KANANASKIS COUNTRY - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 239

alpine meadows among the peaks are home to bighorn sheep, elk, and grizzlies. Lower
down, spruce and lodgepole pine forests spread over most of the valley, giving way to
grazing lands along the eastern flanks. Higher elevations, including along the Continental
Divide, are protected by Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park.
The main access from the north is along Highway 40, which drops 600 vertical meters
(1,970 feet) in the 35 kilometers (22 miles) between Highwood Pass and Highwood
Junction. From the east, Highway 541 west from Longview joins Highway 40 at High-
wood Junction. A lesser-used access is Highway 532, which branches west from Highway
22 about 37 kilometers (23 miles) south of Longview. This unpaved road passes Indian
Graves Campground, then begins a steep climb to Plateau Mountain, high above the tree
line and with stunning views back across to Porcupine Hills. The main summer activit-
ies in this area of Kananaskis Country are hiking, horseback riding, climbing, and fishing.
Winter use is primarily by snowmobilers.
HIKING
Only a few formal hiking trails are signposted. The rest are traditional routes that aren't
well traveled; many require river crossings.
Picklejar Lakes
• Length: 4.2 kilometers/2.6 miles (90 minutes) one-way
• Elevation gain: 470 meters/1,540 feet
• Rating: moderate
• Trailhead: Lantern Creek day-use area (not Picklejar day-use area), 3 kilometers (1.9
miles) south of the Mist Creek day-use area, Highway 40
The name of these lakes was coined by early anglers, who claimed fishing them was as
“easy as catching fish in a pickle jar.” The name stuck, and it's still mostly anglers who are
attracted to the four lakes. They lie at the southern end of Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provin-
cial Park. To access the trail, cross the road from Lantern Creek day-use area and walk up
the hill 100 meters (330 feet). The trail is unmarked but easy to follow as it passes through
a lightly forested area and open meadows to a ridge above Picklejar Creek. Descend and
cross the creek, following its north bank up a steep, open slope, or stay high and right
across a scree slope to reach the pass at 2,180 meters (7,150 feet). The first lake is 300
meters (0.2 mile) beyond the pass. The trail continues past two more lakes before ending
at the fourth, which is the largest and has incredibly clear water. A lightly marked trail en-
circles the fourth lake.