Often described as a “renowned epic hike” and “magnet” attracting long-distance backpackers worldwide, the Great Divide Trail is not for the faint of heart. Stretching for 1,123 km, the GDT, as it is known, crisscrosses the Rocky Mountain from Waterton, Alberta, southwest of Lethbridge, to Kakwa Lake, B.C., east of Prince George.
Although at this time, the GDT does not have a formal designation, this may change, as Brianna Sharpe reports in her article published April 16, 20022, in the Globe and Mail. Alberta’s new Trails Act is expected to make it easier for organizations like the GDT association, which maintains more than 50 percent of the trail through its volunteers. A trail designation would offer protection for those sections of trail on land controlled by the provincial government. To raise awareness, the GDT provides certificates of completion and WildestThruHike patches to all who have finished the trail.