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Top 10 Hiking Destinations ➙ The Rockies

Spectacular vistas, frequent wildlife encounters, the best wild flowers we’ve ever seen. Hot springs, quaint mountain towns, perhaps the best long distance hikes on the planet.

There are options to scramble ridges and peaks virtually everywhere.

“You can’t lose in the Rockies.”

… so says contributor Rob Glaser who hiked here all his life.

Trails are safe and well managed. The infrastructure excellent. (In fact, it’s hard to imagine there are two regions in the world we rate better.)

The weather and conditions are variable to say the least, but in many parts of the Rockies Aug-Sept are the best months. A very short window! On the other hand, if you ski or board, you’ll never lack for adventure in the Rocky Mountains.

More information on our Rockies information page.

Our favourite trip in the Canadian Rockies is Sunshine to Assiniboine, our #5 hike in the world.

Anemones and Assiniboine, Alberta, Canada

Our Assiniboine Information page.

Just a short drive away is our favourite trail in the USA Rockies, Glacier North Circle, our #6 hike in the world. One of the best places in the world to see wildlife.

Our North Circle Information page.

Leave a comment if you have your own favourite hike in the Rockies.

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Canada’s Great Divide Trail – documentary

The Great Divide Trail in the Canadian Rockies … closely follows the Great Divide between Alberta and British Columbia …

… southern terminus is in Waterton Lakes National Park at the Canada–US border (where it connects with the Continental Divide Trail) and its northern terminus is at Kakwa Lake in Kakwa Provincial Park, north of Jasper National Park. …

In 2017, Kodak & Cinnamon hiked 1100km south to north.

Out There: The Great Divide Trail is FREE on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Getting permits is difficult.

Start on this page ➙ Great Divide Trail Association – Trip -Planning Resources

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$24 ➙ Gaia GPS Premium and Outside+

I’ve had a free Gaia account since 2018 — but have used, instead, a paid AllTrails account as it seemed to be better in my home region.

But with Gaia Premium and an Outside+ bundle at 60% off, I’ll compare these two hiking apps again for the coming year.

I’ll download both for offline use, and compare.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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2024 West Coast Trail: Reservations

The West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, Canada is our #1 hike in the world.

It’s not easy to get a permit.

Reservations can be made for the coming summer at 8 a.m. PST January 22, 2024.

Be online with one or more devices and be ready to apply as quickly as possible. With luck, you’ll get on to the wait list.

Details on the Parks Canada West Coast Trail: Reservations page.

We have a HOW TO SURVIVE THE WEST COAST TRAIL playlist on YouTube. It includes all potential hazards. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Indonesia Volcano Hiking VIDEO

My latest experiment in video editing is software called Audio Sound Design. 

Not inexpensive, but I did get 50% off a perpetual license during Black Friday. 

Audio Design Desk comes with 70,000+ royalty free sounds, loops and music cues. 

Adding them to your video is a breeze.  All audio in this short edit of stock video was added with the software.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Mountain Warehouse Summit II Mens Baselayer T-Shirt

This is the t-shirt I wear most often the past couple of years.

Great price. IF you watch for a sale.

CAD $39.19 (USD $28.50) in 2023.

It’s only a Polyester & Wool blend — but seems to stay relatively odour free. For days.

Light weight. Doesn’t wrinkle in the backpack. Easy to wash. Very durable.

For that price, it can’t be beat.

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Best Hikes in the World?

I asked Perplexity AI.

A better list than I expected to get from Artificial Intelligence:

  • Tour du Mont Blanc: This hike takes you through France, Italy, and Switzerland, and offers stunning views of the Alps 16.
  • West Coast Trail: Located in Canada, this hike takes you through rugged terrain and offers views of the Pacific Ocean 16.
  • Laugavegur Trail: This hike in Iceland takes you through a variety of landscapes, including glaciers, hot springs, and volcanic terrain 1.
  • Greater Patagonian Trail: This hike in Chile and Argentina offers views of glaciers, mountains, and forests 2.
  • Tongariro Alpine Crossing: This hike in New Zealand is considered by some to be the best single-day hike in the world, and offers views of volcanic terrain and stunning landscapes 3.
  • Kjeragbolten: This hike in Norway takes you to a boulder wedged between two cliffs, offering incredible views of the fjords below 3.
  • The Great Ocean Walk: This hike in Australia offers views of the Southern Ocean and the Twelve Apostles limestone stacks 5.
  • GR 20: This hike in Corsica is considered one of the toughest in Europe, but offers stunning views of the island’s rugged terrain 6.
  • Banff Highline Traverse: This hike in Canada offers views of glaciers, mountains, and alpine lakes 6.
  • Rakiura Track: This hike in New Zealand takes you through forests and along beaches, and offers views of wildlife such as kiwis and penguins 2.

A mixed assortment, of course. It’s difficult to compare an easy day hike like the Kjeragbolten to the Greater Patagonian Trail.

Image created by Microsoft Designer AI.
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Matador Freerain22 Waterproof Packable Backpack

My gear gurus — Dave and Kraig — consistently list Matador one of their favourite gear companies.

The Matador Freerain22 is an amazing pack at only 300g (10.6oz).

I’d call it water resistant, not submersible. It’s not a dry bag.

Not inexpensive (about $100), I bought the Freerain to replace my last Matador packable which I had used for hundreds of days of travel. Incredibly durable and useful.

It’s my second pack ➙ the one I use for a short day hike, picking up groceries, shopping, etc.

I don’t need any more frame or suspension for short day hikes. I typically push an extra layer down towards the lumbar portion of the bag — and that’s plenty of padding.

Click PLAY or watch the Matador video on YouTube.

Read the Packhacker detailed review.