Smutwood Peak (also know as Mount Smutwood) is a challenging trail in Spray Valley area and easily one of the most beautiful hikes in Kananaskis Country, if not in all Canadian Rockies. It makes for one of those long, but rewarding days in the mountains that you’ll cherish forever.
We had a chance to hike Smutwood Peak twice and we’ll always love to do this trail again as the views of Mt. Birdwood and Birdwood Lakes are simply spectacular. Now that I think about it, it would definitely get a spot in our top 5 hikes in Rockies. Now let’s talk about everything you need to know before you hit the trail.
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PLANNING A TRIP TO CANADIAN ROCKIES?
Checkout these helpful links to plan your trip from start to finish:
- Flights: Calgary Airport is the best starting point for a trip to Canadian Rockies. For getting the best possible rate, we recommend browsing and comparing the prices on multiple flight aggregator websites like Expedia or Kiwi. We personally also subscribe to Thrifty Traveler Premium that delivers amazing flight deals from our home airport right into our inbox.
- Accommodation: Booking.com is our go-to platform for finding best accommodation deals. Check out some of our favourite stays in these blog posts: Unique Stays in Canadian Rockies, Best Places to Stay in Banff for Couples
- Getting Around: You’ll need to rent a car to get around Canadian Rockies easily. Check out affordable car rental deals on RentalCars.com.
- Travel Insurance & eSIM: Travelling to Canada from abroad? Check travel insurance from Heymondo and get 5% off through our link and make sure to set up an eSIM from Airalo to stay connected.
KEY HIKE STATS
Lenght: 18.9 km out-and-back
Elevation gain: 929 meters
Duration: 6-9 hours
Difficulty: Hard
Smutwood Peak is generally considered a challenging hike and while it is a long trail and there are steep sections as well as a short scramble near the summit, the first 6 km is an easy hike through the meadow and the rest of it is a pretty gradual incline. We’d say, if you’re used to long days in the mountains and scrambling isn’t new to you, then you’ll probably find it rather moderate.
There is no official trail signage, but the trail is pretty well defined the whole time. As always, we’d recommend to have an offline map that you can check in case you feel like you might have gone off the trail.
The final stretch to the summit will require some class 2 to class 3 scrambling, and while that is a pretty easy scramble as per Canadian Rockies standards, this part of the trail certainly isn’t for beginner hikers. The good news is, that you can get amazing views of Mt. Birdwood before the scrambling section starts.
Note, that Smutwood Peak isn’t the same as Mount Smuts, which is, in fact, one of the most challenging scrambles in Canadian Rockies.
CANADIAN ROCKIES HIKING ESSENTIALS
BEST TIME TO HIKE SMUTWOOD PEAK
Best time to hike Mount Smutwood trail is typically from late June to early October. That being said, every year is a bit different with amount of snow we receive prior to hiking season and the time when the first snowfall comes at the end of it. If you’re not sure what to expect when going in early/late season, comment section on AllTrails can be helpful to find out how recent conditions look like. Besides, it is always a good idea to check the trail conditions on Alberta Parks website.
Smutwood Peak is also a wonderful larch season hike and the beautiful yellow colors typically appear in the second half of September through the first week of October. The hiking season often closes shortly after that, as the first snowfall arrives to Canadian Rockies. Note that the trail crosses areas with significant avalanche danger, so hiking in winter months should only be attempted by those who have proper avalanche training and equipment.
Trail is occasionally subject to wildlife closures as Kananaskis Country is a heavy bear territory.
IMPORTANT: KANANASKIS CONSERVATION PASS
- Smutwood Peak trail is located in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park which is a part of Kananaskis Country, meaning that a valid park pass is required. Day passes can only be purchased online and are per day per vehicle, but if you’re staying six days or longer, it’s more cost-effective to just buy an annual pass that registers two vehicles.
- Note that this is a separate pass from national passes that are required for visiting Banff or other national parks.
GETTING TO SMUTWOOD PEAK TRAIL
Smutwood Peak Trailhead is located along the Highway 742, also known as the Smith Dorrien Trail, and even though it’s just under 40 km from Canmore, you’ll need to count around 1 hour of driving. That is because this is a gravel road, which is however very scenic, so getting to the trail becomes a part of the experience!
Quite suprisingly, the road is often better in the winter (not that you want to do this hike in the winter) because the snow fills up the potholes and bumps. But it is absolutely doable in any kind of vehicle in any season, you will just have to adjust the speed. And be prepared that the road gets extremely dusty in the dry summer weather, so your car will most likely need a (big) wash afterwards.
Alternatively, you may be driving 35 km from the intersection with Highway 40. Either way, you’ll need to turn to Mount Shark Road, pass Mount Engadine Lodge on your left and once you cross the bridge, you’ll turn left on the Y shaped intersection which takes you right to the Smutwood Peak parking lot. See the Google Maps location below.
If you’d turn right instead of left on the Y shaped intersection, you’d end up on a parking lot for Tent Ridge trail which is another amazing hike in the area that you can add to your itinerary if you have an extra time.
SMUTWOOD PEAK HIKE DESCRIPTION
Smutwood Peak trail starts with a pretty easy walk along the old logging road that turns into a forest trail following the Commonwealth Creek and eventually gets you in the alpine meadow once you break the treeline. This is a mostly flat part of the trail, however, it can get extremely muddy. There is a beautiful waterfall alonf the Commonwealth Creek that you can stop at.
Once you reach the end of the meadow (approx 5 km mark, that’s where you begin to ascend to Smuts Pass through couple of steep switchbacks.
From the pass, you’ll get first views of the two Birdwood Lakes, Mt. Birdwood on your left, Mt. Smuts on your right and finally – an obvious preview of the trail to Smutwood Peak that gradually continues up (clockwise) around the lakes.
Shortly after that, the final ascent truly begins and you’ll have another 1.5 to 2 km of steep and scrambling sections to go, with a false summit approx. halfway through. While the views are already spectacular from there, we highly recommend to push yourself further to the actual summit with 360° views.
The trail is pretty easy to navigate the whole time, but the final scramble may require some basic route finding.
WHERE TO STAY NEAR SMUTWOOD PEAK
» Mount Engadine Lodge
Mount Engadine Lodge (on the photos) is located just over 1 km from Smutwood Peak trail and it has easily become one of our favourite unique stays here in Rockies. To be honest, it is on a pricier side, but all stays include amazing all-inclusive dining and with its remote location, it feels like staying in a backcountry hut. We stayed in one of their glamping tents during the winter, but the lodge operates year round.
Mount Engadine Lodge is the only accommodation option nearby the trail (besides the campground), otherwise there is plenty of options in Canmore which is just 1 hour away. Here’s a few suggestions in different price points:
» The Georgetown Inn
This small boutique hotel has been opened since 1993 and offers prices that are hard to beat in both off season and peak season. The rooms look cozy, the location is great and the feedback from guests is amazing. The Georgetown Inn is a great value!
» Basecamp Lodge Canmore
Basecamp Lodge provides comfortable mid-range accommodation with spacious rooms and convenient location just 15 min walk from the downtown Canmore. Free ‘grab and go’ breakfast is included in the stay. There are multiple properties by Basecamp in Canmore and if you’re travelling in larger group, then Basecamp Resorts or Basecamp Suites might be a better option.
» The Malcolm Hotel
If you don’t mind to splurge and want to treat yourself with a luxurious stay, then The Malcolm Hotel located just a short walk from downtown Canmore is a great option with modern rooms and amenities. And the rooftop deck with heated pool and hot tubs is like from a dream!
WHERE TO EAT NEAR SMUTWOOD PEAK
As you probably know by now, Mount Smutwood is in a pretty remote area and there aren’t many services around. We highly recommend you to pack some snacks and water for the hike itself, but here are some options you can consider after a day in the mountains:
» Afternoon tea at Mount Engadine Lodge
As we mentioned before, Mount Engadine Lodge is located just over 1 km from the trailhead, and what’s also good to know is that their afternoon tea service is open to public from 2-4 pm daily. Think locally sourced charcuterie board, homemade dessert and hot drink of your choice. All of that with amazing views of the mountains around Smutwood Peak from the windows or patio! Perfect way to wrap up the adventure. Reservations recommended.
» The Grizzly Paw Brewing Co
Local breweries are always fun. Especially after a day in the mountains! The Grizzly Paw Brewing Co offers some tasty cold beers and pub style eats in the heart of Canmore.
» Rocket Pie Inc
We don’t know how about you, but we’ll never say no to pizza after a hike! Rocket Pie Canmore serves delicious wood-fires pizzas in Neapolitan style.
» Communitea Café
If you’re looking for some fresh snacks and healthier options, Communitea Café in Canmore is the place to go.
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Things you should keep in mind before you hit the Smutwood Peak trail:
» There are no washrooms or other services around the trailhead, so make sure to fill up your tank and bring plenty of water as well as snacks.
» Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required to park your vehicle in Kananaskis Country and the Bow Valley Corridor. It can be purchased online and is tied to your license plate.
» Kananaskis Country is a prime grizzly territory, always carry a bear spray, know how to use it and keep it easily accessible at all times! If possible, hike in a group of 4 and more people.
» Smutwood Peak trail is located in a remote area with poor or no cell service. Have an offline map downloaded in your phone and make sure your battery will last. We recommend using offline maps from AllTrails offline or Mapy.cz. Consider carrying satellite communicator such as Garmin inReach (Amazon Canada or Amazon US).
» Weather – we’d recommend picking a nice day as any trail that involves scree or scrambling sections gets much more dangerous in wet conditions.
» Mosquitos can be really bad during the summer months, make sure to pack mosquito repellent.
» You’ll be exposed once you get above the treeline, so cover your head, wear sunglasses and apply sunscreen if going during the hot summer day. On the other hand, you should also always pack some layers that you can put on top of the mountain.
» Proper hiking shoes are neccessary and hiking poles are recommended.
SMUTWOOD PEAK: FINAL THOUGHTS
We hope this blog post helped to answer questions you might have before hiking Smutwood Peak in Kananaskis Country, but in case we forgot anything – let us know in the comments below! Looking for more hiking inspiration? Check out our hiking guides category!
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