Mesa Butte

Jul 7

2 min read

Hiker on a dirt trail through green hills and forest under a bright blue sky with clouds and distant mountains — Beautiful, sweeping views as you climb toward Mesa Butte

* Day hike. Out and back. Trail partly signed. Dogs must be leashed.

* Distance: Roughly 8.5 kms return (4 hrs total)

* Elevation gain: Roughly 490m

* Trailhead: MacLean Creek Trail (off hwy 549), in Mesa Butte Provincial Recreational Area, South Kananaskis (near Millarville)

Mesa Butte - AllTrails

Make sure you purchase a Kananaskis Conservation Pass before coming out; the fine for parking without one is 150$ per vehicle. Always check the Kananaskis Country trail reports beforehand (especially in the summer when bears become very active here).

Remember to leave nothing behind and to pack your garbage and dog droppings with you. Hike in a group, don’t count on cell service and come prepared.

How To Pack For a Day Hike

Trail description

The elevation gain for this hike varies according to different websites, as there are a few different trails you can take. Generally speaking, the main trail starts north of the equestrian campground; park along the road and look for an unmarked path on the right going up into the forest. You’ll soon reach an intersection with a red sign posted on a tree, indicating Curley Connector and Mesa Grind (go left).

Sunlit forest trail winding through green aspens under a bright blue sky, peaceful and lush.

Once you’ve gone left, you’ll progressively climb on a forested path through birch trees.

There were a TON of wildflowers all along the path when I was here in August. The woods here are actually quite pretty.

There are a few trails leading off into the woods, but I stuck to the most-used and widest trail to get to the summit.

Wooden trail sign in a sunny green forest points to Mesa Grind, Curley Connector, and Mesa Traverse along a narrow path. — Stick to the widest path for Mesa Butte

Sunlit green mountains and forested hills under a bright blue sky with lens flare, peaceful panoramic view — After leaving the forest, you'll hike onto an open meadow with little shade - bring a hat!

The summit of Mesa Butte peeks out after a while, stretching out ahead of you.

Dirt trail winds through lush green hills under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds. — Mesa Butte, the lovely green lump on the right.

The views from up here are pretty cool, considering it’s a fairly short hike. Due to the nearby equestrian ranch, horses and riders also make their way up here. There’s a huge fire pit with benches, as well as a picnic table.

Enjoy the scenery!