Calgary Snowshoeing - Get out There and Enjoy Some of the Best Snowshoeing in the City!

If you’re looking for something a bit different to do this winter put on some snow shoes and head out to a hiking trail. Most of the trails in the area can be used for snowshoeing but if you want to get started on the right foot you can also take some snowshoeing trips and hikes with the Calgary Outdoor Centre. For more than 30 years now this center has been offering special trips and lessons for people that would like to get more involved with the sport.

Snow shoes are provided if you decide to take on a hike with the center and introductory lessons are available for people at all different fitness levels. When you take the introductory course you'll be taught the basics of snowshoeing and then go on 3 hikes that get progressively difficult during a span of three weeks.

If you're ready to take on snowshoeing on your own here are some of the best trails around Calgary to visit:

Rawson Lake - This is a 6.7 or better trail that will take you 2 to 4 hours to travel.

Chester Lake - A 7.4 km route awaits you that will take approximately 2 to 4 hours to complete.

Troll Falls - This is a shorter route that will only take an hour or two of your time and covers 3.4 km in total.

These are the most popular routes but there are many others. You may want to try them all out so that you can pick your favorite out of the bunch!

• Sawmill Snowshoe Loop
• Elk Pass Snowshoe Trail
• Hogarth Lakes Loop
• The Penstock Loop
• Lower Lake Snowshoe Trail
• Bow River Marsh Loop
• Village Loops Snowshoe Trail
• Highway #40 Snowshoe Trail
• The Black Prince Loop
• The Burstall Meadows trail
• The Evan-Thomas Creek
• The Murray Lookout Trail

There are a lot of trails to choose from in Calgary and the surrounding area and they all come with their own set of challenges. If you're looking for the extreme snowshoeing trail, however, you'll want to check out Tower Lake. You'll need to be in good shape to handle this hike and it is by no means for a beginner. It's a long uphill steady journey to Castle Mountain with stunning views of open forest. If you can't tackle this type of trail right now, it's certainly a goal to work towards if you end up loving the sport of snowshoeing.