto the High Rockies Trail to get to the West Wind Trail.

After 200 m of hiking the High Rockies Trail, you’ll see a small handmade white sign nailed to a tree with “West Wind Pass” written on it. The West Wind trail begins here with a right-hand turn up the hill.

You’ll notice the incline of the single track West Wind Pass trail right away. With a few short exceptions, the West Wind Pass starts uphill and stays that way until the end of this short Kananaskis hike.

The West Wind Pass hike winds up one side a mountain river valley through a beautiful evergreen forest. There are many shrubs growing beneath the coniferous trees, including a large amount of buffaloberry bushes (a very important food source for bears in the late summer).

The trail surface is somewhat challenging along the West Wind Pass trail with plentiful rocks and roots to manage. We recommend proper hiking shoes for this hike due to the footing issues.

After 0.3 km of hiking along the West Wind Pass trail, you’ll get your first glimpse of the river valley below. This is the first of many valley views as you’ll be following it nearly the whole way up to the West Wind Pass.

At this first viewpoint you’ll get a good glimpse of where you are heading with The Rimwall on the left and Windtower towering overhead on the right. Look behind you for your first glimpse of the Spray Lakes Reservoir from above.

One of the reasons hikers enjoy the West Wind Pass hike so much is that you almost always have the forest on your left and an open view through the valley on the right. There are many breaks in the trees on the West Wind Pass trail which encourages a wide variety of wildflowers to grow, including Bluebells, paintbrushes, and plenty of other varieties.

At the 0.7 km mark of the West Wind Pass trail, the hike deviates from the mountain valley a bit and becomes forested on both sides. After a brief break, the strain becomes steep again.

One of the knocks on the West Wind Pass hike is that there are multiple trails to choose from and it’s often hard to know where to go. We recommend using AllTrails to follow along on your phone, but you can also (usually) rely on the help of fellow hikers.

The first example of this comes at the 0.8 km mark of the West Wind Pass where you come to a trail junction. Here, there are two hints on which way to go. The trail to the left has a fallen tree over it – when you see a fallen tree at a trail junction this often is a message to not go this way.

To the right, you’ll see an orange ribbon tied to a tree. If you follow the orange/pink ribbons all the way on the West Wind Pass trail, you likely won’t get lost. You’ll encounter another orange ribbon on the left after an additional 100 m of hiking.

The West Wind Pass trail gets steep again after 1.2 km of hiking. There’s some loose rocks here, making your footing a challenge. Try to use the tree roots on the trail as steps to help with your traction.

If you’d like some fun along the West Wind Pass trail, there’s an excellent echo spot at a clearing at the 1.4 km mark. The views of Windtower and Lougheed above the clearing are very impressive.

You’ll encounter a short field of slanted smooth rock slabs at the 1.5 km mark of the West Wind Pass trail. This section confuses a lot of hikers on the West Wind Pass as it seems wrong, but to remain on the main trail you’ll need to cross over these rocks. They don’t last long.

Shortly after the rocks, the West Wind Pass hike reenters the forest, with rocky slopes up the left-hand side. At this stage of this Kananaskis hike, we remarked at how amazing the West Wind Pass hike is, every single time we hike it. With a magical forest and amazing views, the West Wind Pass hike is just so beautiful the whole way up.

The West Wind Pass trail opens up again at the 1.9 km mark. You’ll notice how close the peak of Windtower is now that you are nearing the end of your hike. The hiking trail is a bit rugged at this stage with a few precarious steps over some rocks.

After 2 km of hiking you’ll reenter the forest for the final push to the top of West Wind Pass. There’s a large rock wall along the edge of the trail, some massive old growth trees and an explosion of mountain wildflowers. If you’re lucky, you’ll hear the sound of a woodpecker in the distance as we did.

The final portion of this leg is a bit tricky. It’s very steep and the trail is made of loose scree, making it quite slippery. Watch your step carefully here, especially on the way back down. Hiking poles will be a big help maintaining your balance here.

After a short slog through the steep scree section, you’ll emerge from the trees. You’ll be standing in a grassy, boulder-filled meadow in-between The Rimwall and Windtower – a truly amazing sight. If you look behind you, the views of the Spray Lakes Reservoir are equally impressive.

With all the uphill climbing out of the way, the final 200 m of the West Wind Pass trail is very enjoyable. As you walk along the hiking trail, you’ll see a junction for the hike to the summit of Windtower on your right. The summit is another 600 m above you, so only attempt this if you are skilled and prepared.

As you near the end of the hike, the views of the Bow Valley mountains start to take shape. The big grassy hill in front of you is Wind Ridge (another of our favorite challenging Kananaskis hikes), while the rocky peak jutting out behind it is the Little Sister “Hope” (from Canmore’s Three Sisters). Pigeon Peak completes the amazing mountain vista ahead on the right.

It’s almost always very windy at the top of West Wind Pass. With many landmarks around with ‘wind’ in the name, I guess this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Bring a light jacket in your daybag to put on at the top. You’ll want to spend some time enjoying the views you’ve earned, and a jacket will make it more enjoyable.

West Wind Pass Trailhead

West Wind Pass trail is found along the Smith Dorrien Highway (AB-742). It’s just under an hour to reach this Kananaskis hike from Banff and 1.75 hours to reach the trailhead from Calgary.

Once in Canmore, navigate to the Three Sisters Parkway (AB-742), which will turn into the Smith Dorrien Trail. It’s approximately 20 km on the Three Sisters Parkway from Quarry Lake to the pull-out on the side of the Smith Dorrien Trail where you can park for the West Wind Pass hike. Look for sign for Driftwood Day Use, it’s only another 2 km up the road where you’ll find a pull-out to park for this Kananaskis hike.

To find the West Wind Pass trailhead, stand with your back to the Spray Lakes Reservoir and walk across the Smith Dorrien Highway.

West Wind Pass Hike Stats

How Long is the West Wind Pass Hike?

The round-trip distance of the West Wind Pass trail is 5.4 km (one-way distance of 2.7 km) from the West Wind Pass trailhead to the pass.

That’s a short Kananaskis hike for the incredible views you get!

How Hard is the Hike to West Wind Pass?

Due to the length and incline, we rate the West Wind Pass hike as “easy”.

At only 5.4 km and 353 elevation gain, the West Wind Pass trail is an easy Kananaskis hike that most anyone can do.

It is a consistent climb on the way up, so if you are a beginner hiker or don’t hike frequently then this will probably feel much more like a moderate hike.

There are some sections of this hike that are steep. There are also some sections that are along the ridge. Just know that it’s not a very long distance and the views are well worth it!

How Long Does the West Wind Pass Hike Take?

It should take a typical adult 1-2 hours to hike to West Wind Pass. We did this hike with our two kids (8 and 6 years old) and it took us 3 hours including time for a break at the pass and stopping for pictures.

West Wind Pass Trail Map

The West Wind Pass trail is not the easiest trail to follow. There have been some ribbons added to the trees to help hikers navigate which weren’t there previously. On a weekend, this trail is popular enough that you’ll meet plenty of people on the trail to help you navigate but this isn’t a guarantee.

If you aren’t comfortable relying on your navigation skills, you can use the Alltrails app while hiking to West Wind Pass.

To find the West Wind Pass trail map in Alltrails, simply click here for the “West Wind Pass trail map”. Be sure to download your hiking maps prior to leaving as you will not have cell service on this Kananaskis hiking trail.

A recent App of the Year winner, AllTrails is also one of the best apps for visiting Banff! Enjoy map downloads and many more premium features with a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+!

Hiking West Wind Pass Trail with Kids

We’ve been hiking the West Wind Pass trail with kids for a couple of years. Our kids are now 8 and 6 years old, but the first time they hiked West Wind Pass they were 6 and 4 years old. This hike is more challenging for kids as it has some steep inclines that can be slippery on the way down. There are also some rocks and roots to navigate.

While it’s not as easy the popular kid-friendly Troll Falls Trail, it’s still is completely doable with kids. You should plan for some extra time and be prepared to help younger kids on the way back down.

Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break

The obvious place to stop for lunch is at the West Wind Pass. This is a viewpoint where you’ll want to spend some extra time.

We always recommend bringing a jacket up as the wind at the top makes it chilly any time of year.

If stopping at the viewpoint isn’t pleasant, there are picnic tables at the Driftwood Day Use just 2 km down the road from the parking area for West Wind Pass.

West Wind Pass Hiking Safety

There are a few hiking hazards along the West Wind Pass hiking trail. The trail can be slippery in spots on the way down. Take caution on the way down or use hiking poles to help with balance.

West Wind Pass doesn’t have an official trail report by Alberta Parks, but you can check the area advisories for wildlife warnings and possible closures before you head out.

West Wind Pass Trail Logistics

On-leash dogs are allowed on the West Wind Pass hike.

Mountain biking is not allowed on the West Wind Pass trail, though a portion of the West Wind Pass trail is a connector for the High Rockies Trail and you will find mountain bikes on that trail.

There are no toilets at West Wind Pass, stop at one of the day use areas along the Smith Dorrien Trail.

Plan to pack plenty of water and snacks for this hike. Fill your hydration packs before you leave.

You won’t get cell service for the entirety of your hike, so don’t count on it for your safety.

What to Bring for Hiking West Wind Pass Trail

The West Wind Pass trail is a short Kananaskis hike, but you should still bring along the basic hiking gear to ensure a safe and successful outing. Before you hit the West Wind hiking trail, be sure to review our list of recommended hiking gear for Kananaskis Country.

Looking for a shorter hike with incredible views? West Wind Pass is a clear winner!

Other Kananaskis Hikes