Foran Grade

When you’re looking for a hike that’s quick and uncomplicated, the trail up Foran Grade Ridge is a fine option. Located in the Sheep River area west of Turner Valley, it’s not that far from Calgary, so convenient to us city dwellers. It’s an easy trek up to a to a low foothills ridge and you’ll be rewarded with stupendous views of the Rockies to the west.

In other words, there’s a nice pay off for little work!

The trail starts at a spot along Highway #546 – Sheep River Road on some maps – about a click and a half past the Sandy McNabb campground. There’s a good-sized pull out that allows parking for many cars and it’s hard to miss.

If you do the trail after December 1st, but before May 15th, you’ll have to park at the winter gate and walk down the highway for fifteen or twenty minutes before intercepting the trail. We visited on opening day for the season, incidentally, so May 15th and there was still a little snow lingering about in shaded places. This trail is equestrian friendly, so watch for horses.

From the parking lot the trail initially heads north, travelling through the trees shortly before breaking out into a large meadow. Here it turns west and almost immediately the climbing starts. The grade is always gentle, however, and the overall elevation gain quite modest. Even so, if you don’t have your summit legs, it can seem like a major undertaking.

Heading into the trees now, it continues to climb (one switchback) before gaining the ridge at its sometimes rocky spine. Occasionally there are breaks in the forest which allow you to look to the west and they get even better as you gain more elevation. To the east, you might catch a glimpse of Calgary.

Foran Grade is an official Kananaskis County trail, so it’s well thought out and sees maintenance, including the removal of blow down. The winds up here howls like crazy at times up, so they must keep busy clearing the resultant dead-fall. There’s signage along the way on this trail, not that the route is in any way difficult to navigate. Just keep on the well trodden path and you’re good.

Before long you reach the high point and here the trees are thin enough giving unobstructed views to the west. Below and to the south, the Sheep River can be seen snaking its way through the valley. Just to the north of it, the highway takes a similar path. Directly across to the west is Windy Point Ridge and it’s slightly higher bump than Foran Grade, but not by much.

Further behind, the big boys can be seen, Mt Burns, Junction Mountain, Gibraltar Mountain, so named because it resembles the namesake rock in Europe, and many others. Those are some towering rocky peaks and quite awe inspiring.

There used to be a ranger station visible from there, down by the highway, but it was removed a few years back. There was this cool old log structure on the grounds, and it must have been quite old. We’d pass it by time after time and always make an excuse that we’d photograph next visit. Then one day it vanished and this is a reminder to act when you can.

If you wish you can return the same way you came, as we did, or you can connect with the Windy Point trail by dropping down, then following a series of different trails back to your car. You can also tackle Windy Point Ridge, which we spoke of earlier and while there is no defined trail on the up leg, the way is always obvious. It’s not too much work and the cliffs on the south-flank are really cool.

Lastly you can connect with the Windy Point trail, but heading north this time, which eventually meets up with the ominous sounding Death Valley trail, which then takes you back to the highway. This makes for a long loop and is for ambitious types.

While it’s not a super-exciting trail or even much of a workout, we still had a great time and I am certain we’ll return. We’ve done the Foran Grade perhaps a half dozen times before, often in conjunction with other connecting trails in the area (here: Foran Grade to Windy Point Ridge and here: Death Valley – Windy Point – Foran Grade loop for example).

The hills in this part of K-Country seems to be full of wildlife and every time we’ve visited trails around Sandy McNabb, we’ve spotted something. Usually it’s deer or grouse, both seen this day, but there’s also been a lot of bears in the past too. We saw four down by the base of Windy Point Ridge, a mom and three cubs.

This little bump was named after Bill Foran, a local who helped build and maintain roads in the area. For all time it’s his ridge.

Stay tuned for more posts like this! While nagging health issues (nothing serious and something that should pass) have kept us from doing big hikes the last couple years, nor doing them as often as we like, we’re happy just to get out into the woods. Any hike is a good one and we’ll be back if it kills us.

Know more (new tab): Foran Grade on Google.

They’re saying…

A true “Rare Hidden Gem!” Ian Thomas McAlpine Paterson.

In the general area…
High Noon Hills.
Mt Hoffmann.
Junction Creek.

If you wish more information about this route or if you love to chat don’t hesitate to contact us!

Date of adventure: May, 2022.
Location: Kananaskis, AB, Sheep River area.
Distance: 6km there and back.
Height gain maximum: 235m
Height gain cumulative: 280m-ish.
NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate and may differ slightly from other trip reports (including our own) – the system is obviously flawed.
Technical stuff and notes: Nope.
Reference: Kananaskis Trail Guides by the Dafferns.

Foran Grade: it begins.

In mere minutes, come to a meadow.

The east facing side of the ridge.

The grade here is gentle.

Deer seem to love the area.

In the trees now.

Soon, there’ll be some views.

Looking west at the Rockies.

The Sheep River far below.

Up some more.

Almost there.

Recent blowdown.

Calgary, off in the distance and about mid-frame.

Cheers from the top – Windy Point Ridge in back.

Many rolling hills to the east.

Knitted Knockers is a great cause.

Looking across ominous sounding Death Valley.

There was the odd snow patch here and there.

Grouse are commonly seen.

We didn’t have a long lens – black spots in the centre are bears.

We could take in this view all day.

A better look at Windy Point Ridge.

Almost done.

The Mighty BIGDoer-mobile has lost a shoe.

It’s a short one, but still a lot of fun.