Trail Run Project Logo

A challenging climb with exposure leading to a small sub-alpine lake with mountain views.


Your Rating: Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty:
Your Favorites: Add To-Do · Your List
Zoom in to see details
Map Key

1.7

Miles

2.7

KM

56%

Runnable

6,586' 2,007 m

High

5,163' 1,574 m

Low

1,423' 434 m

Up

15' 5 m

Down

16%

Avg Grade (9°)

37%

Max Grade (21°)

Dogs Unknown

Features Lake · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildlife

Need to Know

Camping along this trail is limited to the established trail camps. Permits and reservations are needed for the trail camps. They can be gotten online at the Parks Canada permit/reservation website: reservation.pc.gc.ca/.

Please review the Parks Canada website and follow Leave No Trace principles.

Description

The Goat Lake Trail starts from the Snowshoe Trail about 2.9 miles from the Snowshoe Trail trailhead at Red Rock Canyon. Goat Lake Trail begins by climbing through the thick fir forest. Views of Anderson Peak and other mountains can be glimpsed through the trees.

After about .8 miles, the trail emerges from the trees onto a steep, rocky mountain side. The trail is exposed, narrow, strewn with gravel, and tilts sideways as it traverses this mountain side. At the end of this traverse are a few bushes that provide welcome hand holds, and then a few switchbacks.

At these switchbacks, the trail becomes less precarious - less exposed, a bit wider, and no longer tilting sideways down the mountain. Looking up towards Goat Lake is a tall narrow waterfall that is the Goat Lake output stream. Goat Lake is above the top of this waterfall, although one can't see it yet. Also, from this vantage point, looking out across the Bauerman Creek Valley (the valley Snowshoe Trail goes through) one can see a line of peaks - Anderson Peak, Lost Mountain, and Mt. Bauerman (left to right).

After the switchbacks on the open mountain side, the trail re-enters forest and continues to climb until it reaches Goat Lake's output stream behind the top of the waterfall. The stream is shallow with plenty of rocks for crossing. Cross the stream and pick up Goat Lake Trail on the other side. The rest of the trail is relatively flat and through trees. Goat Lake is reached after a few hundred more yards. There is a primitive campsite here, and one can wander among the trees and down to Goat Lake's shore. The far side of Goat Lake is the wall of Avion Ridge and peaks of the Continental Divide.

On most Waterton maps, you'll notice that it appears that a trail continues to the summit of Newman Peak, however once you get past the lake, the scramble to the ridge is unmaintained, and can potentially be dangerous. Make sure you're prepared before continuing further!

Contacts

Shared By:

Joan Pendleton

Trail Ratings

  4.0 from 1 vote

#17130

Overall
  4.0 from 1 vote
5 Star
0%
4 Star
100%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Trail Rankings

#87

in Alberta

#17,130

Overall
3 Views Last Month
300 Since Dec 21, 2016
Difficult Difficult

0%
0%
0%
0%
100%
0%

Photos

Anderson Peak (left), Lost Mountain (center), and Mt Bauerman (right) command the backdrop from high on the Goat Lake Trail.
Dec 20, 2016 near Pincher…, AB
Goat Lake is a small, sub-alpine lake below Avion Ridge and Continental Divide peaks.
Dec 19, 2016 near Pincher…, AB
Silver Thread Waterfall cascades from the Goat Lake outlet stream. Goat Lake is just over the ridge at the top of the waterfall.
Dec 19, 2016 near Pincher…, AB

0 Comments

Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

none

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.