The Prairie Mountain Trail, one of the busiest trails in Kananaskis Country, has reopened after the completion of upgrades by Parks Alberta, including the addition of a defined trailhead and improved signage.

The trail refurbishment cost $820,000 and is part of the Alberta government’s Crown Lands Trails and Tourism (CLTT) capital investment commitment of $33.7 million over seven years.

Located in Elbow Valley, across Highway 66 from Elbow Falls Provincial Recreation Area, Parks officials say the redeveloped trail is safer, easier to follow, and will reduce damage.

It's located about 54 km southwest of Cochrane via Hwy 22 and AB-66 W. and is near Bragg Creek. It's a 6.6 km out-and-back trail that takes an average of 3 1.2 hours to complete and is generally considered a challenging route.

Prairie mt trail

“There are many incredible experiences waiting for outdoor enthusiasts along our provincial trail system," states Forestry and Parks minister Todd Loewen, in a news release issued today. "Prairie Mountain Trail serves as a great example of what we intend to accomplish by investing in trails across Alberta. We are extremely proud of the work completed here and with other similar trail projects this year.”

Other CLTT commitments currently in progress include Livingstone PLUZ; Atlas and McGillivray staging area improvements; and Rocky Mountain House to Nordegg Rail Trail development.