Loomis Lake Bike and Hike

Trailhead: Park in the Lineham Creek recreation area parking lot 134kms west of Calgary located on Highwood Trail #40 highway. Note: Highway #40 is closed at the Upper Lakes and Highwood House Junction from Dec 1st to June 14th for wildlife preservation.

Description: One of the nicest tarn lakes in Alberta and an excellent mountain bike trail. It’s easy going the first 8.5kms then turns into a 2.5kms hike up to Loomis lake however there are several stream crossings including the Highwood River so expect to get your feet wet.

Locate the old logging road next to the #40 highway leading down towards the Highwood River. Follow the logging road for approximately 2kms. Cross the Highwood River then continue on a dirt road leading west on your left. This section of road gradually climbs up the Loomis Creek Valley. Make lots of noise here and keep your eye’s out for bears. All the valleys located in this area are prime Grizzly Bear habitat.

Continue on another 2kms until you reach the trail junction that intersects at Loomis Creek and Bishop Creek. Cross the Creek and stay to your right for another 4.5kms. When you arrive at the first meadow continue on another 1/2km or so to the next clearing. Long ago this was a logging mill site. Stash your bike here then hike up the straight trail leading to Loomis Lake. The trail steeply climbs along Loomis Creek to a beautiful meadow located at the bottom of the headwall below Loomis Lake.

There is a nice equestrian back country campsite located here. Continue on up the right side of the headwall past a small waterfall on your left then pass through a small Larch forest to Loomis Lake. Larch trees are very unusual as you can bend and twist the limbs like a piece of rope. A good indicator that this area is windy and holds a lot of snow. Loomis Lake is a beautiful Caribbean blue color, crystal clear and cradled by a steep ridge that borders British Columbia.

The lake is stocked with Cutthroat Trout however their growth rate is very slow due to the lack of food at higher elevations.

Sheep River Valley Map PDF