Ericka Liam
Best Dog Friendly Hikes Kananaskis – One of the best experiences you can have in the mountains is hiking with animals. It’s important to think ahead so that your memories are of spectacular views instead of your next visit to the vet.
Taking your dog to a new place may not be a big deal for you, but it can be a big deal for him. Start with shorter car journeys and shorter walks closer to home. Improve their fitness (and yours) by participating in longer and longer adventures.
Best Dog Friendly Hikes Kananaskis
One of the best ways to keep them safe is to make sure your dog receives basic obedience and etiquette training.
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Getting your dog ready to travel can take a lot of work at first, but eventually he’ll be trained and ready to follow your guide – it’ll be worth it!
Consider distance, elevation, and weather when choosing the right trails for your dog’s skill level! Don’t forget to bring water and snacks for your dog as he will be working hard too. It’s good to know if the path has shade to cool down or scratches (small, sharp stones) that can injure your puppy’s paws.
Dogs are allowed on the trails as long as they are on a leash (2 m or shorter). This is important not only because you can get fines, but also to protect nature and yourself from wild animals. Off-leash dogs can disturb wildlife such as sage grouse or disturb larger animals such as bears, coyotes, elk and deer. Each of them can then chase your dog back to you! This was not the kind of fetch you expected!
Always carry bear spray and keep it readily available. It would be a good idea to think about or even practice how to spray the bear while holding Fido’s leash!
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Here’s a reminder on how to use bear spray, which you can buy or rent from Trail Sports and many other businesses in the area.
Check for trail closures and avoid these areas. The bear report tells you where to avoid, what bears can eat at different times of the year, and when it’s best to give other animals more distance (eg elk during calving or rut!).
Practice excellent trail etiquette when hiking with your dog. This means that you have to keep an eye on your puppy at all times, especially when passing other pedestrians and dogs. We know it’s weird, but not everyone likes being approached by dogs!
Get off the road and give way to people, bikes and horses. There are many dog lovers in the Canmore area, but unfortunately not all dogs are adorable. Get into the habit of asking other pet owners if their dog is okay. Consider purchasing a harness that may be more comfortable for your pet on longer days.
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Remember – there’s no such thing as a dog poo fairy! Always carry it with you and throw it in the trash. There’s no point in putting it in your bag and leaving it on the side of the road because you’ll forget about it on the way back! Consider bringing an odor-resistant bag or container to make it easier.
When you return to your car or home, check your dog for ticks. These vile bloodsuckers are bad news, and although they are rare here, they can carry disease.
Give your dog a little treat – remove dirt and mud from his paws before he sits on the mat, and if he’s still damp after a bath after a walk, grab a dog towel and dry him off.
We always love to see well behaved puppies on the trails in Canmore and Kananaskis. Share your photos with us and encourage others to do the same by tagging us or using # Dogs love exploring trees and smelling new scents, making outdoor adventures together fun. When you see your dog wagging its tail as it trots down the trail, dopamine levels immediately rise. But there are days when you start getting ready and it breaks your heart to see their eyes droop and their tails drop because they magically sense you’re going on an adventure without them. It hurts to leave them at home!
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Fortunately, in most of Alberta, your furry friends can join you on hikes and backpacking trips, but some areas prohibit dogs for wildlife control and general safety. You are traveling in bear country.
This guide covers some of the best dog-friendly trails in Alberta, as well as factors to consider before heading to the mountains. For example, some hikes may allow your dog, but the conditions may not be the safest.
When searching for the best dog hikes in Alberta, you’ll find that most trails allow your pups to join you. The best way to approach this article may be to check which trails are dog-free. As a dog owner, I’ve googled it many times. Last summer, I quickly learned that three hikes I planned to do in Jasper National Park were dog-free, prompting me to trade those three for a combination of other trails (although they are all beautiful). So let’s start with Jasper National Park.
Jasper National Park doesn’t allow dogs on some hikes because they want to keep them out of endangered reindeer territories—and for good reason. Unfortunately, that means one of Alberta’s greatest hikes will be checked off your bucket list: Cavell Meadows. The other two hikes are the Bald Hills Hike and the Opal Hills Hike. We apologize for referencing these hikes in the article… because we know they can’t…
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But! Yes, there is, but you’ll be able to explore more breathtaking views and sail around pale blue lakes with your pooch. Some hikes I’ve enjoyed with my dog in Jasper include:
So there are some great lookouts and stops along the Icefields Parkway to take your dog – we hiked Bow Glacier Falls and Peyto Lake, among others.
Although dogs are allowed on some routes, they may not provide the safest conditions. So consider the route for chains, steep climbing sections and gurgling streams when looking through the guides. Of course, you can bring small dogs in your backpack when you have to navigate ropes, chains and streams, but we recommend that you pay attention to the above factors.
A few tours allow dogs, but they may not be the best option for them. Since I have a dog, I unfortunately avoid two hikes: Tent Ridge Horseshoe and Canyon Creek Ice Caves Hike. You can try, but it may not be the best experience for you and your pup. And we all want our puppies to be happy, right?
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Now for the best part of the article: a list of great hikes to explore with your dog! I walked the following trails with my pup. Please note that this is only an overview of non-technical routes worth trying:
Again, many hikes allow and provide a safe environment for your dog, but this can be a good starting point if you are a new dog owner looking to immerse yourself in Alberta’s unruly wilderness.
Do you want to expand your hiking adventures with multi-day trips with your dog? You are in the right place! We recommend starting with one or two overnight hikes and then moving on to longer hikes. Just think of all the dog food you’ll have to carry around!
The following hiking trails allow dogs, but check before you go to see if any rules or regulations have changed due to wildlife sightings or other factors.
Hiking With Dogs
The puppy boom related to the Covid-19 pandemic has led to more and more owners taking their dogs for walks. However, some owners have neglected to follow general trail protocol when it comes to walking designated trails on a leash.
We have to remember that there are children, people and dogs who can be afraid of your dog, even if in your eyes it is the most cuddly dog in the world. Plus, it’s never fun or fair when a dog on a leash meets an off-leash dog. This is usually accompanied by furious growling and barking!
Your off-leash dog will not only annoy other dogs (or dog lovers on the trail), but may damage off-trail vegetation or attract wildlife to the area. Keep your dog on a leash or go to an off-leash dog park so your pup can run free.
We hope this article on the best dog trails in Alberta will be a springboard for great adventures with you and your furry friend!
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