Penstock Loop

Posted April 3rd, 2007 by Chris

Distance:

4.9 km

Difficulty:

Easy

Elev. gain:

32 meters

Time required:

1 - 3 hours

Bikes permitted:

Dogs permitted:

Yes

Download GPX

Directions to trail head

Drive west of Calgary on Highway #1 approximately 60 kilometers. Turn south on highway #40 and drive 50 kilometers. At the intersection of highway #40 and Kananaskis Lakes Trail turn right (west) onto Kananaskis Lakes Trail and drive to the Canyon Day Use Area which is approximately 5 kilometers into Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. The trail head is near and the trail passes behind the washrooms.

Hike Description

This would be a great snowshoe loop for a beginner. The hike starts near the north-east corner of the parking lot, to the west of the washrooms. The trail heads north-east behind the washrooms and parallels the road to the Canyon Day Use Area. After a couple of hundred meters there is a wooden boardwalk that allows you to cross the dam spillway. After crossing the boardwalk you traverse across the ridge to waypoint #002. This is the start and end of the loop. The final section of the loop follows near the shoreline of Lower Kananaskis Lake and offers nice views of the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, on the day I last did this hike the weather was horrible and all I can offer is a picture of the Kent Creek near waypoint #004 and the trail near Lower Kananaskis Lake.

If someone has some better pictures please email them to me. For a great aerial view click on the Alberta Government Tourism site.

The GPS track for this hike can be downloaded via the file attached to this post. Go to the "About" page for directions prior to download or use of this data. Please submit your feedback and let me know your thoughts on the hike. If you have the the GPS data for other hikes in Alberta please send it along with a couple pictures to chris[at]hikealberta[dot]com.