I began my day at the end of the Maligne Lake road, stepping onto the fire road trailhead that lead me upward through the quiet lodgepole pine forest. The first 2.5 km were shrouded in shade—no vistas, just the peaceful hush of the woods, a gentle reminder that beauty often waits patiently behind layers of green.
But then—slowly at first—I noticed the mountains glimmering through the trees to my right. Those fleeting glimpses gave me hope, and as I pressed on and turned just so, each view became clearer, more compelling.
After about 3 km, I reached the “s You hortcut” junction—this steeper, narrower path that cuts the fire road’s route short. I took that on the way down. For uphill, I optedthe longer one. I ascended less sharply , got more shadow, and safed power. And the views still became better at each turn.
By the time I emerged at the ridge—at what hikers often call the Bergblick—the forest fell away under my feet. I stood atop a grassy, rocky promontory, and Maligne Lake lay stretched out below like polished glass, encircled by towering mountains and glaciers. The view was already great—really great—and a pause for breath became a pause for wonder.
From here onwards, as I continued along the ridge and through the Bald Hills loop, the scenery exploded in all directions. Maligne Lake’s intense azure surface reflected the peaks around it—Samson Peak (3077 m), Leah Peak (2810 m), and Opal Peak (≈2740 m)—all part of the broader Queen Elizabeth Ranges Parks Canada. I even caught sight of Maligne Glacier, Unwin Glacier, and Charlton Glacier farther southward Parks Canada.
At the First bald summits I got a view, which opened in 360°—capture the chain of Bald Hills with Maligne Lake below and mountain ranges in every direction.
The Samson Peak stands out near the middle rim of the lake—crystalline and pointed, a sentinel of stone at the far shore Parks Canada.
The Leah Peak follows anticlockwise: a rounder, coppery summit, gently towering above the water Parks Canada.
The Opal Peak, colored reddish-brown, offers textural contrast—a stony beacon amid the green and grey Parks Canada.
Beyond, the rugged mass of the Queen Elizabeth Ranges stretches torn and jagged into the sky—sharp peaks like Maligne Mountain, Mount Unwin, Charlton, Mary Vaux, Llysfran Peak, Mount Paul, and others all framing the lake like a cathedral’s vaulted ceiling.
Monkhead and Mount Warren, rising 3250 m and 3362 m respectively off the lake’s southwest, reveal dramatic vertical relief—abrupt and theatrical cliffs above glacial slopes. Monkhead, with its hood-like silhouette, is a real standout near the Brazeau Icefield.
Cairn or final rocky outcrop: On the highest ridge, where land drops away, the valiant panorama includes Evelyn Creek valley in one direction and the glacier-laced peaks in the other. Ideal for a grand, end-of-hike photo.
Maligne Lake: More Than a View
Maligne Lake itself is a true character in this alpine saga. At 22.5 km long and reaching depths of nearly 100 m, its waters glow with that famous glacial turquoise—fed by coronal ice flows and glacier melt, a touch of magic in every ripple. Towering above the lake are not just silhouettes but storied peaks—Leah, Samson, Paul, Charlton, Unwin, Mary Vaux, Llysfran—plus the Maligne, Coronet, and Charlton glaciers, each carved into the slopes over millennia—and below them, tiny Spirit Island lingers in the distance, a legendary tied island often captured in postcard-perfect shots.
Wrapping the Tale
By the time I descended—likely retracing to the fire road or choosing the gentler route back—I carried with me not just muscles fatigued by 14–15 km and 780 m of climbing, but an experience that unfolded like a novel. Starting from quiet forest shade, growing into framed glimmers, culminating in panoramic awe. I witnessed alpine flora, breezy ridge lines, play of light on glaciers, and the lake’s deep-hued serenity.
My day at the Bold Hills loop wasn’t just a hike—it was a story: one of revelations, framed views, named peaks, and a shimmering alpine mirror beneath them all.