Ogre Canyon

June 27, 2015

This remote location in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains have some of the most stunning, awe inspiring views.  Standing high enough in the mountain, at times, to see eye-level with the peaks in the distance offers a view not found often enough on the Alberta side of the Rockies.

Like the last time I went out this way, I would travel through the small village of Brulé.  Once you reach the gate at the other end of the village you will start a rough 8 Kilometers of rugged off road.  Unlike many of the fire roads I've come across in the mountains, this path is by far the most rugged I've seen to date.  The last four kilometers alone took me 45 minutes in my Subaru Imprezza.  Note: please close the gates behind you!


The first gate is separated by another gate one kilometer apart.  This part of the road is very nice, and surrounded by some horses, who said a friendly hello as I was passing by.  From this second gate, for the next three kilometers, you face a common off road path.  It's rugged and rocky, similar to that of Celestine Lake Road or the Whitehorse trail.  You will come across your last gate, marking your 4th Kilometer, or halfway.  From here to the Ogre Canyon trail head you will face some of the most rough trail I've seen in the Rockies.  There will be multiple wash-outs, pits and exposed rock that I would only recommend high razed trucks or horseback to complete.

Once you finish the drive to the parking lot and reach the Ogre Canyon sign you will be able to see some distant mountains over the horizon and the massive canyon a short distance away.  From the start of this trail, you will only walk a kilometer into the canyon.  This short walk will be surrounded by nice views, and many unbearable bugs.

The waterfall itself juts out and drops an immense distance down the mountain.  It's startlingly similar to Opal Falls in Kananaskis, where the large drop is responsible for the curvature of the rock face surrounding it.  Moreover, the naming convention comes from the look of an ogre sculpted just above the waterfall.


For those venturing on foot, or snowshoe, there is a couple camp sites available around the trail head.  One Kilometer out from the parking lot (roughly 7Km in) there is a road that ventures off to the left, which has a camping area.  Further to that there are camp sites within meters of the parking area.

Ogre Falls & The Ogre