A relentless town grind, with an unmatched Three Sisters view⛰

Grassi Knob is the ultimate leg burner right on the edge of Canmore. If you want to skip the heavy crowds at the nearby lakes but still want a good workout that leads to a knockout view, this is the one!

I hit this trail back in the spring with my friend Angel, and even though there was still snow everywhere, the sun was shining and it was an absolute blast. We passed some beautiful frozen falls along the way, spotted a few deer, and even had a helicopter fly directly over us near the summit!

It’s a pure cardio push through dense forest and rocky slopes, but once you break the tree line, you get an unbelievable 360-degree panoramic view of the Bow Valley. The iconic Three Sisters and Ship's Prow feel so close you could almost reach out and touch them!

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🏔️ TRAIL STATS & DETAILS

• Best Seasons: Summer & Winter

• Distance: 9 km

• Trail Type: Loop

• Elevation Gain: 824 m

• Max Elevation (altitude): 2174 m

• Bike Friendly?: No

• Dog Friendly?: Yes (on leash)

• Trailhead Toilets?: No

• Parking: Free

• Parks Pass: No Parks Pass Required

• Technical Notes: Short but sweet scramble section just below the summit. The dirt path hits a steep, rocky lump.

🚗Directions to trailhead: Google Maps

🗺️AllTrails route: Grassi Knob (suggestion only)

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✨ TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS - Why you should go

• Small frozen waterfall in the winter season

• Quiet and crowd-free compared to the heavily trafficked trails nearby

• Unbelievable 360-degree summit views of Canmore, the Rundles, the Three Sisters, and the valley below

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🏕️ CAMPING OPTIONS

• Campsite On Trail?: No

• Close Camp Recommendation: Wapiti Campground

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✅ TIPS FROM DEV, LINKS & SAFETY

• If you attempt this in the spring like me and Angel did, expect a lot of lingering snow and ice. Microspikes and gaiters are highly recommended to keep your traction and keep the slush out of your boots.

• As mentioned, you can easily run into deer here, but this area is also an active corridor for bears and cougars. Always hike with a buddy, make noise, and keep your bear spray easily accessible on your hip or chest.

• This is an unofficial and unmaintained trail. There are no formal Alberta Parks signs or trail markers once you leave the maintained Highline Trail network. Definitely have a map or offline GPS map downloaded for this trail.

• See Alberta Parks for the latest Kananaskis Park trail conditions.