West Bragg Creek Trails: Moose Loop

This one’s nothing complicated and a relaxed stroll in the forest. It happens in the extensive West Bragg Creek trail network, in the foothills of the Rockies and just a little west of Calgary. Sometimes an easy going and easy access adventure is all you need. Let’s explore Moose Loop, which circles a large low-lying meadow and is reached via a series of connector trails.

It starts west of Bragg Creek and at the very end of West Bragg Creek Road. At this point, you’re just inside Kananaskis, in a area of low ridges and gently rolling hills. The network has a million options and this is a just one.

The trails here are managed and curated. Open to bikers, hikers and equestrian riders all year round, it’s also home to an extensive network of ski and snowshoe trails come winter. When there’s no snow on the ground and it’s warmer out, those ones are multi-use.

In spite of all the different user bases, everyone seems to coexist well in West Bragg and that’s wonderful. The network is well signed and we think all or minimally most junctions have maps. To get lost here would require lots of determination or a blindfold.

The elevation gain on this hike is minimal and there’s no real hills of speak of or worry about the whole trip.

From the parking lot, head west and let the fun begin. In this case, we choose the West Crystal Line snowshoe and hiking trail (pink on maps). It’s a little more interesting than the ski trail of the same name (blue on maps) and which runs beside. The latter makes use of an old logging road whereas the former winds through the trees and is not so boringly straight.

Many of the XC ski trails used this day were once roads used during timber harvesting (and they still do some logging in the area today) or connected to gas exploration.

Cool and wet weather brought out the mushrooms. We’ve read all the books and studied up on the subject, but still struggle IDing most. Some here were the size of dinner plates and others almost microscopic.

Some seem to flourish on cattle droppings. Cows free roam here in the summer and this is made evident thank fences and cattle gates. Some brightly coloured mushrooms grow in dense groups on decaying stumps and fallen trees.

Bunchberries and their little clusters of bright red fruit blanket the forest floor in spots. So pretty.

After a while come the Moose Connector XC trail (blue) and turn right. There’s a lot of junctions along the way, but there’s signs to keep you on the right path. Soon after come to Moose Loop proper, also blue on maps and with sections shared with the Tom Snow Trail. Turn left and head west.

Like the Moose Connector trail, this one is wide and in the trees. It circles a large low area of meadows, bogs and ponds. Once in a while the trees thin enough that you can actually see it. Moose are drawn to places like this and if you’re lucky you may spot one down there. No luck for us today but we did see signs of them being in the area (big hoof prints).

At one point, drop down to a little creek, and cross over via a bridge. There’s a nice picnic spot here and others along the way too.

At a junction (go right) the trail is shared with a pipeline right of way. Moose Mountain, the closest large peak can sometimes be seen poking out above the forest (or cutblocks) to the west. Cross another creek and bend east on the same pipeline right-of-way.

Rather than follow it, we choose to take to the Moose Trail (brown on maps) that runs beside Moose Loop, but just to the north and in the woods. It’s more winding and interesting.

The low Moose Meadows are not often visible from this side, except when you bend around the east end. That’s a nice view west.

Back on Moose Connector, intercept Mountain Road and turn left (east). This is a main artery of the West Bragg trails and used by anyone, no matter the conveyance or season, as a direct route in or out of the western reaches of the network. Like we were doing here and so were many others. It’s a like a superhighway and no different this day.

Sections of the system, like here, can be busy, but once everyone spreads out further afield, traffic is not a problem. There’s a lot of trails and offshoots. We saw only a few folks along the Moose Loop section and seen this day were near the parking lot. If you like solitude, like us, you can find it and pretty easily too.

It’s Chris writing this, and back in my oilfield truck days, I actually drove this road while delivering some pipes to a well in the area. It is still a service road (gated at the parking lot) but mostly used by trail users. Those having fun and enjoying nature.

Soon after the beaver pond arrive at the parking lot. The adventures is over, but there will be more another day. Here in the West Bragg trail system or elsewhere in Kananaskis. So many trails and so little time.

This route is just a suggestion and one can hit up Moose Loop from a number of other connectors. The possibilities are endless and consults a map (they’re online too) if you want to do it different.

We truly hope you enjoyed the little tour presented here and if you follow the same path, that it’s similarly enjoyable as it was for us. A day in the woods is a good one but a day in the woods, with great company, a nice lunch and the day’s problems temporarily forgotten, well, that’s epic.

Know more about the WBC trail network: (new tab): West Bragg Creek Trails.

They’re saying…

”These two are amazing!! I love following their adventures and the photography is…jaw dropping. Enjoy your working vacation, Chris & Connie!!… Dayna Kent. (It’s really is like a vacation).

More easy ones like this…
Baldy Pass to Lusk Pass Loop.
Adair Ridge – Porcupine Hills Ridge.
Ford Knoll Loop.

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

Date of adventure: September, 2024.
Location: West Bragg Creek Trails, Kananaskis.
Distance: 12km loop.
Height gain maximum: 100m
Height gain cumulative: 140m
NOTE: all distances and heights are approximate and may differ slightly from other trip reports (including our own).
Reference: Bragg Creek Trails Association.

It happens in the West Bragg Creek Trails Network.

On West Crystal Line and headed to the Moose Loop.

Cool weather brought out the mushrooms.

Cattle gates – the trails are sometimes shared with cows.

Speaking of cows, their calling card and more mushrooms.

On the Moose Connector Trail.

Little Bunchberry plants at ground level.

Now on Moose Loop proper – lots of maps in the network.

A pleasant and relaxing stroll in the forest.

Dropping down to cross a creek.

A pleasant picnic spot.

Moose Loop circles this big, sometimes marshy meadow.

They grow big…

The grow tiny…

And they grow in colourful clusters on decaying wood…

This section of the trail is shared with a pipeline right of way.

Moose Mountain peeks out over the forest.

On Moose Trail – it very closely parallels Moose Loop.

A nice and easy time the whole way,

In the low rolling foothills of the Rockies.

No moose at the moose ponds.

On Mountain Road, the WBC Network’s superhighway.

Passing the beaver ponds and almost done.

12km of fun and very little elevation.