Elk Lakes Loop

Elk Pass TrailThis hike starts on Elk Pass Trail at the Elk Pass Day Use area in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. A large trailhead sign marks the trail start.The trail immediately enters the beautiful conifer forest and stays there. Starting to climb, it climbs gradually for its entire distance to West Elk Pass. Initially, the trail is quite wide but becomes a singletrack path along the way.Hiking along, one soon hears a creek off to the left, although it can't be seen in the dense forest. This is Fox Creek. The creek becomes louder, and at the 1.2-mile mark, the trail emerges from the forest into a grassy area surrounding the creek. The trail then crosses the creek and follows it upstream. Still climbing gradually, the trail crosses the creek a few more times. Small, grassy, open areas begin to show up more often.After 3.3 miles, Elk Pass Trail (in Alberta) ends at West Elk Pass that marks the Alberta/British Columbia border. But the hike continues on. There is a major trail junction here. Information is found on a large trail sign with a map. Also, a post points the way to several trails converging here. Look at the map and follow the arrows for Upper Elk Lake on the trail post, and continue on Upper Elk Lake Trail.Upper Elk Lake TrailThe trail is now flat for a while. Fox Lake is reached after 1/2 mile. Fox Lake, with its grassy shores, and up against the lower slopes of Mount Fox, is easily seen as the trail follows it shoreline for a little over 1/10 mile.Leaving Fox Lake behind, the trail begins a serious descent after about another 1/2 mile. It is now traversing slopes that face towards the Elk Lakes and Elk River Valley. These slopes are steep enough to provide views through the trees. A small grassy spot reveals the rugged, glaciated mountains and turquoise Upper Elk Lake, through the trees. Further on, a large, grassy avalanche chute is crossed. Here, there are great views of Upper Elk Lake, nearby Mt. Aosta, distant mountains, and the Elk River Valley.Descending further, the trail soon makes a sharp U-turn to the left and becomes Interlakes Trail that goes to Lower Elk Lake, other trails, and the lakeside campground.Interlakes TrailStill in the forest, the trail goes another 1/4 mile, then pops out of the forest at another major trail junction. A post here points the way to popular day hikes, Lower Elk Lake, and the campground. Continue straight here, following the arrow to Elk Lake and the campground.Lower Elk Lake is soon reached at a grassy area along its shoreline. Following the shoreline, the campground is next. Several benches along the trail are passed - great places to view the lake, and spend some time when at the campground. At the far end of the campgound, the Lower Elk Lake outlet creek is found, actually it's the start of the Elk River. This is also the end of Interlakes Trail and start of Lower Elk Lake Trail.Lower Elk Lake TrailIn the forest, the trail follows the Elk River for a short 0.3 miles, crosses a meadow, more forest, and then reaches Elkan Creek. Elkan Creek is crossed on a sturdy bridge. A trail junction with an option leading to the Elk Lakes Cabin is then reached. To continue on this loop, go left/north here.More meadows with mountain views are then crossed. Returning to the forest, the trail crosses a creek and begins to follow it upstream. This is Elkan Creek again. Just as Elkan Creek is crossed, the trail begins to climb for the next 3/4 miles. The creek is close by during this climb, and there are glimpses of it through the trees. As the climb eases, the trail moves away from the creek, although still following it upstream, it can be heard but not seen.Another large meadow with mountain views is then crossed, and the trail reaches the Alberta/BC border at West Elk Pass. This is the major trail junction where Elk Pass Trail came in. From here, take Elk Pass Trail 3.3 miles, back to the parking area where this hike started.