Allison Creek Falls Hiking Trail

Livingstone Public Land Use Zone 

Waterfalls in the Crowsnest Pass

Allison Creek Falls Trail recently under went some intensive upgrades and reopened in 2023. Prior to these upgrades, there were multiple creek crossings needed to get to the falls, with some tricky terrain in certain areas. Now it is an easy to navigate family friendly waterfall trail that more people are able to enjoy.

Finding Allison Creek Falls Trailhead

The easiest way to find Allison Falls is to start at the Chinook Lake Day-Use Area. From there you would follow the Chinook Lake Loop Trail to the east. Following the trail around the lake to the far northeast side, the trail forks left and right. To the left, the Chinook Lake Loop trail continues. To the right is Rainbow Run, and this is the path you will follow for a few hundred meters. You will hopefully notice the small opening into the forest, with some signage for other trail names, to the north of the Rainbow Run trail. You can connect to The Great Divide Trail here, and this is your Allison Creek Falls turn. Follow the trail into the forest for 1.5km to the waterfall. You will eventually see signs for Allison Falls once onto the forested portion of the trail.

Hiking to Allison Creek Falls

The new trail to Allison Creek Falls is awesome! A wonderful hike in the Crowsnest for families with young children. The trail is relatively easy and interesting, with a section of stairs near Chinook Lake, multiple narrow bridges that cross Allison Creek, and of course a lovely cascading waterfall. This trail is 2.6 kms from the day-use area, and is great when combined with the Chinook Lake Loop trail on the return route. Beautiful mountain views, crystal clear water greet you at the beginning and end of the hike with Chinook Lake. And the Allison Creek portion of the trail is nicely treed in and keeps you sheltered from the elements.

4 Season Waterfall Adventures in Alberta

This waterfall trail in Alberta is open year round, but the main road into the Chinook Lake Campground only open is seasonally. Therefore if doing this route in the off-season, you'll start up at the gate and walk down the campground road or take the Rainbow Run trail east of the gate. The spring months are always the best time for waterfall viewing in Alberta if you want the most flow. So April to June depending on snow melt conditions.

Wildflowers and Wildlife in Southern Alberta

The area around the Allison Creek trail and Chinook Lake is a wonderful place to check out the wildflowers that bloom along the side of the trail, especially in June. Additionally, this is section of Alberta that is home to many animals including bears. So be aware and bring your bear spray. There's often tons of animal tracks around here that are always fun to try an identify. Furthermore, the amount of butterflies around Chinook Lake in the summer is simply beautiful.

Family Friendly Hikes in The Crowsnest Pass

Exploring this region of Alberta is always an enjoyable experience. The Allison Creek Falls trail is wonderful on those windy days, that frequent Southern Alberta. There are numerous waterfalls in this pocket of the province, and Allison Creek Falls is one of the easiest and most rewarding to find.

Explore the Crowsnest Pass

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