Great Divide Trail (GDT) – Preview

DISTANCE : 560 miles (901 km) approx.

START : Waterton Lake National Park, Alberta/Montana – US/Canadian border.

FINISH : Jasper, BC, Canada.

MAPS / INFO :

• Dustin Lynx, Hiking Canada’s Great Divide Trail (2007): Guidebook which contains trekking notes, sketch maps and town/resupply information.
   
• 1:50,000 & 1:250,000 Canadian Government Topo Maps: Free downloadable maps for the entire route.
   
• Two websites which contain valuable planning information for prospective GDT hikers are: http://www.spiriteaglehome.com/GDT.html and http://cwillett.imathas.com/GDT/index.html.
   
• Click here for an overview map of the GDT.

RESUPPLY :

• Not as many options available as there is south of the border; which is actually a good thing. Less choices mean a simpler resupply strategy. In addition, the dearth of trail towns equates to less temptations of the culinary and cushy/indoor variety………….not sure this is such a positive.

ROUTE / CONDITIONS :

• Geographically speaking, the Great Divide Trail picks up where the Continental Divide Trail leaves off at the US/Canadian border. It winds its way northwest along the Canadian Rockies, passing through two provinces (Alberta and British Columbia) and numerous National and Provincial parks.
   
• The route is a combination of pre-existing trails and cross country travel. With breathtaking scenery and abundant wildlife viewing opportunities throughout, the GDT promises to be one of the highlights of the entire trip (this last sentence was brought to you by the unofficial Parks Canada Marketing Department………Australian Division).