Where Lake Minnewanka ends and Ghost River begins you will find the 2500m high Black Rock Mountain right on the edge of the Canadian Rockies. This exhausting day hike is located just west of Cochrane but is quite a remote day hike in Alberta.

Just to get to the trailhead you will have to drive down a 16km dirt road covered in potholes and right when you think it’s done you’ll have to go through two river crossings either by vehicle or by 4×4 preferably. These two factors together and you can see why Black Rock Mountain is quite a remote day hike in Alberta. Trust us, the struggle is absolutely worth it once you’re there and it’s a wonderful place to spend a few days!

Sitting right on the edge of the Rockies you actually end up getting views of Lake Minnewanka and the beginning of the Rockies on the west side. And if you’re looking east you will see the grassy Alberta prairies. If you’re lucky enough you might even be able to see Calgary far on the horizon!
Black Rock Mountain is a remote day hike in Alberta
If you’re looking into doing a hike where you’ll basically have the trailhead to yourself then Black Rock Mountain will not disappoint! As we mentioned, it isn’t easy to get to and it can actually be quite difficult to find the trailhead if you don’t have a 4 wheel drive and if you’re not sure where to go.



Nevertheless, Black Rock Mountain is still doable even if you can only get to the campsite with your vehicle. It will just take some extra time as the trailhead is about 6-7km from the campsite.
The hike itself starts in the trees with a very moderate incline and quite a pleasant switchback trail. It’s shaded and you’ll be in the trees for the first half of the hike. From there it gets quite steep and turns into a scramble for a portion of it until you get into a big opening where you will walk for quite a while and enjoy the amazing views.

The last part of Black Rock Mountain is by far the trickiest… You’ll have a steep uphill scramble for about 15 minutes straight up. Right when you can see the hut at the top (oh yeah we forgot to mention there’s a freaking hut at the top!) you’ll have to walk up these rocks that look like a staircase with steep drops on both sides. They are probably about 2 meters wide but it will definitely get your heart racing if you’re not a fan of heights.

Once you’re past the staircase the hut will be right there and you will finally be able to relax and take in the views you worked hard for over the past few hours. Make sure to carve your name in the hut to show you actually did it! And in case you’re crazy enough to come back one day you can show people you’ve done it before by carving two lines next to it (This way: II) 🙂
If you want a longer challenging hike in the Kananaskis area, check out Wasootch Ridge and Grizzly Peak! And if you’re looking for hikes in the Nordegg area you might want to try out Vision Quest!

Practical information about Black Rock Mountain
Distance: 10.9 km return / 6.8 miles return
Elevation: 983 m / 3225 ft. elevation gain
Type: Out and back
Length: 4-6 hours return (from the trailhead)
Difficulty: Hard
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Here’s a map of the beginning of the trail
It’s not an easy hike to get to but the trail truly isn’t that difficult. Especially since half of it is switchbacks through the forest with a steady incline.
The only reasons we’d rate it hard is that you may have to walk from the campsite which will add about 12-14km of walking, two river crossings, and then the end because of the steep drops on either side of the staircase.
Other than that Black Rock Mountain is an amazing remote hike in Alberta you have to summit!

How to get there
From Calgary
You can get the directions here.
It is very straightforward and once you get to the gravel road you will drive on it for 16km until you get to the campsites. There you can basically park wherever you want unless you’re driving up to the trailhead.
The trip from Calgary takes approximately 1:45. It may be quicker if you have a 4 wheel drive.
From Edmonton
Here are the directions.
The trip takes approximately 4:00. Again, it may be a bit quicker than that.

Before you go
The first thing you should do before you go is to check if the trail is open and if there are any warnings on it. Especially since it’s not the easiest trail to get to so just to be safe, check out All Trails here to make sure the river crossings aren’t too high and that the gravel road is still drivable.

The cell phone coverage is also very spotty over there so definitely tell someone where you’re going, in case something happens. However, there is cell phone service at the summit!
If you have any other questions regarding the hike or hiking in the area, feel free to comment on the blog or email us.

What to bring
Since this hike is so remote you might want to bring a few extra things than you usually do. Some of it you can, of course, leave in the car.

So bring:
- Water and food are musts!
- Hiking poles can definitely be used on this hike.
- Sunscreen if it’s sunny out!
- Bear spray!! ALWAYS!
- Extra clothes. The weather changes quickly when you’re hiking. You don’t want to be stranded on a remote hike with no warm clothes when a storm roles in. In case you have to cross the river you also want something dry to put on when you come back.
- A music player (to keep bears and other wildlife away).
- A power bank if you’re walking all the way from the campsite or staying the night.

Other useful info
- There is a large camping area right next to the river! This is a great place to stay for a night or two. The location is BEAUTIFUL which is lucky since the drive is so long. It’s definitely worth spending a few days exploring the area!
- Try and go with someone who has a 4 wheel drive. The drive will be much more pleasant for everyone.
We hope you enjoy this hike as much as we did! Enjoy and stay safe out there!

If you liked this post, please share it on your Facebook and Pinterest – we’d really appreciate it!
Have fun!
Dom & Jo

Love it? Share it!


Wow! This hike is amazing! Such epic views. Looks like I am going to have to book another trip back to Alberta soon. 🙂
Hey Taylor,
You definitely will! Alberta’s Rockies are amazing! Do you plan to come and visit again!?
– Jo
I love hiking, this looks like such a lovely place to hike! Great advice.
Wow!!
The images are so breath taking, it was amazing to read this post.
And the images are just a perfect treat to your eyes. Thanks for sharing such content. Cheers!!!
We haven’t heard about this place yet, but it looks so wonderful and it would be really nice to visit! Canada is on our bucket list, and we hope to visit soon 🍁❤️
Hey Zsuzsanna,
It’s on everyones bucket list recently I feel like! It is a stunning country! I hope you guys can check it of the list one day! 🙂
– Dom
Omg wow! That landscape looks very impressive. I really wanna do a hike there too ☺️
Hey Lina,
Just fly into Calgary and you’re only about an hour away haha! 🙂
– Dom
Absolutely beautiful pictures of a gorgeous trip! Thanks for sharing
Hey Renee,
Thanks so much! We love Black Rock, right on the edge of the Rockies where the Alberta Prairies rise into these remarkable mountains!
-Dom
Looks like a great hike! I just saw the Canadian rockies for the first time, and they are sooo beautiful!
Hey Florid,
It’s safe to say I’m lucky to call that place home! That’s incredible..I hope you enjoyed it! 🙂
-Dom
I love hiking and this hike looks amazing! Thanks for sharing your journey with its!
Hey Holly,
Of course! I hope you get the chance to hike up Black Rock one day! 🙂
-Dom
That outlook building is pretty neat and the hike looks gorgeous.
Hey Luna,
Yeah it’s crazy how they got it up there! Assuming by helicopter..but who knows!
-Dom
What beautiful pictures. This must be an amazing experience. I would really love to breathe this all in, in person. It should be breathtaking.
Hey Crickette,
Yes it sure is an incredible feeling just being one with nature on a mountain all by yourself. It’s one of my favourite hikes we’ve done so far this year.
-Dom
This looks like such an amazing hike! The views from up there are spectacular! I wonder who built that hut on top of the mountain…
I was wondering the same thing. I personally think a helicopter or something brought it up there! But I could be wrong! :p
-Dom
Such a stunning view! It must have been absolutely breath taking!
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks so much! Black Rock is a fantastic hike even though it’s so remote!
-Dom
Wow! What an amazing place for doing hiking. Beautiful picture!! Enjoy guys!!
Hey,
Thanks so much! We love the Rockies! 🙂
Have you been before?
-Dom
OMG hikes in Black Rock Mountain belongs to my favorites!!!
Hey Mila,
It’s a great hike for sure! 🙂
-Dom
Oh hell yeah, I’m all about this. I’m actually based in Toronto, but I love the chance to head out west and do a little hiking like this – hiking which everybody else hasn’t quite done yet. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Chris,
Yeah Black Rock is a little remote! We’ve never actually been out that way to Toronto but would love to one day! Let us know if you find yourself in the Rockies and if we’re not travelling we’d love to meet up and go hiking!
-Jo
Alberta looks lovely – the air looks so fresh! There’s nothing I love more than a hike to blow away the cobwebs.
Hey Courtney,
Alberta is the place to do it! 🙂 There’s nothing like getting out into fresh air and enjoying a good hike! 🙂
-Dom