Larch hunting: Trails in Banff, Kananaskis and Calgary lined with the golden trees

The mountains have been sprinkled with gold as larch season arrives in Alberta.

Alreadythe trails are busy with hikers making their fall pilgrimage to see the autumncolours, but some trails may be too crowded to ensure physical distancingamidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example,Larch Valley is such a popular trail that hikers can't get a parking spot after6:15 a.m.

However, there are plenty of trails not as well known that might be less busy, so Friends of KananaskisCountry lists 33hikes that include larch sightings.

Derek Ryder, co-chair of the Friends of Kananaskis Country, told theCalgary Eyeopenersomeofhis favourite spots. The list includes some recommendations from Calgarians.

"Larches are all over. They literally can be found all the way from Bow path to all the way down into Waterton, if you know where to look," said Ryder.

Kananaskis Country

For the most part, Ryder says, anywhere near HighwoodPass has a great view of larches.

• Buller Pass:20.4-km hike, in Kananaskis Country.
• Burstall Pass Trail:16.4-km hike,in Kananaskis Country.
• Chester Lakeup to Three Lakes Valley:15.3-km hike, in Kananaskis Country.
• Mount Allan via Centennial Ridge:15.6-km hike, in Kananaskis Country, visible from Highway 40.
• Rummel Lake Trail:12.4-km hike, locatednear Canmore.
• Sparrowhawk Tarns:11.6-km hike,in Kananaskis Country, one of Ryder's personal favourites.

Banff National Park

• Arnica Lake Trail:9.2-km hike, located near Banff.
• Boom Lake:10.6-kmhike,located near Lake Louise.
• Egypt Lake Trail:24.3-km hike, located near Banff.
• Taylor Lake:14-km hike,located near Lake Louise.

Other favourite spots in Alberta

• David Thompson Country:locatedin West Central Alberta, just north of Calgary.
• Lower Rowe Lake:12.9-km hike, locatedin Waterton Lakes National Park.

Larches in yourcommunity

One thing about larches is that after they turn gold, their needles fall off only a few weeks later.

Ryder says they should all be gone by Oct.5, so if you can't escape to the mountains, check out these spots in Calgary.

To help you along, here's aninteractive mapof every larch on public property in the city:

(Tree location data via the City of Calgary'sopen datacatalogue.)

As you can see, some spots in the city are more heavily treed than others.

But there are plenty to explore.

If you'd prefer to know what you're getting into before you go, here are a few of our recommendations.

• Baker Park: Along the Bow River in northwest Calgary areseveral rows of mature larches.You'll find another dozen or so if you wander slightly to the west, and then a few more if you loop back to the main lot viathe Bow River Pathway.
• Crowfoot Park:If you're visiting the Crowfoot Library or Robert Thirsk High School, look just to the north and you'll see a few stands of larches.
• Coventry Hills: The kilometre-long pathway that runs between Coventry Hills Way N.E. and Coventry Drive N.E. is flanked on the west side by a long row of larches.
• North GlenmorePark:Numerous larches are spread throughout this green space on the north shore of the GlenmoreReservoir.

Have you been out larch hunting? Share your photos in the comments below!

With files from Robson Fletcher and the Calgary Eyeopener.