The hardest hikes in Waterton Lakes National Park, by the numbers
Of the 29 trails in Waterton Lakes National Park in our dataset, 11 (38 percent) rate strenuous or very strenuous on the gain-and-distance scale we use and run 3 to 30 miles with at least 1,500 ft of climb; all 11 are listed here, highest rating first.
GDT ewm leads with 5,327 ft of gain over 23.3 miles, 229 ft per mile, with a steepest pitch of 47 percent.
Across the 11, gain runs from 1,710 to 5,327 ft and distance from 3.9 miles to 23.3 miles; the median gain is 2,925 ft and the median distance 9.6 miles.
7 of the 11 are out-and-back routes; the rest are point-to-point (4).
| # | Trail | Miles | Gain (ft) | Ft per mile | Max grade | Elevation (ft) | Rating | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GDT ewm | 23.3 | 5,327 | 229 | 47% | 4,623 to 7,867 | 498.2 | |
| 2 | GDT ewr | 17.8 | 3,726 | 209 | 33% | 5,230 to 8,251 | 364.2 | |
| 3 | GDT ewv | 14.7 | 4,181 | 284 | 27% | 4,203 to 7,720 | 350.6 | |
| 4 | Great Divide Trail - Waterton Detour Alternate RouteSouthern AB | 19 | 2,508 | 132 | 25% | 4,198 to 6,445 | 308.7 | |
| 5 | Festubert Mountain Route | 9.6 | 4,880 | 508 | 75% | 5,167 to 8,159 | 306.1 | |
| 6 | Great Divide Trail - Mount Rowe / Sage Pass Alternate RouteSouthern AB | 9.6 | 2,925 | 305 | 43% | 6,857 to 8,196 | 237 | |
| 7 | Carthew - Alderson TraverseSouthern AB | 12 | 2,247 | 187 | 40% | 4,319 to 7,671 | 232.2 | |
| 8 | Sofa Mountain Route | 6.4 | 2,692 | 421 | 54% | 5,154 to 8,130 | 185.6 | |
| 9 | Goat LakeSouthern AB | 9.1 | 1,710 | 188 | 41% | 4,913 to 6,585 | 176.4 | |
| 10 | Crypt Lake TrailSouthern AB | 6.4 | 2,342 | 366 | 22% | 4,249 to 6,474 | 173.1 | |
| 11 | Vimy Peak Route | 3.9 | 3,268 | 838 | 36% | 4,229 to 7,526 | 159.7 |
How this list is ranked
Rating = the square root of 2 x elevation gain (ft) x distance (miles), the gain-and-distance formula Shenandoah National Park publishes for its own trails. Bands: under 50 easiest, 50 to 100 moderate, 100 to 150 moderately strenuous, 150 to 200 strenuous, 200 and over very strenuous.
This list: band strenuous (150 to 200) or very strenuous (200 and over), 3 to 30 miles, at least 1,500 ft of gain, ordered by rating desc, gain per mile desc, capped at 25. The rating column is computed from the miles and gain printed in the same row, the numbers each trail page uses, so every row can be checked from the row itself. The rating says nothing about exposure, scrambling, altitude or conditions.
Only trails with a full page count, so "Waterton Lakes National Park" here means the 29 trails in Waterton Lakes National Park in our dataset, not every trail in Waterton Lakes National Park.
Each trail page shows the full elevation profile behind these numbers and the same data drawn as a topographic print, made to order. Start with GDT ewm.
Hardest hikes elsewhere.
The same ranking for other parks in our dataset.