Ha Ling Peak Summit
The jagged silhouette of Ha Ling Peak looms over every street in Canmore — and from its 2,408-metre summit, the entire Bow Valley unfolds beneath you in a 360-degree panorama that makes the steep slog entirely worth it. This is the peak that locals point to when they want to show visitors what the Canadian Rockies are really about.
A Steep Climb With a Storied Past
The peak was originally called the Beehive before being renamed after Ha Ling, a Chinese immigrant who famously summited it in 1896 — reportedly on a $50 bet that no one could do it within ten hours. Modern hikers benefit from engineered switchbacks, wooden staircases, and safety chains that make the ascent far more manageable than Ha Ling's original scramble.
The trail begins at the Goat Creek Parking Lot, crosses the drinking-water canal, and climbs relentlessly through pine forest before breaking into open alpine terrain. Two formal viewpoints along the way — both with rock seating — offer excellent excuses to catch your breath and frame a photo of Mount Rundle and the East End of Rundle (EEOR) across the valley.
The Summit and the Secret Extension
At the top, Ha Ling's 300-metre vertical cliff face drops away beneath your boots and the view stretches from Mount Lady MacDonald all the way down the Bow Valley to Exshaw. Quarry Lake glints far below, and on a clear day the peaks seem to go on forever in every direction.
For a quieter experience, continue along the ridge to Miner's Peak and the Three Humps — a short extension that most day-trippers skip, offering even better perspectives back toward Ha Ling and noticeably less wind.
Ha Ling Peak Summit on video
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