Hiking the Stunning Ha Ling Peak near Canmore

One of the most popular and iconic hikes in the Canadian Rockies is the famous Ha Ling Peak, located in the mountains overlooking Canmore.

After seeing this peak over a dozen times, we finally decided to summit it with both our families this year – and it was amazing.

If you’re passing through Canmore, staying in town for a few days, or just looking for an awesome hike to do in the Rockies, this one totally lives up to its hype.

With a lot of incline, awesome views, and a peak that overlooks Canmore, Ha Ling is a must-do while you’re in the Canadian Rockies.

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Everything you need to know about Ha Ling Peak

Ha Ling is the most famous hike near Canmore because of the difficulty and views at the top. It’s one of those hikes that’s challenging but very doable.

Over the past few years, Alberta Parks has renovated the trail a bit and added some wooden staircases in sections that used to be quite steep, so the trail is in better shape than we’ve ever seen it!

It’s one of those hikes that’s on every Canadian Rockies must-do list, and the views from the top speak for themselves.

It’s a beautiful hike that takes you through an alpine forest up to a stunning viewpoint overlooking the town and surrounding mountain ranges.

Hiking Tip: Look up the trail on AllTrails before starting your hike 🗺️. You can find important trail information, such as recent wildlife sightings and trail closures. Check out the free version here or get a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+ here.

Here’s a picture of the beginning of Ha Ling Peak 

Starting the hike from the Ha Ling parking lot

The parking lot and trailhead are pretty easy to find. Over the years, Parks Canada has really improved this area to be able to handle more day hikers because it truly is one of the most popular hikes in the Canadian Rockies.

You’ll find the big parking lot just past Whiteman’s Pond, and from there you’ll cross the road straight into the trees where the zig zags begin.

Like Vision Quest out by Nordegg or Wasootch Ridge in Kananaskis, this hike starts in dense alpine trees where views are limited, but the trail is in awesome condition.

It’s the best feeling being between the trees with the fresh mountain air around you. We got lucky because even though it was mid-August when we did this hike, it was relatively quiet starting out.

If you can, we suggest you stay in Canmore (we stayed at this really nice condo) the night before, or just leave early enough to get to the trailhead by around 9:30 am. It should be pretty quiet to start out with. 

Through the trees to the first lookout

The Ha Ling trail has a pretty steady elevation hike. As you’re hiking through the trees, it’s pretty continuous elevation gain.

For the most part, the trail is very well maintained, and it’s your typical compact dirt trail with a few sections of rock slab where you have to hike on.

On the rock section, there are some rails to hold on to (as you can see in the image above), so it feels like a very safe hike.

Especially over the years, with Parks Canada doing maintenance on the trail, it is very hiker-friendly, and you can tell they’ve taken all the safety measures they could to make the trail newbie-friendly!

Like a lot of hikes here in the Rockies, the views start to come to life when you get out of the trees, but there is a nice lookout spot about halfway up the trail that’s worth stopping by.

It’s quite obvious because the trail opens up there, and you get an awesome view of EEOR (East End of Rundle).

For those who don’t know, that’s the mountain across which is another epic hike! And that one was actually Josie’s first hike here in Canada!

From the lookout to Ha Ling Ridge

From the first lookout to the Ha Ling Ridge, there’s still a bit of an incline to go.

This is the section that I’ve seen the most improvements on from when I (Dom) did the hike over 10 years ago. They’ve added a few wooden staircases to the sections that are quite steep, so it makes it a bit easier going up and down.

There are two big wooden staircases to make everything a bit easier. It also makes the trail very easy to follow, so it’s almost impossible to lose the trail.

Especially once the trees start to dwindle down and the ridge comes into sight. It seems far away, but you’ll get there quicker than you think. Next thing you know, you’ll be sitting up at the ridge overlooking Canmore and all the beautiful mountains around you.

PS: It does get quite windy at the ridge and up to the peak, so make sure to pack some extra layers to protect you from the wind up there.

This last stretch up to the famous peak is tough but also very short. From Ha Ling Ridge up to Ha Ling Peak is around 15 minutes.

The trails are pretty obvious until the last 100 meters, where you can see a bunch of random trails that have been made over the years by people finding their own way up to the peak.

The peak, in my opinion, offers the best view of the whole area. You’re on top of one of the coolest mountains above Canmore with views for as far as the eye can see.

On a clear sunny day, the views are incredible, and it’s definitely a good spot to snap a few pictures and take in the awesome hike you just did.

There is quite a bit of room at the top, so it doesn’t feel that crowded, and you’ll have a spot to yourself to enjoy the view and take in the beautiful Canadian Rockies. Bucketlist hike in Kananaskis for sure!

Back down from Ha Ling Peak

The nice thing about Ha Ling Peak is that once you get down about 1 kilometre from the ridge, the trail is quite easy to follow with nice terrain and a good gradient, so you can get down much faster.

Of course, everyone hikes at different speeds, etc., but we did get down in about half the time it took us to get up to the top. You can really cruise down the section through the trees as the trail is incredibly nice.

We got lucky, and there weren’t too many people coming up to the peak as we were coming down, so we had most of the trail to ourselves.

Do remember, though, that there is the first lookout point about halfway down from the peak. If you missed it on your way up, it’s not a bad spot to stop on your way down, as the view from the lookout spot is awesome.

Next thing you know, you’ll be back at the trailhead and your car will be in sight. It’ll be time to take off the hiking shoes, get in something comfy, and make your way to a coffee shop (at least that’s what we did!).

What to bring on the Ha Ling Peak hike

It is a decent-sized hike, so it’s good to come prepared. Also, one of the highlights of hiking is to be able to enjoy some snacks along the way and at the peak! 

The nice thing is, you don’t need to plan that far in advance since Canmore is right there, and you can easily grab all the things you need beforehand and even the morning before the hike.

You can see the weather for Canmore here and for Ha Ling Peak here, which gives you an idea of how different the weather can be simply because of the elevation difference.

The summer months can get a bit hot, so come prepared! Bring water, sunscreen, a hat, and any other essentials you may need to protect yourself from the heat.

One thing to remember is that the weather in the mountains can change quickly, and it’s always good to be a little overprepared rather than underprepared. 

Wear hiking shoes

We always recommend wearing hiking shoes or trail shoes on almost every outdoor adventure we do.

This trail is well-maintained and definitely worn in by other hikers, so running or trail shoes should be completely fine. We still wore our hiking boots, though, and suggest wearing them if you already have yours packed.

If you don’t have any hiking shoes, Jo’s had a pair of Newton Ridge hiking shoes from Columbia for a few years now and loves them! We can highly recommend them!

Leave no trace

When you go hiking (and do other outdoor adventure activities), always remember to follow the 7 principles of leaving no trace.

This means:

1. Plan ahead and prepare.
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
3. Dispose of waste properly.
4. Leave what you find.
5. Minimize campfire impacts.
6. Respect wildlife.
7. Be considerate of others.

When is the best time to hike Ha Ling Peak?

Personally, we’d hike Ha Ling Peak in the morning to beat the crowds! Lots of people start this hike around lunch and into the afternoon, so if you go early in the morning and try to start the hike around 8 am or 9 am, you’ll get a nice head start and see most of the people on your way down from the peak.

Since it’s so close to Canmore, it’s one of those hikes that’s busy most of the hiking season. Which is a good and bad thing because it means you won’t be alone on the trail, but also means that at times it can be very busy!

We personally like it when trails are a little less busy and try and avoid the peak times, so we’d recommend going early in the morning and maybe during the week if you’re able to.

👩🏼‍⚕️ Is your trip insured?
SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance covers hiking and mountaineering up to 4500 meters 🏔️

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Final thoughts on hiking Ha Ling Peak near Canmore

We usually spend more time hiking in Kananaskis or near Canmore, but there’s so much beauty along the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper.

Glacier Lake was incredibly cool since you not only get to hike to a massive glacier lake, but you also get to see the actual glacier in the distance! It’s nice to sometimes do a hike that doesn’t have crazy elevation, and on this one to Glacier Lake, you travel more into the mountains rather than up the mountains.

If you have questions about the hike or other hikes around Canmore or Kananaskis, then DM us on Instagram @redwhiteadventures.

You can also leave a comment down below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can! We’re always up for a chat and love sharing hikes and things to do in the Canadian Rockies.

Have an amazing time exploring Canmore and the rest of this beautiful mountain-filled part of Alberta!

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