Rawson Lake

Rawson Lake is a high alpine lake in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, tucked beneath Mount Sarrail. The maintained route reaches it from the Upper Kananaskis Lake day-use area, so this is a half-day hike rather than a quick pullout. The walk is 3.9 km one way with about 320 m of climbing, or 7.8 km out and back.

The route starts along Upper Lake Trail, then turns away from the lakeshore and climbs through subalpine forest. You pass a creek and waterfall before the long, steady uphill section; the grade eases as you get close to Rawson Lake. The trail is maintained and clear, but the climb is sustained enough that visitors with knee or ankle trouble may find it a slog.

The lake sits in a mountain cirque, with Mount Sarrail's steep, pyramidal face rising above the far shore. Give yourself time to stop at the water before turning back. For a photo, include a strip of shoreline or a snow-covered log in the foreground and aim across the lake toward the mountain; still water can catch the reflection. Sarrail Ridge is a separate, much steeper scramble beyond the lake, not part of the walk to the shore.

Rawson Lake is named for Donald Strathearn Rawson (1905–1961), one of Canada's pioneering freshwater scientists. He studied lake ecosystems and fisheries, including Great Slave Lake and Lake Athabasca. His research helped establish a commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake in 1945, so this mountain lake carries the name of someone who spent his career working out what lakes can support.

The route is used by hikers and snowshoers, but snow can linger into early summer and ice conditions vary. Expect the same steady climb to take more care when the path is snowy or slick, and check current trail and weather conditions before setting out.