Parking
Start at Boulton Creek Day Use parking by the campground access area. A short footpath connection reaches Whiskey Jack; continue to Pocaterra and take the Lookout spur. The route includes that approach from parking.
Overview
About Lookout Trail
Why go
- Broad panorama across the lake basins toward Elk Pass and the surrounding valleys.
- Visitor picnic tables at the lookout make a natural rest stop.
Heads up
- The long uphill approach adds more than 4 km before the lookout spur.
- The final south-side climb is steep.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Peter Lougheed map
Full mapElevation1,705–2,108 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Peter Lougheed alerts
- ClosureTrail closures and Three Isle detourThree trail sections remain closed; stay out of closed areas and follow the signed Three Isle detour to reach the open backcountry campgrounds.Official details
- CautionBear activity near Elpoca and ValleyviewFrequent bear activity has been noted along Valleyview Road from Elpoca Day Use Area south to Highway 40, near Little Highwood Pass and Valleyview Day Use Areas; use bear precautions.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Peter Lougheed Tour Guide
Your drive to Lookout Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Peter Lougheed audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Boulton Creek: Trading Post and Creekside Break0:00 / 0:26
“Boulton Creek Trading Post is coming up, a useful stop for ice cream, baked goods, or a few forgotten camping supplies. It's inside the campground, but visitors can use the shop too.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Peter Lougheed Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Lower Lake Day Use: A Winter Lakeshore Stop
- Elk Pass: A Meadow on the Provincial Boundary
- From Beaver Pond to Meadow
- North Interlakes and Panorama: Two Lake Views
- 41 audio storiesacross Peter Lougheed’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grizzly Bear, Canada Lynx, Black Bear, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 66 trails, 41 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Lookout Trail
Route and effortFrom Boulton Creek Day Use, this is a roughly 12 km (7.
From Boulton Creek Day Use, this is a roughly 12 km (7.5 mile) out-and-back to a fire lookout, following Whiskey Jack and a short Pocaterra link before the 1.7 km Lookout spur. Expect about 400 m of climbing and 4–5 hours round trip. The approach adds just over 4 km each way before the steeper final climb; the 1.7 km figure covers only the Lookout spur.
At the lookoutThe active lookout sits above broad views across the lake basins, toward Elk Pass, the Opals…
The active lookout sits above broad views across the lake basins, toward Elk Pass, the Opals and surrounding valleys. Visitor picnic tables offer a place to rest, but keep clear of the lookout buildings and respect the working site.
Summer routeThe Lookout spur is listed for summer hiking.
The Lookout spur is listed for summer hiking. Its south side is steeper, so take extra care on the final climb. The separate 5.2 km winter continuation toward Hydroline is not part of this walk and is not recommended for summer because it is unmaintained and crosses unbridged streams. Dogs may be brought on leash in the park; they are not permitted on groomed ski trails in winter.
A working lookoutA fire lookout was first built here in 1952; the present building dates to 1976.
A fire lookout was first built here in 1952; the present building dates to 1976. The lookout remains an active work site, so stay away from the buildings and use only the visitor picnic tables.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Peter Lougheed
132 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
17 sightingsCanada LynxMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
30 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
69 sightingsMooseMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
176 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
19 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Peter Lougheed. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
