Heart Creek Bunker Trail Near Banff, Canada
Not many hikes have a set destination but this one surely does. Heart Creek Bunker Trail is an out and back hike with an exciting reward, an old Cold War era bunker in the side of a mountain.
This hike is popular among kids and adults alike and is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. My kids especially loved exploring the bunker with their siblings and cousins.
Heart Creek Bunker Trail
Distance - 4km
Elevation Gain - 212m
Difficulty - Moderate difficulty for small & special needs kids (especially in winter)
Time Needed - 1.5-2 Hours plus time to explore the bunker - for an autism family with small children I would add on extra time, we took around 3 hours
Best Time to Visit - It’s open all year. We really enjoyed our winter hike and look forward to visiting in other seasons. Since it’s close to Banff, Canmore & Calgary it can be busy. I would suggest going on weekdays in the morning for a quieter trail.
Dogs - Dog friendly but needs to be on a leash and picked up after
Strollers or Wheelchairs - In the winter it wasn’t stroller or wheelchair friendly. A chariot or all terrain stroller may work but could be challenging through the snow. A sled you can pull through snow would be a better choice for small children
Highlight - definitely the bunker, it was a big hit
Seriously Interesting Facts!
Also known as Bow Valley Bunker, the Vault and the Cold War Bunker
According to legend the vault was built in the 50’s during the Cold War by a paranoid government
It was built to house sensitive government documents in case of a global catastophy
Was never finished and sits as a cave like structure in the side of a mountain
Theres always some kind of graffiti on the walls, which looks cool and is fun to look at but I’m pretty sure it’s illegal, so I’m not endorsing the addition of more artwork on the walls
Getting There
The parking lot and trail are just off the Trans Canada Highway (#1 highway). Its about 40 min from Calgary and 30 min from Banff. It’s an easy drive on a large divided highway. Take the Trans Canada Highway, get off on Range Road 91A and follow signs to the parking lot. It’s pretty easy peasy!
Parking
Provincial Park Conservation pass is needed! Parking in the Kananaskis Country and Bow Valley Region requires either a daily or yearly parking pass. One pass is needed per vehicle regardless of the number of passengers. If your entering the area by bike, horse or foot no pass is needed - but I feel like buying and housing a horse may be more expensive so I’ll sick with my Kananaskis Conservation pass ;).
The parking lot is just off the Trans Canadian Highway. It’s a fairly large parking lot and there were few cars parked when we went for a winter hike. Im sure the parking area would be full during weekends in the summer.
What to Bring
Flashlight or Headlamp - the bunker/cave is completely black inside. You’ll be disappointed if you don’t bring a light source!
Snacks for Hungry Kids and Adults - energy bars, nuts, fruit, cookies, whatever
Water or something else to drink
First Aid Kit - I find we always need a bandaid, meds and other other med stuff while hiking
Winter Weather Gear - Gloves, hat, boots, snow pants & a warm coat in the winter. Dress for the weather.
Sled or light weight Tobogan - we regretted not brining a sled. Theres plenty of hills that would have been fun to sled down, the kids made do with sliding on their bums and rolling down
Bug Spray & Sunscreen - in Summer
The Trail
The Heart Creek Bunker Trail is an out and back trail, meaning you hike to the bunker and then go back on the exact same trail you hiked in on.
Some parts of the trail were rocky and others were covered with a thick blanket of packed snow.
The trail itself wasn’t marked well and at some points we were’t entirely sure which way to turn. So bringing a trail map or someone who’s been there before is helpful.
There are plenty of hills on this trail which can be challenging for kids with lower muscle tone, but we found that all kids were able to do this hike in the snow. The littlest kids got tired and basically needed to be dragged home. No joke, we pulled them along the snow with a leash backpack. The kids loved it and we got a good laugh but it wasn’t totally ideal; hence the sled recommendation.
The Bunker, Cave, Vault Whatever you want to call it
Definitely the highlight of the hike.
The opening looks small but really isn’t. Theres plenty of space to have many people stand side by side. It’s also really high for those extra tall people.
The bunker is one opening and tunnel which splits into 2 branches, each with little room-like nubs off the branches. It’s impossible to get lost in the bunker because all branches and alcoves are dead ends.
Although the ground is rocky and uneven its not difficult to walk on. Using a headlamp or flashlight will help with navigating the rocky ground.
* In winter make sure there isn’t snow above the bunker along the mountain since avalanches are always a risk*
The bunker isn’t lit and is completely black if you dont bring a light source - so bring a flashlight! It’s a great place to play flashlight tag or hide and seek. My kids loved hiding around corners and scaring each other. Even my grown sister hid and jumped out, which scared the crap out of me - Not cool, Em!
Autism Travel Rating 8/10
Physical Accessibility - Ok accessibility. The average stroller or wheelchair wouldn’t work on this winter trail.
Sensory - If you go on a non busy day its pretty empty. We went on a weekday morning so it was basically deserted - that made for a quiet hike with we could do at our own pace - score! The bunker is completely dark, uneven, echos a bit and may seem scary for extremely sensitive kids, but this wasn’t our experience. The kids loved how exciting the bunker was
Entertainment - The bunker is the big hit of the hike. It’s also in a beautiful mountain location and the path goes through the forest
Location - A quick and easy drive on paved roads. Just off the Trans Canada Highway and about 40 min from Calgary and 30 min from Banff
More about the area
Peter Laugheed Provincial Park Discovery & Info Center
Links to other articles written about the area & Other Hikes
Have you visited Heart Creek Bunker? What was your experience? Id love to hear how it works for other families.
Hello!
I’m Kate and I’m a mom of four. Since 2010 we’ve had one baby born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate and three children diagnosed with autism. Parenting certainly hasn’t been what I was expecting - it’s been harder (like A LOT harder) and much more wonderful. My world has expanded and knowledge deepened as I’ve spent the last decade raising these four special kids. Supporting other moms of autistic and cleft children is my passion. Here you’ll find information, strategies and first hand experiences to help you navigate these special challenges on-the-go and in your own home.
Related
Featured
William Watson Lodge is the perfect autism getaway. It’s meant to give special needs families a place to experience camping and the outdoors while catering to their individual needs. As a parent of 3 autistic kids I love bringing my family to Kananaskis in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Alberta travel and vacations are becoming some of our favourites.