Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Once inside the wilderness area, the trail climbs steadily alongside the Siffleur River
and into the heart of the wilderness. Ambitious hikers can continue through to the Dolo-
mite Creek area of Banff National Park, finishing at the Icefields Parkway, seven kilomet-
ers (4.3 miles) south of Bow Summit. Total length of this trail is 68 kilometers (42 miles),
a strenuous five-day backcountry expedition. Another access point for the area is opposite
Waterfowl Lake Campground in Banff National Park. From here it is six kilometers (3.7
miles) up Noyes Creek to the wilderness area boundary; the trail peters out after 4.5 kilo-
meters (2.8 miles) and requires some serious scrambling before descending into Siffleur.
This trail—as with all others in the wilderness area—is for experienced hikers only.
Campground
Two O'Clock Creek Campground (May-mid-Oct., $17) lies two kilometers (1.2 miles)
from the park's main trailhead in Kootenay Plains Provincial Recreation Area. It is a prim-
itive facility with a picnic shelter, firewood, and drinking water; the 24 sites each have a
picnic table and fire pit (firewood $4).
WHITE GOAT WILDERNESS AREA
White Goat comprises 44,500 hectares (110,000 acres) of high mountain ranges, wide val-
leys, hanging glaciers, waterfalls, and high alpine lakes. It lies north and west of Highway
11, abutting the north end of Banff National Park and the south end of Jasper National
Park. The area's vegetation zones are easily recognizable: subalpine forests of Engelmann
spruce, subalpine fir, and lodgepole pine; alpine tundra higher up. Large mammals here
include a sizable population of bighorn sheep, as well as mountain goats, deer, elk, wood-
land caribou, moose, cougars, wolves, coyotes, black bears, and grizzly bears.
The most popular hike is the McDonald Creek Trail, which first follows the Cline
River, then McDonald Creek to the creek's source in the heart of the wilderness area.
McDonald Creek is approximately 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the parking area on
Highway 11, but a full day should be allowed for this section because the trail crosses
many streams. From where McDonald Creek flows into the Cline River, it is 19 kilometers
(11.8 miles) to the McDonald Lakes, but allow another two full days; the total elevation
gain for the hike is a challenging 1,222 meters (4,000 feet). Other hiking possibilities in-
clude following the Cline River to its source and crossing Sunset Pass into Banff Nation-
al Park, 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) north of Saskatchewan River Crossing, or heading up
Cataract Creek and linking up with the trails in the Brazeau River area of Jasper National
Park.
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