Ptarmigan Cirque hike is one of the most scenic of the Kananaskis hiking trails. It’s an easy drive from Calgary, Canmore, or Banff. There are beautiful mountain views along Hwy 40 (aka Kananaskis Trail or Bighorn Hwy) to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Kananaskis Country is home to some of the best hikes in Alberta.
Every year from December 1 to June 14 Kananaskis Highway 40 is closed from Peter Lougheed Provincial Park to Hwy 541, so you want to hike Ptarmigan Cirque in late spring, summer, or fall.
A nice alternative in the winter time is snowshoeing at Chester Lake because it’s on the portion of Hwy 40 that does not close for winter.
Ptarmigan Cirque Hike Kananaskis
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Ptarmigan Cirque hike info
Location
Highwood Pass on Hwy 40 in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. On Google maps it is listed as Highwood Pass Day Use, Kananaskis AB Canada.
Hwy 40 annual closure
Every year from December 1 to June 14 Kananaskis Highway 40 is closed from Peter Lougheed Provincial Park to Hwy 541
Hike distance
4.5 km (2.8 miles) loop trail
Time required
Allow 90 minutes to 2 hours
Elevation gain
210 meters (700 ft)
Facilities
- Washrooms
- Garbage cans
- Paved parking area
Dogs allowed on trail?
Yes, but dogs must be on leash at all times
Before getting on the road check the trail reports for Ptarmigan trail and have a backup hiking plan.
Kananaskis Country is bear country, both grizzlies and black bears live in the Kananaskis area. Sometimes the trail will close when there is bear activity in the vicinity.
In 2018 this Kananaskis trail closed from June 25 to July 6 due to a grizzly bear and 3 cubs in the area. I hiked the Ptarmigan Cirque trail on June 19 with my sister.
We did not see any bears but we each carried bear spray on this hike in case we encountered a bear. Always be prepared, carry bear spray, and know how to use it. Watch this informative video.
READ now: 5 Easy hikes in Kananaskis – best hiking near Calgary
The trailhead sign by the parking lot reads Highwood Meadows to Ptarmigan Cirque. You’ll cross Kananaskis Highway 40 to get to the start of Ptarmigan Cirque trail.
What does Ptarmigan Cirque mean?
Ptarmigan: type of bird in the grouse family
Cirque: bowl carved out by glacial erosion
READ about glacier lakes in Banff, Lake Louise, and Yoho National Park here.
About Ptarmigan Cirque hiking trail
The first km or so (1/2 mile) of the Ptarmigan Cirque trail is a fairly steep incline, then it flattens out and the rest of the hike is easy.
There are stretches of the trail with rocks but very manageable with proper hiking footwear.
There is a large alpine meadow where you will be surrounded by beautiful mountain views in every direction.
Also a few small waterfalls along the trail and plenty of wildflowers in late June through July.
On our Tuesday morning hike we saw several other hikers along the trail including solo hikers. Since this trail is quite busy I would feel comfortable hiking alone at Ptarmigan Cirque.
It isn’t nearly as crowded as Johnston Canyon hike in Banff but you are likely to see other hikers along the trail. And marmots :)
Watch for marmots in the rocky portion of the trail near the top of the loop, between markers 8 and 9.
With several marmots darting around the rocks by the creek it’s easy to get pictures with a zoom lens.
There are 12 trail markers and you can download a pdf with the info for each point on the interpretative trail at Alberta Parks website here.
How to get to Ptarmigan Cirque hiking trail
From Calgary (downtown)
Follow 6th Avenue west to Bow Trail SW and continue on Bow Trail SW to Sarcee Trail SW, at the roundabout take the 2nd exit to stay on Sarcee Trail SW, in approximately 450 meters (.3 miles) turn left to take Trans-Canada Hwy 1 West.
Continue for 62 km (39 miles) and take exit 118 for Kananaskis Country and then turn left onto Hwy 40 South and continue for 67 km (42 miles).
Watch for the Ptarmigan Cirque/Highwood Meadows sign.
From Canmore
Take Trans-Canada Hwy East for 28 km (17 miles) to Hwy 40 South, turn right onto Hwy 40 S and continue for 67 km (42 miles), watching for the Ptarmigan Cirque/Highwood Meadows sign..
From Banff
Take Trans-Canada Hwy East for 48 km (30 miles) to Hwy 40 South and turn right on to Hwy 40 S. Continue for 67 km (42 miles), watch for the Ptarmigan Cirque/Highwood Meadows sign..
Tips for hiking Ptarmigan Cirque trail
- Be prepared for the higher elevation and understand that you may need to rest frequently if you are used to much lower elevation.
- Kananaskis is bear country. This means be prepared with bear spray and know how to use it.
- Weather changes rapidly in the mountains. Bring rain gear, wear layers, and bring warm clothing.
- Parking is limited. The lot fills up during busy summer months. There is additional parking along Kananaskis Highway 40, before you get to the Ptarmigan Cirque parking lot.
- Watch out for big horn sheep and mountain goats on Highway 40.
Enjoy incredible views with little hiking effort at Ptarmigan Cirque interpretive trail in Kananaskis Country.
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What a gorgeous place. Love the snow covered peaks and lovely flowers.
Jo, thanks for checking this post. Yes Kananaskis is a gorgeous place to go hiking, breathtaking scenery for sure.
Thank you very much for all the information you posted, which helped in our decision to take this hike on a beautiful day on Aug. 20th. What a fantastic hike with breathtaking views make it a very rewarding hike. Saw a grizzly prior to arriving at the head trail and afterwards a brown bear by the side of the highway; so the bear spray is well recommended. Also saw chipmunks, pikas, heard the marmots but did not see any, two herds of Rocky Mountain sheep; ravens & other birds; lots of wildflowers and of course the various waterfalls. My friend and I really enjoyed our hike. Thanks for your post.
Aida, Wonderful! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment about your amazing hike – sounds like the perfect hiking day! Lucky you to see so much wildlife on one trip. I last hiked Ptarmigan Cirque at the end of July – saw lots of wildflowers and chipmunks on the trail and some mountain goats and mountain sheep on the way there. Hwy 40 is such a beautiful drive too. Happy hiking and enjoy the rest of summer! Cheers, Susan