Saddling up for rides May 15, 2026

Pack Trips

Picture yourself on horseback, riding toward a mountain pass deep in the Alberta Rockies. The trail climbs through rugged Canadian landscapes, your horse steady beneath you, peaks rising on every side. Somewhere below, a grizzly moves through the valley, and ahead is a fast-moving creek crossing. That evening, you'll sit around a campfire with a group of people you'll remember for the rest of your life, swapping stories of what you just rode through. That's what a backcountry horse trek with McKenzie's Trails West actually feels like.

Our guided horseback pack trips take adventurers many kilometres into wilderness accessible only by horse, foot, or helicopter. You’ll head deep into the Canadian Rockies between Jasper National Park and Banff, through country that looks exactly as it did before roads and development changed everything. 

These are not day rides. They are full expeditions that ask for stamina, courage, and grit. Guests come back with sore muscles, great stories, new friendships, and a satisfaction that's hard to put into words. Most call it a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

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Page Summary
  • Guided pack trips reach remote Alberta Rockies wilderness by horseback, foot & helicopter.
  • Choose two-day Overnight Pack Trip with lake fishing, or eight-day Last Frontier expedition.
  • Rustic wall-tent camps include meals, bag showers, and shared outhouses.

Choose Your Pack Trip

The Overnight

2 Days — $2,000/rider + tax

The Overnight is a two-day horse trek that begins with a helicopter flight 30 km into the wilderness with Rockies Heli Canada (your first look at the scale of the Rockies from the air before you experience it on horseback).

From base camp, you'll ride to a stunning lake with opportunities to fish for the rare and beautiful Golden Trout. That evening, a mouth-watering steak dinner, a warm campfire, and the kind of quiet you won't find anywhere else. The following morning, you have a relaxed start and a full pancake breakfast before flying out.

The Overnight is the ideal introduction to backcountry horse trekking in the Canadian Rockies.

  • Duration: 2 days / 1 night 
  • Price: $2,000/rider + applicable tax
  • Includes: Helicopter fly-in and fly-out with Rockies Heli Canada, all meals, camp accommodation, and guide 
  • Experience required: Some riding experience recommended
  • Dates: Contact us for available dates 

The 8 Day Last Frontier

8 Days — $4,800/rider + tax

This is your full expedition. Eight days on horseback through some of the most spectacular and remote wilderness in the Alberta Rockies. You’ll explore Coral Creek, the Job Valley, and two additional nights on the mighty Brazeau River, with a breathtaking crossing of Job Pass.

The trip begins with a 30 km helicopter flight with Rockies Heli Canada into the backcountry, then transitions entirely to horseback as you pack into the mountains and let the landscape unfold over eight days. The return journey crosses back over Job Pass into Coral Creek Valley, finishing with a ride into base camp through the same country you flew over at the start.

Long days in the saddle, high mountain passes, river crossings, and genuine wilderness at every turn. This is what people mean when they say trip of a lifetime.

  • Duration: 8 days Price: $4,800/rider + applicable tax 
  • Includes: Helicopter fly-in with Rockies Heli Canada, all meals, camp accommodation throughout, experienced guides, and optional airport shuttle from Calgary International Airport 
  • Experience required: Experience with horses recommended  
  • 2026 Departure Dates:
    • July 6–13
    • July 13–20
    • July 20–27
    • August 10–17
    • August 17–24
    • August 24–31

Planning ahead for 2027? Ask us about 2027 dates.

Booking Your Pack Trip

Pack trips at McKenzie's Trails West can be booked up to two years in advance with guaranteed pricing.

Reach Out

Contact our booking specialist to discuss which trip suits you best:
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Information Package

Once confirmed, you'll receive a full information package, including an invoice, packing list, guest profile form, and location map

Deposit

A 20% non-refundable deposit holds your spot

Final Payment

Final payment is due just prior to departure

Trip Logistics

The 8 Day Last Frontier includes optional pickup and drop-off at Calgary International Airport and shuttle to and from Rocky Mountain House

Guests are responsible for their own hotel accommodations in Rocky Mountain House the night before departure. We're happy to help arrange this

Trips start at approximately 8:30 AM on day one, and you’ll return by 6:00 PM on the final day

Is This Trip Right for You?

A McKenzie's Trails West pack trip is built for people who are adventurous, physically active, and genuinely drawn to a rustic experience in the Canadian wilderness. You don't need to be an expert rider, but you do need to be ready for a real physical challenge.

You're a good fit if you:

Are 14 years of age or older?

Are in good physical health with no limiting conditions?

Are comfortable with long hours of physical activity?

Are open to rustic camp conditions with no electricity, cell service, or running water?

Have some experience on horseback (strongly recommended)?

What It’s Like on the Trail

A pack trip with McKenzie's Trails West is a rustic return to the way early explorers travelled the Canadian West; just like them, you’ll be moving through the mountains by horse across long, established trails, carrying everything needed on horseback.

Expect to spend anywhere from 3 to 8 hours in the saddle each day. The terrain is demanding. There are steep mountainsides, rushing creek crossings, and sections of trail that require dismounting and leading your horse. This is a physical experience. It rewards those who come prepared and leaves you with stories worth telling.

Your Camp on the Trail

At the end of each day, a base camp is waiting. Your home in the backcountry is a roomy, weatherproof canvas wall tent outfitted with cots and sleeping mats. Camp facilities include bag showers and shared outhouses.

Your meals are prepared by a skilled backcountry cook over a small tin wood-burning stove and served out of a common cook tent. Evenings are spent around the campfire, where the day's ride gets retold, and the stories get better with every telling.

There is no electricity, no cell service, and no running water on the trip.

Frequently Asked Horseback Pack Trips Questions

A horseback pack trip, or a horse trek, is a multi-day guided wilderness expedition on horseback. Riders and all supplies are carried by horse into the remote backcountry. You’ll head deep into the Alberta Rockies between Jasper National Park and Banff, where there is no road access. Camps are set up along the trail, and riders spend several days exploring the wilderness before returning to base camp.

Experience with horses is strongly recommended, particularly for the 8 Day Last Frontier. Beginners can participate, but expect some stiffness in the early days of the trip. Riding regularly before your arrival will make a significant difference.

Pack trips are physically demanding. Riders spend between 3 and 8 hours in the saddle per day across rugged terrain, making for bumpy rides in the saddle. Guests must be in good physical health and free of any limiting physical conditions.

The minimum age for all pack trips is 14 years old due to the demanding nature of these horseback adventures.

Helmets will also be required for all riders under 18. (All other riders are strongly encouraged to wear one. Helmets are supplied by McKenzie's Trails.)

The riding area is one of the last large stretches of mountain wilderness in Alberta, untouched by highway or commercial development. Access is by horse, foot, or helicopter only. There is no cell service, no electricity, and no running water on the trail. You will be many kilometres from the nearest road.

All meals, camp accommodation in canvas wall tents, experienced guides, horses, and a helicopter fly-in with Rockies Heli Canada are included. The 8 Day Last Frontier also includes optional airport transfers from Calgary International Airport. Guests are responsible for personal gear and pre-trip hotel accommodation.

The area is home to grizzly bears, elk, deer, and a wide range of other native wildlife. Sightings are common. Your guides are experienced with wildlife, and your safety is their first priority on the trail.

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