Writing-on-Stone is a beautiful yet often-forgotten provincial park nestled in the corner of Alberta, far from the much more familiar Rockies. While lacking the immense scale of those high mountain peaks, or even of the iconic Alberta badlands, it offers views of incredibly unique rock formations that are a struggle to be compared with anywhere else in the province. The sandstone here and in the rest of the province are evidence of the giant inland sea that used to be here. As well, the stunning natural prairie habitat is something that is so rare to find well-protected. While many people choose to freely wander around areas of the park, the Hoodoo Trail is the one official trail in the park. Starting at the parking lot at the edge of the river valley, it meanders it’s way down through the hoodoos and towards the Milk River. It follows along, weaving in and out of the rock formations before eventually climbing up a hill with a fantastic lookout over the coulee below.
Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park doesn’t exist just to protect a beautiful natural landscape. It also protects a high concentration of Native American pictographs, some of which are visible carved into the rock from this hike. I highly suggest picking up one of the trail guides in the park or keeping the digital version on your phone in order to know where exactly to keep an eye out for this ancient artwork – otherwise it’s easy to miss!
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Hoodoo Trail in Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience.
Before visiting Writing-on-Stone it’s essential to read up on the Alberta Parks rules that must be followed to avoid tickets and/or fines. When hiking it’s important to avoid harmful practices such as disturbing plants or rock-stacking, or removing any natural object from flowers to rocks, as it’s important to leave the environment as natural as possible for the animals and for fellow hikers to enjoy in perpetuity. As many flowers as there are, there are few enough that if we all took one, then there wouldn’t be any left. If you’re after a souvenir to take home with you, there are tons of gift shops in the Waterton townsite to check out. Otherwise take only photos, leave only footprints. And I shouldn’t have to say this – but don’t carve your name into the delicate rock formations. Seriously.
If you haven’t heard of Leave No Trace principles, they’re also really essential to read up on before heading anywhere into the outdoors in general. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like Writing-on-Stone as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Hoodoo Trail Round Trip Details
Distance: 5.6 KM / 3.5 MI
Elevation Gain: 122 M / 400 FT
Hiking Time: 1.5 HRS
Hiking & Safety Tips
- Prepare for the possibility of wildlife encounters. Bears have been extirpated from the region but rattlesnakes are common in Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park. (I saw two the last time I was there.) As scary as they may sound, Alberta has no official deaths from rattlesnake bites. Bites are rare and when they do occur it’s usually from people trying to hurt the snake. Make sure to stay on the trail and if you do happen to see a rattlesnake, make sure to give it its space.
- Research current trail conditions and make sure you are well-informed about the route before you leave, and assess if it is within your capability. Be aware of what time it gets dark and check the weather forecast. Make sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Every year as more and more people try hiking for the first time, the number of rescues goes up. Being prepared is the best defense.
- Pack everything you need for a successful hike, including enough water and energy-rich snacks. Remember to pack out everything you pack in though – don’t expect to find a convenient garbage can halfway up the trail. Bring appropriate layers (remember you’ll warm up once you start hiking) and sun protection. Hiking poles may be helpful but are not required. Inaddition to not leaving any garbage on the trail yourself, I highly recommend bringing a garbage bag and collecting any trash that you do see on the trail. You’re guaranteed to make the hike up Bear’s Hump a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
How to Get to Writing-on-Stone
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park is located East of Milk River, just barely above the border with the USA. In fact, you can even see Montana from the park. The drive is pleasant and scenic paved road, with just a little bit of gravel range road at the end as you turn off into the park. Writing-on- Stone is located an hour and fifteen minutes from Lethbridge or three and a half hours from Calgary.
Click here to open the exact location in Google Maps.
Hiking the Hoodoo Trail
We parked in the overflow parking, which is the very start of the gravel walking path. (Visible behind the sign.) Alternatively you can park at the main parking lot at the visitors centre and join the trail from there.
The trail turns to dirt and heads down into the coulee just after the visitor centre.
The trail is obvious for the vast majority of the hike. Going off-trail and trampling vegetation is discouraged.
The path winds down towards the campground. Once the trail meets up with Writing On Stone Road, turn right and follow the road for a minute until you see the trail continue on the left.
Stairs lead up and down and up and down.
The correct path, though not always perfectly signed, is always recognizable by its stairs in the rock. Lots of other paths branch off but it’s best to try and stay on the main as much as possible to reduce impact.
Walking just below the lower edge of the hoodoos stretching up like strange cliffs.
The path winds it’s way back up and through the hoodoos.
The scenery opens up on the approach to the hill. Here is a great spot to enjoy all the different grasses.
The view from the top of the hill / end of the trail. Sweetgrass Hills are visible in the distance. The highest peak is West Butte. Mt Brown and Mt Royal just barely visible peaking up on the left of the moon. Once at the top of the hill it’s possible to return down the way you came. I chose instead to walk back along the upper road. The views were less interesting but it was getting late so the faster route was the right call.
Recommended Hiking Gear
Water is a must whenever I’m hiking, especially if the sun is going to be out. My favourite water filter I’ve used is the Katadyn BeFree 0.6L, which unlike other water filters I’ve used packs up really small and lightweight. For hikes where I know there won’t be any readily available water sources along the way, I make sure to bring my own. The Hydrapak Stow 1L bottle is my go-to, for the same reason that it’s made of a soft plastic that folds up and doesn’t take up any more extra space than necessary in my pack. Finally, Aquatabs are another great option for purifying water, with one tablet being suitable for one litre of water. I previously used the Grayl water filter while travelling internationally, and though I found its hard body more convenient for day to day use and easier to drink from, it has a little too much bulk for my fast-and-light style of hiking.
The secret to all my photos of gorgeous sunset and sunrise mountaintop views? A lot of hiking in the dark. And let me speak from personal experience when I say that the last thing that you want to happen when hiking is to be caught in the dark without a headlamp. I used the Black Diamond Spot 400 for years and it worked great – until I lost it on top of a mountain somewhere. The only downside to it was having to worry about the batteries dying, though there’s also a slightly more expensive version that has a rechargeable battery. Nowadays I’m using the Petzl Actik Core, which is a bit pricier than the more budget-friendly Black Diamond, but is also brighter, more comfortable (in my opinion), and has a hybrid power system that is rechargeable but can also take AAA batteries if needed.
You won’t see me using trekking poles on shorter hikes often – but on long hikes and backpacking trips, as well as certain scrambles, they are an absolute lifesaver. I’ve invested in a high quality ultra-lightweight pair of MSR DynaLock Ascent carbon poles which, while pricey, I don’t regret one bit. If you’re not entirely sure how much use you’re going to get out of a pair of trekking poles, the best budget-friendly option would be the Trekology Trek Z 2.0. Amazon does sell a lot of cheaper Made in China-style trekking poles for cheaper, but these usually are much much heavier and not worth buying.
All the best and most long-lasting cables and power banks I’ve ever owned have been Anker. I once had a phone cable from them that lasted me over three years of daily use! That’s why I keep an Anker PowerCore Essential 20K power bank on me. Like many people I use my phone for a lot of stuff when hiking (checking in with family, using online maps, taking photos, flying my drone) so I like to be prepared for that low battery warning by having a backup power source on me just in case.
The only socks I ever buy for myself are from Darn Tough, and I almost always make sure to wear them when hiking. After years of having no problems only wearing these comfortable and rugged socks for hikes, I accidentally wore a pair of no-name socks on a hike last year and ended up with blisters on both feet. Safe to say I’m back to sticking with the Darn Tough. And the best part? They have a lifetime guarantee, meaning that if they ever wear out you can send them back for a brand new pair. For hiking footwear I go between a pair of lightweight approach shoes for quick and dirty mountain ascents or anything involving scrambling and more heavy-duty boots for longer treks. I’ve worn a couple different versions of the lightweight but super durable Arc’teryx Konseal FL 2 approach shoes for a few years now and am very impressed with the durability. I also really like the thick toecap that keeps me protected every time I stumble into a root or large rock. For longer, tougher, or muddier treks I rely on my LOWA Camino EVO GTX, which I find insanely comfortable and made of very high quality.
I wear my Ar’teryx Gamma Lightweight Pants on every single hike I go on, and on many days when I’m not hiking. After several years of abuse they are still holding together extraordinarily well, with only a few small holes from where I’ve fallen down and some slight stains from being repeatedly coated with mud. They’re lightweight, breathable, and super comfortable. For lightweight and breathable hiking tops I’m a big fan of both the Patagonia Capilene Shirt and the MEC Core Shirt. My Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody shows up in a lot of my photos. It’s super lightweight and packable, and does a great job of cutting the wind while also being pretty breathable. I also have an Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Arc’teryx Beta LT that I pull out for cooler or wetter conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to hiking the Hoodoo Trail in Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.