Great Divide Trail
Encyclopedia
The Great Divide Trail, or GDT, is a wilderness hiking trail in the Canadian Rockies
. The trail closely follows the Continental Divide
between Alberta
and British Columbia, crossing the divide no fewer than 30 times. It begins in Waterton Lakes National Park
at the Canada-US border (where it connects with the Continental Divide Trail
) and ends in Kakwa Provincial Park
north of Jasper National Park
.
The route south of Palliser Pass was originally mapped in 1974 by a group of 6 people funded by an Opportunities for Youth Grant. This group included Mary Jane Cox, Jenny Feick, Chris Hart, Dave Higgins, Cliff White, and Dave Zevick. White was the project coordinator and used the data from the project as the basis of an undergraduate thesis.
The Friends of the Great Divide Trail are dedicated to maintaining the original 100 km-long section of the GDT running through unprotected Alberta Crown Forest Reserve lands, from North Fork Pass to Fording River Pass, that was constructed in the 1970s and 1980s.
The GDT is not officially recognized by Parks Canada
and therefore is not signed and not always even an actual trail, sometimes merely a wilderness route. The GDT passes through five National Parks: Waterton Lakes, Banff
, Kootenay
, Yoho
and Jasper
; seven Provincial Parks: Akamina-Kishinena
, Elk Lakes
, Peter Lougheed
, Height of the Rockies
, Mount Assiniboine
, Mount Robson
and Kakwa; four wilderness areas: Beehive Natural Area, Kananaskis Country, White Goat Wilderness and Willmore Wilderness Area; and five forest districts: Castle, Bow/Crow, Cranbrook, Golden and Robson Valley.
The Great Divide is the continental intersection, (divide), separating water that flows east towards the Atlantic Ocean (via Hudson Bay), north to the Arctic Ocean, or west to the Pacific Ocean.
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
. The trail closely follows the Continental Divide
Continental Divide
The Continental Divide of the Americas, or merely the Continental Gulf of Division or Great Divide, is the name given to the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas that separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those river systems that drain...
between Alberta
and British Columbia, crossing the divide no fewer than 30 times. It begins in Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton was Canada's fourth national park, formed in 1895 and named after Waterton Lake, in turn after the Victorian naturalist and conservationist...
at the Canada-US border (where it connects with the Continental Divide Trail
Continental Divide Trail
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada. It follows the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico...
) and ends in Kakwa Provincial Park
Kakwa Provincial Park and Protected Area
Kakwa Provincial Park and Protected Area is a 170,890 ha provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. There are significant amounts of fish fossils there. The tallest mountains are Mount Sir Alexander and Mount Ida . Fishing in Kakwa Lake is permitted...
north of Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10,878 km² . It is located in the province of Alberta, north of Banff National Park and west of the City of Edmonton. The park includes the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and...
.
The route south of Palliser Pass was originally mapped in 1974 by a group of 6 people funded by an Opportunities for Youth Grant. This group included Mary Jane Cox, Jenny Feick, Chris Hart, Dave Higgins, Cliff White, and Dave Zevick. White was the project coordinator and used the data from the project as the basis of an undergraduate thesis.
The Friends of the Great Divide Trail are dedicated to maintaining the original 100 km-long section of the GDT running through unprotected Alberta Crown Forest Reserve lands, from North Fork Pass to Fording River Pass, that was constructed in the 1970s and 1980s.
The GDT is not officially recognized by Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
and therefore is not signed and not always even an actual trail, sometimes merely a wilderness route. The GDT passes through five National Parks: Waterton Lakes, Banff
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...
, Kootenay
Kootenay National Park
Kootenay National Park is located in southeastern British Columbia Canada covering in the Canadian Rockies and forms part of a World Heritage Site. The park ranges in elevation from at the south-west park entrance to at Deltaform Mountain...
, Yoho
Yoho National Park
Yoho National Park is located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains along the western slope of the Continental Divide in southeastern British Columbia. Yoho NP is bordered by Kootenay National Park on the southern side and Banff National Park on the eastern side...
and Jasper
Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, spanning 10,878 km² . It is located in the province of Alberta, north of Banff National Park and west of the City of Edmonton. The park includes the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and...
; seven Provincial Parks: Akamina-Kishinena
Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park
Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.- History and conservation :Akamina Kishinena Provincial Park is located in the southeast corner of the province...
, Elk Lakes
Elk Lakes Provincial Park
Elk Lakes Provincial Park is a provincial park in south eastern British Columbia, Canada, located west of the continental divide ....
, Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is a provincial park located in Alberta, Canada. The park is located in Kananaskis Country approximately 90 km west of Calgary, along the Kananaskis Trail....
, Height of the Rockies
Height of the Rockies Provincial Park
Height of the Rockies Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Canadian Rockies of south eastern British Columbia, Canada.It is located west of the condinental divide ....
, Mount Assiniboine
Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park
Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located around Mount Assiniboine.-History:The park was established 1922...
, Mount Robson
Mount Robson Provincial Park
Mount Robson Provincial Park is a large provincial park in the Canadian Rockies with an area of 2,249 km². The park is located entirely within British Columbia, bordering Jasper National Park in Alberta. The B.C. legislature created the park in 1913, the same year as the first ascent of Mount...
and Kakwa; four wilderness areas: Beehive Natural Area, Kananaskis Country, White Goat Wilderness and Willmore Wilderness Area; and five forest districts: Castle, Bow/Crow, Cranbrook, Golden and Robson Valley.
Great Divide Route and Great Divide Trail
The Great Divide Trail is a recognized hiking trail, although not yet complete. The Great Divide Route is the mountain biking version that parallels the Great Divide Trail. Occasionally they will intersect and share sections.The Great Divide is the continental intersection, (divide), separating water that flows east towards the Atlantic Ocean (via Hudson Bay), north to the Arctic Ocean, or west to the Pacific Ocean.