Rawson Lake Trail

To get to the Rawson Lake Trail, follow highway 40 south from the Trans Canada highway to Kananaskis Lakes Trail and turn right. Continue on this road 12.5 km to Upper Lake Day use Area and park in the south parking lot. Start on the Upper Kananaskis Lake circuit trail at the southwest corner on the parking lot.

What You Need to Know

This hike is 4 km with a 320m gain in elevation. Shortly into the hike (1 km) there is a wooden bridge crossing Sarrail Creek with a fast flowing waterfall on the left. This is a moderate hike on a well maintained trail. There are some steep switchbacks that will be easier if you and your dog are in reasonably good shape. Wet areas on the trail require walking on logs to prevent erosion. This is prime bear habitat so pay attention and keep your dog on leash. The lake sits in a fragile alpine environment with many wild flowers so please tread lightly. This is a very busy trail on weekends.

After crossing the bridge, the Rawson Lake trail will appear about 100 m on the left and is clearly marked. You will soon start climbing 1.5 km of moderate to steep switchbacks. At the end of the switchbacks, you will find a split log boardwalk through a boggy area. Please walk on the logs to minimize your impact on the environment. This is the edge of the Rawson Lake cirque and the lake is just ahead. When you see the lake, continue along the southeast shore to a sign marking the official end of the trail. If you see no signs of grizzly bears, you may want to continue along the well worn path through the scree to the meadows at the end of the lake. This is a very environmentally sensitive area so please keep your dog on leash and stay on the path. Wildflowers abound during the summer as well as snow patches.