Someone made a request that I post about Karst Springs, so I am now fulfilling that request.
I went here for the first time last summer. To be honest, the first part of the hike is slightly boring as it is on an old road, but once you reach the lake and the springs it is SO worth it.
Overall, the hike is mainly flat, until you reach the Springs. The only real climbing that has to be done is in order to get to the viewpoint you have to climb up a bit of a hill, but it only takes 10-15 minutes depending how fast you are at climbing hills.
The first part of the hike looks mainly like this
I love waterfalls and Karst Springs is unique as the spring is coming right out of the mountain.
On the Canmore and Kananaskis — Hiking Trails and Hiking Information, “the spring drains from passageways between limestone layers of Shark Ridge creating a karst formation. Snow and rain water seep into cracks and dissolve the rock, creating tunnels from which streams begin”.
This is where the hike starts to get more exciting
I also loved how there was wooden planks (a ‘boardwalk’) to walk through the wet parts and sometimes you can even see little fish in the water.
For directions to Karst springs and more info about the hike visit the trailpeak site (click here).
As with every hike remember:
- Bear Spray
- Snacks
- LOTS of water
- Comfy Shoes
- Camera
Ariel Pandachuck 