Highwood Pass Road — Kananaskis Country High Alpine Traverse via Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Canada's highest road. No guardrails. No crowds.
Highway 40 through Kananaskis Country tops out at Highwood Pass — 2,206 metres, the highest paved road in Canada — before dropping into the Highwood River Valley through one of the most spectacular mountain corridors the country has to offer. This isn’t a technical 4×4 route in the rock-crawling sense, but the upper 60 kilometres of gravel south of the pass toward Longview earns its stripes: washboarded gravel, loose shale edges, and a road that closes every December 1 and doesn’t open again until June 15 to protect winter wildlife. Grizzly bears den in the avalanche paths above the road and are routine sightings in early summer. The Elbow Falls and Upper Kananaskis Lake pullouts are mandatory stops.
The road is accessible to high-clearance 2WD vehicles in dry conditions, but the gravel south section and early-season mud demand a truck or capable crossover at minimum. Fuel up in Longview or Canmore — there’s nothing between them. The seasonal closure is legally enforced, so don’t try to beat the June 15 open date. Best windows are late June through September before snow returns to the pass. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park charges a day-use fee and kananaskis conservation pass. What you gain is one of the most visually savage mountain drives in western Canada without the crowds of Banff — high alpine meadows, serrated limestone peaks, and the kind of silence that reminds you how small a truck actually is.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | High Clearance, Overland Route, Scenic Drive |
| Surface | Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, High Altitude, Remote, Scenic, Wildlife |
| Length (miles) | 86 mi / 138 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 7239 ft |
| Best season | June-September |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 2WD (4WD recommended) |
| Nearest town | Longview, Alberta |
| Land manager | Alberta Parks — Kananaskis Country |
| Permit required | Yes |
| Cell service | Spotty |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | No |
| Official sources | Alberta Parks Kananaskis Country Peter Lougheed Provincial Park |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle Highwood Pass Road without modifications?
Yes. A stock high-clearance 4WD like a Tacoma or 4Runner is plenty for this route. The surface is gravel and paved mix — nothing technical — but 4WD helps on wet gravel sections and if you're pushing into any side trails off the main corridor.
When does Highwood Pass Road actually open, and is there a hard close date?
The road is closed to motor vehicles from December 1 through June 14 every year to protect wildlife during critical seasons — that closure is non-negotiable and enforced. Your window is roughly mid-June through late November, with July through September being the most reliable for snow-free conditions at the 7,239-foot summit.
Do I need a permit or pass to drive through Kananaskis Country and camp here?
Yes — Alberta requires a Kananaskis Conservation Pass for any vehicle parking within Kananaskis Country, including trailheads and campgrounds along this route. It's $90 CAD annually or $15 CAD for a single day. Buy it online through the Alberta Parks website before you go; enforcement is real.
What's the hardest or sketchiest section of this traverse and what should I actually expect?
The exposure near the summit is the psychological crux — no guardrails, steep drop-offs on the shoulder, and the road narrows in spots with oncoming RVs and tour buses. Technically it's not difficult driving, but wet conditions or early-season ice patches near the pass demand your full attention and kill any autopilot complacency.
How far is it to the nearest gas station, and is cell service reliable enough to call for help if something goes wrong?
Longview to the south and Canmore to the north are your fuel bookends — plan for at least 100 miles between reliable fill-ups, so top off before you drop in. Cell service is spotty to nonexistent through most of the high alpine section; carry a satellite communicator like a Garmin inReach if you're running this solo.
Trail track
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