David Thompson Highway Hiking Guide – Second Edition Update
After 20 years, the David Thompson Highway Hiking Guide is getting an update. The second edition is coming out this spring and includes a few new trails, some updates and a few trails have been removed. Curious what’s changed? Here’s the highlights.
Update – July 2017
We’ve added a new story about some of the issues and updates for many of the trails included in the book. Make sure to check before heading out.
Nordegg Area Trails
A few trails from the Nordegg area have been removed, mainly due to the recent developments in the area. These include A Nature Walk, the Nordegg Ranger Station Walk and The Hostel Hike. The Nordegg-Beaverdam Loop has been replaced and updated by the new Canadian Northern Track.
In the Fish Lake area, the Fish Lake – Goldeye Connector is an update to the Shunda – Goldeye Connector and the Fish Lake Resource Management Trail has been renamed the Fish Lake Interpretive Trail.
Other changes include:
Ridgeline Trail – New Trail
A 17.4 km hike along the ridge of Coliseum Mountain, from Beaverdam PRA to the “cap”.
Coliseum Mountain – Updated
The updated trail description accounts for the new development in north Nordegg, include the change in trailhead location. The trail is now 4 km shorter at 13 km.
Black Canyon Creek – Updated
Minor updates to the description to account for the FireSmart logging that has taken place in the area and the FireSmart Ecology Trail.
Bighorn Country
A few minor changes to this section, including a side trail to Mount Stelfox Ridge for those backpacking the Stelfox Loop.
Abraham Lake Trail – New Trail
A short 1.1 km walk along Abraham Lake, near the Bighorn Dam.
The Sasquatch Trail – Updated
This route has been modified and is now 9.2 km long compared to the original 5.4 km.
Cline River
Whitegoat Falls – Updated
Distances have been updated along with some of the directions. Access to the falls past the viewpoint is now included in the route.
Viewpoint Trail – Updated
The trail description has been updated to account for changes to the trail.
Cline River Viewpoint – New Trail
A 2.6 km hike along the Cline River to a viewpoint overlooking the canyon.
Kootenay Plains
Preacher’s Point – New Trail
A 1.4 km walk through a popular random camping area along the North Saskatchewan River.
Flag Hill – New Trail
A short 1.4 km overlooking Preacher’s Point.
Terrace Walk – Updated
Some distances have been adjusted. The descriptions and directions are unchanged.
Loudon Creek – Updated
Distance updated to 16.6 km from 14.6 km along with minor changes to the description.
Kinglet Lake – New Trail
This popular day hike and overnight destination is now included in the book. The trail is 11.6 km long, sharing the first section with Tuff Puff and the two can be combined into a loop.
Tuff Puff – Updated
The distance has been updated to 10.4 km from 14.6 km. Minor updates to the description.
Upper North Saskatchewan
Alexander Henry’s Trail – Updated
A few minor updates to the trail description and directions.
Landslide Lake Fire Interpretive Trail – New Trail
A new 2 km interpretive trail that was built following the Landslide Lake Prescribed Fire in 2009.
Landslide Lake, Wildhorse Creek Access – Updated
Minor changes to reflect the new location of the trailhead at the Landslide Lake Fire Interpretive Trail.
Owen Creek Gorge – Updated
A few minor changes to the description.
Howse River Viewpoint – New Trail
This 4.6 km trail in Banff National Park was added as a way to mark the end of the David Thompson Highway.
Should You Get The New Edition?
If you have been waiting for a copy of the book then yes, do not wait to pick up yours.
If you already have a copy of the first edition then the changes to this edition are fairly minor. We had expected a few more updates, especially to trails that are still included but overgrown or impassable like sections of the Crescent Falls trail. The new trails added are for the most part short and you might well be able to make due with your old edition.
The excellent historical information remains mostly unchanged from the first edition. An area that has been improved is the maps which now uses colour topo maps with better details than the previous edition.
If you’re looking at other options for trail information in the area, make sure to check out our hiking guides. They include maps, directions, pictures and GPS files. For other sources, check out this post we wrote back in 2013.