Outdoor Report: High Rockies Trail unofficially open to mountain bikers and hikers

The first half of the High Rockies Trail is now open in the heart of KananaskisCountry.

"You can be forgiven if you haven't heard of it yet because it isn't even officially open," said the CBC's Paul Karchut, who checked out the professionally built trail this week for his Outdoor Report.

The 80-kilometre trail, which wasdesignedfor avid hikers and mountainbikers, haseight phases,but only the first four are finished.

When complete, it will be the longest continuous trail anywhere in Kananaskis, starting from the Goat Creek parking lot just outside Canmore all the way to Elk Pass.

Paul Karchut rides picturesque High Rockies trail

8 years ago

Duration 1:47

Half of the 80-kilometre High Rockies Trail in Kananaskis, Alta. is now open to mountain bikers and hikers.

"This just adds a huge long section of epic mountain biking on top of what we have in the Canmore and Kananaskis area," said Jasper Johnson, who took Karchut for a ride along the first half of the trail.

• MORE NEWS |Alberta parents guilty in toddler's meningitis death probably won't serve time, legal expert says
• Cyclists to ride 1,000 kilometres with no tap or bottled water

Johnson said the trail is very approachable for people who are just getting into the sport of mountain biking.

"If you can get over the initial climb and get 100 to 150 metres above the road where the trail tends to averagethen you'll have no issue riding this at all."

Along the way, you'll get broad panoramas of the Spray Lakes, Mount Shark andMount Nestor.

New, but not totally new

Some sections of the trailhave been around for years and were stitched into the trail, while other areas have been completely built from scratch.

You can hike or ride 40 kilometres from Goat Creek to the Buller Pass trailhead, but that's where you should call it quits for now.

Trail builders are still working on that section, with a hope to have the entire 80 kilometretrail finished by the end of this summer.

• Outdoor Report: Mount Cory is a scrambler's hidden gem
• VIDEO |Outdoor Report: Poling, the original stand-up paddleboard

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener