Bald Hills Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features Lake · Views

The first 0.17 miles of this trail is a segment of the GDT (Great Divide Trail).

This is a gradual uphill trail to grass hills above Maligne Lake with awesome views in all directions of mountains, large valleys, and Maligne Lake. There is a series of grass hilltops forming a short ridge that can be explored, at the high point of the trail.

To get to Bald Hills Trail, follow Maligne Lake Road to the Maligne Lake Trailhead at the north end of Maligne Lake. There is a parking lot here, and many trails start from this trailhead parking lot. Look for the signs pointing to Bald Hills Trail. They will lead you across the road to the Bald Hills trailhead sign.

Bald Hills Trail starts out as a fire road through a thick, beautiful fir forest. As the trail climbs, the trees thin and become shorter, thus offering views of the mountains to the east, through the trees. After further climbing, views of Maligne Lake below, emerge.

After about 3 1/2 miles, the trail narrows to single path. The trees are short and dot the grassy terrain. The grass hilltops of Bald Hills can be seen ahead. The trail comes to a trail junction. One can go either way at this trail junction to loop through the Bald Hills and return to this trail junction.

Going left (clockwise around the loop) at the trail junction, one continues to have views of the mountains and Maligne Lake to the east. After a short ways, a saddle can be seen ahead, between two of the hilltops. The trail goes to this saddle where expansive views of the mountains and valleys to the west emerge. One then veers right to complete the loop and returns to the trail junction, after running 5.7 miles from the trailhead.

After returning to the trail junction, follow the fire road back to the trailhead for a 9.2 mile run.

There is a shortcut option at about 1.6 miles from the trailhead to go left onto a single path trail that cuts off the higher portion of the fire road, and emerges back onto the main trail at about 3 1/2 miles from the trailhead where the fire road turns into singlepath trail. However, this option is not marked with trail signs at either end.

Fir forest, grassy hill tops. Elk, bears.