Highway 40 has become a serious contender in our list of top roads to travel by motorcycle. Wildlife, mountain views and good pavement – what more can you ask for?

The drive through Peter Lougheed Provincial Park takes you across the highest paved road in Canada. The Highwood Pass Summit is 2,206 metres in elevation. This road is only open from June 15th to December 1st every year. We assumed this was due to the winter weather but were pleasantly surprised to find out that it is actually a conservation effort to protect the Elk’s feeding habitat during the harsh winter months.

There are many hikes in the park ranging from easy afternoon walks to multi-day treks. Be sure to stop in at the Visitors Centre to grab a map and check for any trail closures or special notices.

[su_heading size=”12″]Ptarmigan Cirque[/su_heading] This is a short but strenuous hike with a good payout. It is also a great place to watch the sunset. The trail head starts at the Highwood Pass.

[su_heading size=”12″]Rawson Lake[/su_heading] This 8km round trip takes you to an alpine lake surrounded by towering mountain ridges. Once you reach the lake, you have the option to scramble up further to Sarrail Ridge. This will add a gruelling 650m elevation gain over 1km. It is definitely worth the extra effort, not only for the exercise but the view is unreal. A word of caution, if you choose to do this unmarked trail, keep your guard up for falling rocks. The path that has been made by hikers follows a steep and narrow slide path. It is never advisable to spend time in the path of a potential rock slide or avalanche. As we were ascending the mountain, a beach ball sized boulder came hurdling down from above, smashing to pieces 10 feet from where we sat. This was a close call and reminder of the dangers associated with climbing mountains.