Four scenic hikes in Alberta with spectacular fall views

On a warm autumn afternoon, I stood at the top of the rocky outcrop known as Bear’s Hump and gazed across Upper Waterton Lake at one of the prettiest views in the Canadian Rockies.

The lake was remarkably still, a rare occurrence in the windy southwest corner of the province, and the sun glistened off some golden coloured aspens in the pine forest that hugged the lake and crept its way up the sides of the mountains. There is no bad time to hike to the top of Bear’s Hump in Waterton Lakes National Park, but it’s particularly special in autumn. The weather is just a bit crisp, and the colours are magnificent.

Autumn in Alberta is highly underrated. Leaf-peeping tours seem to be restricted to the eastern side of Canada where yellow, burnt orange and fiery red leaves brighten the landscape,