Great Divide Trail
| Great Divide Trail | |
|---|---|
| Length | 1,095 km (680 mi) |
| Location | Canadian Rockies, Alberta and British Columbia |
| Trailheads | South: Canada-US border at Waterton Lake North: Kakwa Lake in Kakwa Park |
| Use | |
| Highest point | Unnamed pass, 2,590 m (8,500 ft) |
| Lowest point | Old Fort Point trailhead, 1,055 m (3,461 ft) |
| Difficulty | Strenuous |
| Months | July–September |
| Sights | |
| Hazards | River crossings, water-borne illness, hypothermia, wildlife, avalanches, lightning |
| Maintained by | Great Divide Trail Association |
| Website | greatdividetrail |
| Trail map | |
The Great Divide Trail (GDT) is a hiking trail in the Canadian Rockies, made up of several trails connected by roads and wilderness routes. It closely follows the Great Divide between Alberta and British Columbia, crossing it more than 30 times. Its southern terminus is at the Canada–US border (where it connects with the Continental Divide Trail), and its northern terminus is at Kakwa Lake, north of Jasper National Park. The trail is 1,095 km (680 mi) long and ranges in elevation from 1,055 m (3,461 ft) to 2,590 m (8,500 ft). Although the idea and first trail work goes back to the 1960s, the project went dormant for decades until the early 2000s.
The GDT is most often hiked from early July until early September, when it is nearly free of snow. It generally takes between five and ten weeks, about seven at an average pace. Although there are popular sections that see thousands of hikers each year, fewer than 100 people thru-hike the entire GDT annually.