Guide to The Troll Falls Hike in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada!
If you’re looking for an easy, flat and quick walk in beautiful Kananaskis then the Troll Falls Hike is the perfect option.
I did this hike on my recent camping trip and combined it with other easy hikes for a jam-packed day in Kananaskis Country so read on for a complete guide on how to find the falls, hike details and hikes nearby.
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Where is Kananaskis?
Kananaskis Country is a beautiful area in the Canadian province of Alberta neighbouring places like Canmore and Calgary. The population is just over 200 and covers an area of 4000 square kilometres. It is one of the best places to see bears, has incredible mountains and lakes and was the home of the 1988 Winter Olympics!
Calgary to Kananaskis takes 1 hour by car via Highway 1.
Banff to Kananaskis takes 30 minutes via the highway or 2/2.5 hours via Canmore and Smith Dorrian Highway. The latter is way more scenic and the best chance to see wildlife.
You will need a pass if you’re stopping anywhere within Kananaskis which you can get at any of the visitor/information centres.
Hiking Kananaskis Country is some of the most beautiful hikes you’ll find in all of Alberta and lots of them are simple with great results like finding secret suspension bridges, wildlife, mountains, lakes, hot springs or waterfalls like this one!
What is Troll Falls?
Troll Falls Alberta is located on the same road that heads toward Kananaskis Village and Nakiska Ski Area which was used for the 1988 Winter Olympics.
This is the guide for the hike you might have heard be called Troll Falls Canmore, Banff or Kananaskis.
This blog is the directions to reach the Troll Falls which is easy, quick and flat. There are other trails that start from the same place to take you to Marmot Falls.
The name comes from the belief that Trolls lived here. Yes you read that right! And on the way in there are pictures of the old Troll dolls haha!
Quick Info
Troll falls alltrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/troll-falls-loop
hike length: The troll falls trail is 4km out and back.
hike difficulty: Easy. It is flat and short with things to see along the way.
elevation gain: Gain of 100+ metres.
hike time: It took me 40 minutes to hike there and back.
best time to visit: the great thing about this hike is you can do it all year round (and I highly recommend doing it in both summer and winter seasons for completely different findings as the troll falls summer hike has wildlife and flowing waterfall whereas the winter has frozen falls and forests like Narnia)!
is the troll falls trailhead open in winter? Yes! Troll Falls winter walks are stunning because they are frozen! The scenery is beautiful along this trail during the winter season but be sure to wear ice spikes or crampons if hiking in winter.
starting point address: Stoney Trail Head parking lot, Kananaskis, AB T0L 2C0, Canada
is there bears here? Yes! Kananaskis Country is known for its frequent bear sightings. Never hike anywhere in this region without bear spray.
is dogs are allowed on the trail? Yes but on a lead.
Canada Hiking Essentials
- Always check trail conditions here when doing Falls Troll – https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/troll-falls
- Sort accommodation in advance – I use booking.com but I highly recommend staying in Sundance Lodges which is where I camped!
- Make Sure You Get Travel Insurance – I always use Coverwise when travelling unless on a working holiday visa where specific insurance is required. Coverwise is reliable, cheap, has straightforward policies that are emailed and kept on file and the website is easy to navigate. Find quotes for your travel insurance with Coverwise here.
- Pack – Ensure you’ve packed the essential clothes including layers, waterproofs and hiking gear, first aid kits, and make room for souvenirs.
- Do I need bear spray in Kananaskis?– YES! This is an important addition when hiking in Alberta to protect yourself. You can buy it in town, on Amazon here, or rent it from your accommodation or convenience stores in Banff Town. Note: you cannot take this on an airplane with you as it is classed as a weapon.
- Grab a Lonely Planet Guide, a map and maybe a hiking book for the area!
- Read all my Alberta Posts here
- Find your tours via Viator
- Safety comes first! Tell someone your route and how long you’ll be, consider a bear bell for your bag, pack bear spray, prepare for changes in weather and leave no trace.
Accommodation Near Troll Falls Hike
I stayed in Sundance Lodges which is a camping/glamping area in Kananaskis. This is one of the best places to stay for an authentic Canadian experience in Kananaskis Country!
You can choose to stay in either a glamping tent, a teepee or a spot to set up your own tent. The camp has everything you need from a firepit, bbq and areas for camping activities to a river flowing through, minimal light pollution to see the Northern Lights and facilities like showers, toilets and sports playgrounds.
Check prices and availability here!
How to Get to Start of Troll Falls Hike
Plain and simple, you’re going to need a car in Kananaskis.
- Head towards Highway 40 also known as Kananaskis Trail either via Highway 1 or via the more scenic route of Smith Dorrien Way.
- If you’re on Highway 40 driving toward British Columbia / Mist Mountain then you’ll be turning right.
- If you’re on Highway 40 driving back toward Highway 1 / Calgary then you’ll be turning left.
- Turn onto xxx which leads to Nakiska Ski Area and Kananaskis Village. It will be well signed.
- A few minutes into the drive, turn left when you see the sign for ‘Troll Falls’
- If you’ve gone too far, you’ll see one of the most useful signs I’ve seen in this area which says ‘Troll Falls is Not This Way’!
Parking
Parking is free here and the car park is fairly big so you should be okay to find a spot.
Look out for Stoney Trail Head parking lot.
Use this address in your sat nav: Stoney Trail Head parking lot, Kananaskis, AB T0L 2C0, Canada
Troll Falls Hike Guide
The Troll Falls Hike is an easy Kananaskis hike as it’s short, flat and easy to get to.
- Starting at the car park toilets, take a left onto the trail
- The trail is clearly marked, very wide and flanked by dense forestry
- Along the way you’ll find flora, fauna, mushrooms, chipmunks, hairy caterpillars, weasels and always the chance of other wildlife.
- You’ll also pass these teepees which are very kid-friendly:
- At the fork in the road, take the left-hand path as so:
- Continue up stream to reach Troll Falls Upper Falls (also known as Marmot Falls)
- On the way back, we did the loop option through troll falls and hay meadows Trail for a different walk!
Other Hikes Near Troll Falls Kananaskis
There are multiple hikes in this area you can do depending on your time and energy. They all start at the Trolls Fall car park. Other than the main route, check these out:
- Hay Meadow Trail
- Marmot Falls (also known as upper troll falls, 5km loop and 300m elevation gain)
- Ruthie’s Trail
- Hidden Trail
Tours in Kananaskis
Further Reading
- How To Work in Canada on an IEC Visa
- Guide to Moving to Canada
- All Banff Blog Posts
- Other Alberta Blog Posts
- Posts From British Columbia
- My Quebec Posts
I hope you found this guide to Troll Falls Hike in Kananaskis useful 🙂
Save For Your Troll Hike in Kananaskis!
