The “Late Notice” GDT Guide: A Hiking Itinerary for Permit Struggles on the Great Divide Trail
- Dylan Ivens
- Mar 28
- 15 min read
Updated: Mar 29
Hot take: It’s possible for a fit and experienced thru-hiker to create a full itinerary for the Great Divide Trail with as little as two week’s notice, and it wouldn’t even require a crazy amount of luck with campsite cancellations. I’ll make my case below.
Let's be clear from the start – anyone attempting a hike of the GDT should have camping permits where required. Whether you intend to be or not, every GDT hiker is an ambassador for the GDT community. The GDTA has made great progress building relationships with the various National Parks, Provincial Parks, and other land management agencies along the GDT. This has resulted in better trail maintenance along the GDT corridor as well as additional campsite options for hikers (Maligne Valley, equestrian sites, etc.). To put it bluntly: the GDT needs the Parks, but the Parks don’t need the GDT. Disrespecting the regulations of the Parks will only jeopardize the future of the trail.
With that said, I won’t deny that the planning requirements under the current permit system are a pain. Many popular sites will get booked up immediately in January, forcing GDT hopefuls to prepare a full day-by-day GDT itinerary up to half a year before they’ll even begin the hike. But will your start date be too early if there's heavy snowfall in late winter? Who knows! What if you have other obligations and won’t know your possible start date until later in the year? What if you simply weren’t able to secure those prized campsites? There are many valid reasons to find yourself organizing a GDT hike in the spring or early summer.
A few quick caveats before we dig in:
You might be able to secure some of the popular sites by scooping up cancellations, but the schedules offered here assume that the most popular sites are completely off the table.
I’m not saying that organizing this is easy, just that it’s possible. You’ll still need to do some trial-and-error with availability (avoiding weekends at busy sites, etc.). You may also find it useful to add an extra day to a flexible section if it lands you at a future popular site on a day when it’s available. You can also add extra zero days to your schedule, both in town and on trail.
You’ll probably end up requiring a few long hiking days. The feasibility of this will differ for everyone, but the options presented here won’t be a good fit for anyone trying to stick to the GDTA’s ‘Relaxed’ itinerary. The pace here will be closer to ‘Average’, but with some longer days thrown in. Anyone who has thru-hiked a triple-crown trail should find this schedule quite manageable.
I’m not even arguing that you should hike the GDT (although I think the scenery makes a pretty strong case). Some hikers, especially those coming from triple-crown trails, may find the rigidity of a fixed hiking schedule to be unappealing. That’s fine, but for now it’s simply part of the deal.
I’m aware that this guide may become self-defeating. If more hikers are able to schedule a GDT hike using less-popular sites, then eventually those sites will also fill up and this document will become less useful. But even in that case, that still means additional hikers will have experienced the GDT, joined the GDTA, and can advocate for the future of the trail.
Okay, let’s dive in:
Section A (Minimum Two reservations needed)
Day 1: Waterton Townsite (12 km)
Reserve a campsite/room in Waterton for your first night. Plan to start on a weekday for better availability. After arriving in Waterton and checking in, stash most of your gear/food and day hike to the monument and back. If you’ll be arriving late, book two nights or get up early and tag the monument in the morning.
Day 2: Waterton to Akamina Creek (21.5 km)
No permit needed (first-come-first-served). The campsite is 2.4 km off-route if you’re not planning to hike the Mt Rowe alternate.
Day 3: Akamina Creek to Sage Pass (19 km via Mt Rowe alternate, 31 km via GDT)
The Mt Rowe alternate begins with a very steep climb and involves slower off-trail travel with no water (great views though). You could also continue further to Font Creek or Jutland Creek. No permit needed for any of these sites.
Day 4,5,6+: The rest of the campsites in Section A do not require reservations. Reserve your accommodations in Coleman or Blairmore to finish the section.
Section B (Zero reservations required, but One recommended)
Although you don’t need to plan out each night’s specific campsite in Section B, you’ll still need to plan your total number of hiking days for (1) your resupply and (2) so you can schedule your reservations in Section C. If you’re attempting to book anything last-minute, then Coleman/Blairmore will be your last chance to make a reservation before beginning Section C (there is no cell service in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park where you’ll pick up your resupply for Section C).
Speaking of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park - although there are first-come-first-served options (Mt Sarrail, Boulton Creek) it might also be a good idea to reserve a site in the park, especially if you’ll be arriving on a weekend.
Section C: Part 1 - Peter Lougheed to Sunshine Village (Minimum Two reservations needed)
Section C is the toughest stretch of the GDT for permits. I’ll list 4 possible options below, all of which assume you’ll be resupplying in Banff. The campsites near Sunshine Village are usually booked up (Howard Douglas, Healy Creek, Egypt Lake, Ball Pass), so taking the gondola and shuttle into Banff is a good workaround. I’m also assuming that Floe Lake, Numa Pass, and Tumbling Creek are all unavailable on the Rockwall Trail. There is still hope! The first half of Section C will look the same for each of the first three options:
Day 1: Mt Sarrail to Palliser River (26.5 km) or Palliser Pass (31.1 km)
Add 3 km if leaving from Boulton Creek. Beatty Lake is even closer via the South Kananaskis Pass trail, and is also a great option if taking the excellent Northover Ridge alternate. However, camping at Beatty Lake will also make the following day a fair bit longer. No permits needed for the campsites mentioned.
Day 2: Palliser Pass to Big Springs (24 km) / Marvel Lake (28 km) / McBride’s Camp (28.5 km) / Allenby Junction (32 km) Reservations are needed for these sites, but it’s unlikely that they’ll all be full. The trail after Palliser Pass is flat and fast, so don’t be worried about a higher mileage day. Try to book a site as far up the trail as possible. Allenby Junction would be best, and is also the most likely to be available. Add 4.5 km if starting at Palliser River, or 10 km for Beatty Lake.
Day 3: Allenby Junction to Sunshine Village (32 km via Assiniboine Pass)
Get an early start today! You’ll need to reach the Sunshine Village Gondola in time to ride the free shuttle into Banff, where you’ll sleep in a booked room in town or a reserved campsite in the large Tunnel Mountain Village 1 campground (you can try for a walk-up, but it’s pretty busy). This would be a good time for a zero day, since you’ll likely have some town chores/resupply to take care of and you’ll need a full hiking day when heading back to trail.
Note: If Porcupine campsite is available you could split this into two days, allowing for more time below Assiniboine and then a half day in Banff rather than a full zero.
Section C: Part 2 - Sunshine Village to Field (multiple route options)
Option 1: Hitch at HWY 93
(Minimum Two reservations needed)
This option stays on the GDT but requires some long days and hitchhiking. See Map
Day 1: Sunshine Village gondola to Floe Lake Trailhead/HWY 93 (34 km) Catch the earliest shuttle back to Sunshine so you don’t lose too many hiking hours. You need to cover 34 km and arrive at the Floe Lake Trailhead before evening so you can hitch a ride up the highway to Marble Canyon Campground (16 km) where you’ve reserved a frontcountry campsite. Chat up some hikers returning from Floe Lake or stick your thumb out on the road.
Note: Marble Canyon books up on weekends. Alternatively you could plan to hitch south on HWY 93 and book a site at McLeod Meadows campground (44 km away, 30 min drive). It’s farther from the trail but has better availability.
Day 2: Floe Lake TH/HWY 93 to Wolverine Pass (29 km)
Hitch back to the trail and enjoy the Rockwall Trail. There’s a lot of vertical gain today but you can take as long as you want to reach Wolverine Pass (no reservation needed).
Author’s Plea: Take a preemptive poop at the toilets at the Tumbling Creek campsite before making the final climb to the pass. Wolverine Pass is an unmaintained subalpine area which is used by many GDT hikers and even with the best LNT intentions it has the potential to become a real shitshow (pun absolutely intended).
Day 3: Wolverine Pass to MacArthur Creek (22 km)
Reservation needed for MacArthur Creek, but it’s a rarely used site. Sleep in, enjoy the last stretch of the Rockwall.
Day 4: MacArthur Creek to Field (23 km)
If your resupply box is at the Field Post Office you’ll want to hike early to arrive within business hours (M-F 9:30 am - 1:30 pm at the time of writing). Many hikers choose to hitch to Golden or Lake Louise for resupply and amenities. If accommodations in Field are booked up, you could also walk/hitch 5 km east on HWY 1 to Monarch Campground (unserviced, first-come-first-served) or Kicking Horse Campground (serviced, very popular, reservation highly recommended). Another option is to hike ahead on the GDT to random camp past the Amiskwi bridge (permit required). Whatever you choose, plan to be on trail early if you’re planning to start Section D with the Kiwetinok Alternate.
Strong hikers could also consider carrying their Section D resupply from Banff and combining day 3 and 4 from this schedule (46 km total with a tame elevation profile). Section D is relatively short and this would only total 6-7 days of food. You’d arrive later in Field but wouldn’t need anything from town (you could immediately head to Monarch / Kicking Horse campground or the Amiskwi bridge).
Option 2: Gibbon Pass - Vermillion Pass
(Minimum Three reservations needed)
This option does not require hitchhiking and has shorter daily hiking distances, but requires some road walking and bypasses the first half of the Rockwall Trail. See Map
Day 1: Sunshine Gondola to Pharoah Creek (19 km) / Shadow Lake (25 km) Both of these sites are busy and require reservations, but they’re still less popular than those along the GDT corridor. Worst case, reserve Lost Horse Creek which is 3 km off our route but has good availability.
Day 2: Shadow Lake to Marble Canyon Campground (22 km) / Helmet/Ochre Junction (28 km) Add 7 km if starting at Pharoah Creek or 6 km from Lost Horse Creek. Requires walking beside HWY 93 for 8 km. There’s a good shoulder on the north side, but it’s still highway walking. Reservation highly recommended for Marble Canyon Campground (booked on weekends) and required for Helmet/Ochre Junction. If you continue to Helmet/Ochre Junction you’ll need to either backtrack a few km in the morning before heading up Tumbling Creek, or continue up Helmet Creek at the expense of bypassing the last section of the Rockwall (including excellent scenery at Rockwall Pass).
Day 3: Marble Canyon Campground to MacArthur Creek (38 km, 30 km via Helmet Creek) Shorter day if starting at Helmet/Ochre Junction. Reservation required for MacArthur Creek.
Day 4: MacArthur Creek to Field (23 km)
Similar lodging and resupply considerations as mentioned in Option 1.
Option 3: Bow Valley Highline
(Minimum Three reservations needed)
This option stays even closer to the Divide than the current official route of the GDT. It does not require hitchhiking and can be done with short hiking days, but requires a section of off-trail hiking and passes through a busy day-hiking area which is subject to closures. It also requires a reservation at Taylor Lake, which is a popular site. See Map
Day 1: Sunshine Gondola to Pharoah Creek (19 km) / Shadow Lake (25 km) Both of these sites are busy and require reservations, but they’re still less popular than those along the GDT corridor. Worst case, reserve Healy Creek which is 3 km off our route but has good availability.
Day 2: Shadow Lake to Taylor Lake (24 km) Hike over Gibbon Pass to HWY 93, then walk east for one km to the Boom Lake Trailhead. From here you’ll hike a recently marked trail to Taylor Lake. Reservation required for Taylor Lake, which is usually booked up on weekends.
Day 3: Taylor Lake to Lake Louise (~23 km; off-trail hiking required)
There is no longer a continuous trail between Taylor Lake and Moraine Lake. There are two routes that can be taken:
Taylor Pass Leaving Taylor Lake, briefly hike northeast up the popular route towards the east arm of Panorama Ridge but then climb southwest across steep off-trail terrain towards the pass between Panorama Peak and Mount Bell (“Taylor Pass”?). I have not hiked this route but it has been explored by others. Descend from the pass into the Consolation Lakes area (not my video) and join the Consolation Lakes Trail.
Old Bow Valley Highline Trail There was once a trail between Taylor Lake and Moraine Lake which was part of the Bow Valley Highline Trail, constructed in 1938. It’s long been decommissioned and little evidence of the route remains, however this 2023 video (not mine) shows that occasional flags make it possible to follow (slowly). It runs just below treeline along the east and north slopes of Panorama Ridge before joining with the Consolation Lakes Trail. From here the trail will be well marked and busy with day hikers around Moraine Lake.
From Moraine Lake you'll continue along the Moraine Lake Highline Trail, which will bring you to Lake Louise. Hike down or hop on a bus/shuttle to the Lake Louise Campground (reservation required). You’ll likely want to grab your resupply for Section D in Lake Louise, with one extra day of food to carry for tomorrow.
Day 4: Lake Louise Campground to Monarch campground (24 km)
Hike up to the Lake and then head west on the Ross Lake trail before finishing the day on the highway. There are some possible parallel paths to avoid a bit of the pavement, but it can’t be avoided completely (even the official GDT walks along the highway into Field). Monarch campground can fill up, especially on weekends, so you could also plan to continue further up the GDT to camp near the Amiskwi River just past the Amiskwi bridge (random camp permit needed).
Option 4: Banff East / Sawback Trail
(5-7 reservations needed)
This option strays farthest from the GDT but still offers a continuous footpath through the Sawback Mountains on the eastern side of Banff National Park. The route diverts from the GDT much earlier than the others, so let’s restart Section C from the beginning (the first two days are the same). See Map
Section C: Part 1 - Peter Lougheed to Banff
Day 1: Mt Sarrail to Palliser River (26.5 km) / Palliser Pass (31.1 km) Add 3 km if leaving from Boulton Creek. Beatty Lake is even closer via the South Kananaskis Pass trail, and is also a great option if taking the excellent Northover Ridge alternate. However, camping at Beatty Lake will also make the next day a fair bit longer. No permits needed for the campsites mentioned.
Day 2: Palliser Pass to Big Springs (24 km) / Marvel Lake (28 km) / McBride’s Camp (28.5 km) / Allenby Junction (32 km) Reservations are needed for these sites, but it’s unlikely that they’ll all be full. The trail after Palliser Pass is flat and fast, so don’t be worried about a higher mileage day. Add 4.5 km if starting at Palliser River, or 10 km for Beatty Lake.
Day 3: McBride’s Camp to Brewster Creek (29 km - distances will differ from other starting points)
Here we leave the standard GDT. The most direct route to Brewster Creek is over Allenby Pass, a popular horsepacking area. From Aug 1 to Sept 30 Allenby Pass is usually closed to hikers unless they are in a group of 4 or more (although no restrictions before Aug 1). If you’ll be there during the seasonal closure you can still reach Brewster Creek via Fatigue Pass (36 km via Assiniboine Pass, 41 km via Marvel Pass). This also allows you to enjoy views of Mt Assiniboine. The trail from Fatigue Pass to Brewster Creek seems to be more popular with horse outfitters than backpackers, and requires a ford of Brewster Creek before reaching the campsite. Reservation for Brewster Creek required.
Day 4: Brewster Creek to Banff (18 km)
Walk directly into town along an old fire road (can be muddy, frequent horse traffic). Sleep in a booked room in town or a reserved campsite in the large Tunnel Mountain Village 1 campground (you can try for a walk-up, but it’s pretty busy). Resupply, town chores. Plan a zero if you want.
Section C: Part 2 - Banff to Field
Now you’ll just hike the Sawback Trail from Banff to Lake Louise. There are many campsites with good availability for whatever pace you’d like. See the map for possible route variations as well. Here’s a possible 3 day schedule:
Day 1: Banff to Mystic Valley (25 km)
Reservation needed.
Day 2: Mystic Valley to Badger Pass Jctn (24 km)
Reservation needed. Wildflower Creek is another good option which makes for a shorter day into Lake Louise, but it’s a bit more popular and may be booked.
Day 3: Wildflower Creek to Lake Louise Campground (32.5 km)
Reservation highly recommended. The Lake Louise Campground can easily book up on weekends, but you can always adjust your planned pace/route on the Sawback Trail in order to arrive in Lake Louise mid-week. Resupply for Section D in Lake Louise and add one additional day of food for the walk to Field tomorrow.
Day 4: Lake Louise Campground to Monarch campground (24 km)
Hike up to the Lake and then head west on the Ross Lake trail before finishing the day on the highway. There are some possible parallel paths to avoid a bit of the pavement, but it can’t be avoided completely (even the official GDT walks along the highway into Field). Monarch campground can fill up, especially on weekends, so you can also continue further up the GDT to camp near the Amiskwi River just past the Amiskwi bridge (random camp permit needed).
Section D (Two reservations needed)
After Day 1 you could easily hike different itineraries for the rest of the section, this is just how I did it.
Day 1: Monarch campground to Amiskwi Valley (34 km via Kiwetinok alternate)
Start nice and early for this full day on the Kiwetinok alternate. It’s a flat 4 km walk (or short hitch) from Monarch campground towards Field where you’ll climb steeply up onto the Wapta Highline trail and Iceline trail, then continue in slower off-trail conditions over Kiwetinok Pass, Kewitinok shoulder, and down into flatter terrain to camp. It’s a long and tiring day but a beautiful one. Random camping permit needed for random camping in Amiskwi Valley. Alternatively, if the full Kiwetinok Alternate sounds like too much for one day, you can always take the official GDT up the Amiskwi at a more flexible pace (prepare for a ridiculous obstacle course of deadfall).
Day 2: Amiskwi Valley to Lambe Creek (33.5 km)
No permits required. This distance calculation assumes you’ll be taking the Collie Creek alternate, but it may not be viable depending on bridge conditions for crossing the Blaeberry. Taking the official GDT along the forest roads is a reliable (but longer) backup plan. The Amiskwi Ridge alternate is also highly recommended.
Day 3: Lambe Creek to Howse River (25.5 km)
Random camping permit needed. Expect slower travel while meandering up the floodplain.
Day 4: Howse River to Border Cutline (16 km)
Finish out Section D with a quick walk to The Crossing resort, then grab your resupply and hike out to the boundary cutline to camp just outside of the park limits.
Section E (Three reservations needed)
Another tough section for permits. I’m assuming all the Maligne Valley campsites are unavailable as well as most of the Skyline. However, if you’re willing to put in a few long days it can still be done relatively simply (simple does not mean easy!).
Day 1: Boundary Cutline to Waterfall Creek (15 km)
A shorter day, but upper Owen Creek can be slow and this sets us up well for the rest of the section. Reservation required. Enjoy the GDT high point!
Day 2: Waterfall Creek to Cataract Pass (27 km)
No permit needed.
Day 3: Cataract Pass to Poboktan (44 km)
Reservation required. Poboktan has fairly good availability. This stretch can also be hiked over two days by booking Jonas Cutoff or McCready horse camp.
Day 4: Poboktan to Evelynn (45 km)
Trail quality over Maligne pass has improved in recent years and the elevation profile is very tame after the initial climb to Avalanche. Evelynn is the first campsite on the popular Skyline trail, but it would make for a very short first day for hikers and is usually left available. Little Shovel is 2.5 km farther and similar considerations apply. It extends this day but shortens tomorrow. Reservation required.
Day 5: Evelynn to Jasper (51 km)
The longest day of this whole itinerary - good thing your food bag is almost empty! Rise early, float along the Skyline and push on down to Jasper for a well-deserved dinner. Whistler’s Campground has an area with walk-in sites (first-come-first-served). A reservation for a normal site wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Or book a real bed in town if your bones are missing a proper bed.
Note: It’s only 39 km from Evelynn to the northern trailhead of the Skyline trail. You could hitch or arrange a taxi into Jasper and leave the additional 12 km of walking for another day. There is some cell service on the high ridge walk between Curator and Tekarra campsites, as well as during the final descent to the trailhead on Signal Mountain fire road.
Section F (Two or three reservations needed)
You’ve made it to the promised land! Some backcountry permits are required in Section F but these are generally not busy sites.
Section G (One or two reservations needed)
Section G begins in the wilderness at the Mt Robson trail junction, but many hikers will also resupply at the Blueberry Trailhead lockers which are roughly two days further ahead. Wolverine North, Timothy Slides, and Chown Creek each require backcountry reservations (not busy). The rest of the way to Kakwa does not require any permits.
And that’s it!
Here’s an interactive spreadsheet tool to help plan your hike, which includes a sample itinerary based on the options that were described here. The options given above for Section C can get complicated, so you may want to list it out separately if you’ll be straying from the standard GDT. There’s a sample schedule provided in the spreadsheet and at the time of writing (March 2025) each campsite on the schedule was still available for the date listed, so planning a ‘late notice’ GDT hike is indeed possible. Good luck and happy hiking!
I do not represent the GDTA. I was fortunate to hike the GDT in 2022 and thought this info would be useful to future hikers.