more stats
12.8 miles
Distance
1,868 ft
Climb
-699 ft
Descent
02:13:22
Avg time
1,169 ft
Altitude change
5,386 ft
Altitude min
7,249 ft
Altitude max
5,386 ft
Altitude start
6,555 ft
Altitude end
1.7%
Grade
-38.9%
Grade max
27%
Grade min
11 miles
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
1,808 ft
Distance flat
02:13:22
Avg time

Little Elbow Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park
    Kananaskis Village, Alberta
  • Difficulty Rating
    Green Rate
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 90 in E-Biking
    • 85 in Trail Running
    • 65 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #34909 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #15471 in E-Biking
    • #77413 in Trail Running
    • #107739 in Hiking
    • #1046 in Horseback
  • Trail Type
    Mixed
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Fat
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Bridge
  • Land Owner
    Alberta Environment and Parks

Wide track/road along the Little Elbow River, providing access to Romulus and Tombstone.

Access Info

Start from the Little Elbow trailhead, just south of Hwy 66 at the end of the pavement.

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 45.4 km average
6 Months
  • 3 rides
  • 35.4 km avg distance
All
  • 182 rides
  • Last: Jun 20, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Little Elbow Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jun 13, 2026 @ 7:36pm (America/Edmonton)
Jun 13, 2026
 All clear except for the pass. Deep snow post-holing suffer fest.
May 24, 2026 @ 2:57pm (America/Edmonton)
May 24, 2026
May 24, 2026 @ 10:24am (America/Edmonton)
May 24, 2026
 Trail was impassable due to snow past the Romulus campground
Oct 7, 2025 @ 8:31am (America/Edmonton)
Oct 7, 2025
 Mostly ideal and dry but some snow as you turn uphill at the Romulus campground. Did the loop with Little Elbow in good shape but Big Elbow was...
Sep 27, 2025 @ 2:03pm (America/Creston)
Sep 27, 2025
 Did the loop counter clockwise. Little Elbow was good with a couple of small puddles. Big Elbow is in rough shape in places for the first 10 km...
more »
Status:
on Jun 13, 2026
Variable
Avg: 3.94 (11 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
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  • Both Directions
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        Directions to little-elbow trailhead (50.789060, -114.872220)

        Photos

        45 more »
        174 |
        Aug 13, 2023 @ 6:09pm
        Aug 13, 2023
        154 |
        Aug 13, 2023 @ 6:09pm
        Aug 13, 2023
        151 |
        Aug 13, 2023 @ 6:09pm
        Aug 13, 2023
        357 |
        Aug 31, 2014 @ 4:09pm
        Aug 31, 2014

        Videos

        2 more »
        A Mountain Biking Visit to the Alberta Highlands
        32:48 | 99 | Apr 16, 2025 , Kananaskis Village
        Little Elbow trail
        14:35 | 605 | Jul 25, 2023 , Kananaskis Village

        Technical Trail Features (TTF)

        Routes with this trail

        111
        Elbow Loop
        ★ 3.7 • 31 miles • 3,520 ft • 2 • Loop •
        Elbow Loop is comprised of two trails: and Little Elbow. Bridges destroyed in the 2013 floods have been...

        3 Reviews & Comments


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        Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park

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        Frequently Asked Questions About Little Elbow

        ▼ Where is Little Elbow located?
        Little Elbow is located in Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park, Kananaskis Village, Alberta, Canada. It is part of the Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 50.78906, -114.87222.
        ▼ How hard is Little Elbow?
        Little Elbow is rated as Green difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 1.7%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Little Elbow?
        Little Elbow has 1,868 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 699 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 5,386 ft to 7,249 ft.
        ▼ Is Little Elbow a point to point trail?
        Little Elbow is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is mixed.

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