The Elbow Loop Trail starts and ends at the Little Elbow Recreation Area at the end of Highway 66 west of Bragg Creek, Alberta.
The entire trail is 42.2 km and has an elevation gain of 1,660 meters.
I hiked it over 3 days starting on the Little Elbow section and getting to Romulus backcountry campground on my first night. I went to Tombstone backcountry campground on the second night and then hiked out to the road along the Big Elbow section. Maps and full reports with photos for each day are below.
I have also included my menu (What I Ate) and my packing list (What I Brought) below.
Day 1
The green line along the top of the map is the Day 1 route.
Distance hiked: 11.4 km
Elevation gain: 268 meters
Elevation loss: 105 meters
Day 2
The green line along the left is the Day 2 route.
Distance hiked: 12.3 km
Elevation gain: 514 meters
Elevation loss: 340 meters
Day 3
The green line starting at the lower left and ending near the upper right corner is the Day 3 route.
Distance hiked: 21.7 km
Elevation gain: 340 meters
Elevation loss: 688 meters
Trail Reports
Here are the Alberta Parks regularly updated Trail Reports. There are three separate reports for the Elbow Loop, each for a different segment – Big Elbow, Little Elbow and Tombstone Lakes.
Season
The campgrounds are open June 15 to November 30.
More Information
A handy brochure published by Alberta Parks is here. It provides maps and more information about backpacking the Elbow Loop and other trails in the area.
Alone
The Elbow Loop is a straightforward hike with well-maintained trails and it’s fairly popular, making it the perfect route for my first solo backpacking trip. I was a bit nervous to head out on my own.
