The GDTA website has been a labour of love since its creation by Brad Vaillancourt in 2013. From the beginning, the goal has been to ensure that hikers can easily find all the information they need to plan an epic adventure on the Trail. It has grown to be the place hikers, members, and fans keep up to speed on everything related to the GDT and the GDTA.
More than a year in the making, the GDTA is proud to roll out a big refresh to our beloved website! Built collaboratively entirely by volunteers, you’ll still find all the content you’ve come to rely upon. The most referenced pages should be even easier to find with more links in more places. You’ll find additional content related to the Association’s commitment to Reconciliation, Responsible Recreation, our Supporters, History of Trail Work, an updated set of Frequently Asked Questions, and more.
Every page has been refreshed and adorned with fresh new images (many courtesy of our annual photo contest). Check out our credits page to learn more about who contributed these beauties!
We’d love to hear what you think of the new site. And if you find something that doesn’t seem right, we’d appreciate you dropping us a message at website@greatdividetrail.com. News, Events, and Blogs will continue to get added, and keep checking back for even more great additions throughout the year.
Join us at Prairie Dog Brewing on Thursday, October 16th from 6–9 pm for a casual meetup with the Great Divide Trail community—past, present, and future hikers welcome! ??
Whether you’ve thru-hiked, sectioned hiked, volunteered on trail, or you’re just GDT-curious, come swap stories, meet new trail friends, and enjoy great food & drinks.
When: Oct 16, 6–9 pm Where: Prairie Dog Brewing (Calgary) Who: Anyone connected to or interested in the GDT
It’s back! After the massive success last year that saw 30 different people submit absolutely astounding photos, the GDTA is once again running our Photo Contest!
Spend some time reminiscing and go dig through all the photos you’ve taken (this year, or any year). Then select your favourite(s) and submit by following the instructions below. Submitting your photos is a unique and simple way to help out the GDTA! As the association works to protect, promote, and maintain the trail, we’re always in need of high-quality imagery. Who better to provide that then those of you who’ve lived it?!
A maximum of five (5) photos per photographer will be considered for the contest
Submissions must include the following text (please copy and paste this into the email submission).
Photographer: <your name>
Working Title: <one-sentence title>
Location: <specific location>
GDT Section: <A through G>
Detailed Caption: <longer caption, please include names of any identifiable individuals>
With this submission I affirm that I have read and agree to the terms and conditions of the GDTA Photo Contest.
Photos must be attached as files, not links (iPhone users in particular, please double check how the photos get included)
One photo per submission
Multiple submissions are welcomed, however only the first five (5) submissions received per photographer will be considered for the contest
Submission deadline: Sunday October 12, 2025 at midnight Mountain time.
Photos can be from any year.
Photos can be color or black & white digital images of any location along the Great Divide Trail
JPEG or TIFF files are allowed and ideally higher than web-resolution (at least 300 dots-per-inch or approximately 1000×1500 pixels for a 3×5 photo).
If you’d like your photos to be considered for our annual calendar or magazine covers, they should be at least 8.5×11 inches at 300 dpi or approx. 2500×3300 pixels in size.
Photos can be horizontal or vertical. Please upload in the proper orientation.
Terms and Conditions
No purchase is necessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. By entering this contest, you agree to the terms and conditions relating to this contest and you are responsible for understanding your rights.
Photos entered are considered licensed to the Great Divide Trail Association in perpetuity. By entering the photo contest, you are giving the GDTA the right to use your photos as we see fit to promote the trail and its protection.
You will retain copyright to any photograph you submit. You only grant the GDTA rights to your photograph royalty-free, in perpetuity, nonexclusively to:
Reproduce, distribute, transform, display and/or to perform your photographs in all print and electronic mediums at any size.
Use your photos worldwide.
Provide your photograph to other individuals and organizations for non-commercial use, such as in news stories, newsletters, reports, slide shows, displays, web pages, and the like.
Archive in electronic forms so that your photos can be used to support our mission.
The GDTA may request additional permission to use your photo for Commercial and Editorial uses that directly benefit the GDTA and the trail.
Whenever possible, the GDTA will provide attribution in the form the photographer’s name and/or photographer’s website URL per GDTA’s discretion. Attribution will appear next to the photo or in the credits of the work product.
By entering, participants agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the GDTA, its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, volunteers, attorneys, agents and representatives, from any and all third party liability for any injuries, loss, claim, action, demand or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the competition (collectively, “Losses”), including without limitation any third party claim for copyright infringement or a violation of an individual’s right to privacy and/or publicity right. The Contest is void where prohibited by law.
Contest entrants are responsible for ensuring that he or she has the right to submit the photos that he or she submits to the contest.
Hiking on the GDT this summer? Following adventurous souls on Instagram? This summer, keep your eyes peeled for the GDTA Trail Ambassadors: Charlene, Keiko, Sara, Mo, and Claire. The five of them will be out there tackling Canada’s wild and inspiring Great Divide Trail, and they’ve been kind enough to take us along for their journey!
Trail Ambassadors for 2025
Charlene
She’s completed the GDT three times, the Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Arizona Trail, and loads of backpacks in the Canadian Rockies. She’s thrilled to be back on home turf this summer to reconnect with the GDT and explore the GDR.
Keiko
10 years ago, Keiko’s very first backpacking trip on July Long Weekend 2015 was in Waterton on the Snowshoe Loop near Twin Lakes and a final night at Bertha Bay. She did not know it at the time, but she was on the Great Divide Trail! She has since spent the last decade hiking and backpacking along the GDT. She joined the GDTA in 2022 to learn more about the trail with the hopes of thru-hiking it someday. “Someday” is now – Keiko is celebrating her 10-year backpackerversary (and her 20th year in Canada) by thru-hiking the GDT as her first major thru hike this season!
Sara
Sara Laing aka “ Sunshine Sara” is a certified Professional IGA/ACMG Hiking Guide based in Canmore, Alberta, with a passion for Canada’s wildest places. This summer, she’s re-hiking the Great Divide Trail (GDT), including the Great Divide Route (GDR), as a GDTA Ambassador. She’s committed to promoting responsible trail use, sharing her journey to inspire others, and raising funds in honour of her stepfather for cancer research. Sara sets off southbound on August 1 from the Monkman Memorial Trail and looks forward to connecting with fellow hikers along the way.
Mo and Claire
We are Claire and Mo aka @unsupervisedhikers and this summer we are thru-hiking the Great Divide Trail from Waterton to Kakwa with a cast of whacky characters. We are outdoor professionals from Golden, BC taking the summer off work to explore the Rockies for ourselves! If you see us on the trail, don’t worry… We’re not lost. We’re just unsupervised.
Do you want to participate in responsibly creating an iconic Canadian wilderness opportunity?
Do you have 6-10 hours to volunteer each month?
The GDTA is seeking dynamic, committed, community-oriented Board of Directors candidates to join our team. These positions will be voted on by Members at our Annual General Meeting on September 29th, 2025.
Qualifications
We are seeking candidates with experience and/or a strong interest in the following areas:
Long-term involvement/history with the Great Divide Trail Association (GDTA)
Ability to access new financial resources or potential partners through networks
Financial Management
Legal & Governance
Strategic Planning
Fundraising
Indigenous Relations
Events & Community Building
Thru-hiking
Role-Specific – We are looking for our next Board Secretary.
Our amazing current Board Secretary has one year left in the role and is committed to fully training their successor and supporting a smooth transition over the coming year.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Board
The GDTA is a registered charity, and the Board is accountable for ensuring that the Association is managed in accordance with applicable laws and its membership’s wishes. The Board is responsible to:
Establish and maintain a framework for delegation and internal control within GDTA.
Monitor GDTA finances and performance.
Establish strategic direction aligned with the GDTA’s Mission, Vision and Values.
Review and oversee the Association’s risk management
Evaluate and improve the performance of the Board.
Promote and support the Association and its members.
Responsibilities of Individual Board Members
As individuals and collectively, Board Members are responsible to:
Create a positive, open organizational culture.
Adhere to GDTA bylaws, policies, and procedures
Attend all Board meetings in person or via teleconferencing (Monthly, 3rd Tuesday, 7 – 9 pm MST).
Be a Board representative or Chair on one of the GDTA’s 7 committees
Make decisions and work towards positions that are in the best interests of the Association.
Term:Three (3) Years, 6-10 hr/month
Compensation:None – this is a volunteer position.
Candidate Selection Process
Interested Candidates should submit their names via email, to:
Please include why you want to be a part of the Board, any existing GDTA volunteer experience, and any other qualifications or reasons why you’d make a great Board member
The nominating committee will review all applications, possibly interview interested persons and then present qualified candidates to the Association’s membership via email for their consideration. The successful nominees will be presented at the Annual General Meeting on September 29, 2025.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
If you are not interested in a Board position but would like to contribute your time and talents in other way. There are always lots of ways you can get involved, including remotely and outside of peak-hiking seasons! Even if you have just a few hours to give, it can make a big difference.
The Great Divide Trail Association invites artists from the local community to submit artwork proposals for a vibrant public mural celebrating the iconic Great Divide Trail.
The mural will be prominently displayed at 7702 18th Avenue in Coleman, Alberta, a significant location at the end of Section A of the trail.
Coleman is a natural pause point for hikers as the GDT passes right through the community creating a convenient resupply and rest stop as hikers transition from Section A to Section B. It is an ideal site for a mural that honours trail culture and history, connects with the community, and showcases local artistic talent.
Celebrate the Great Divide Trail and its significance to the region.
Create a welcoming photo spot and storytelling space for hikers and visitors.
Create a vibrant and inclusive public art installation.
Call-for-Submission Theme & Specs
Artists are invited to submit new or previously created artworks inspired by the landscapes, wildlife, experiences, and cultural significance of the iconic Great Divide Trail. The artwork should:
Celebrate outdoor adventure, trail culture, and regional heritage.
Offer compelling visual storytelling elements suitable for public appreciation and interaction.
Showcase the beauty and iconic significance of the Great Divide Trail.
This call-for-submission welcomes artists from all communities including Indigenous and underrepresented groups.
Artwork Specifications
The selected artwork will be digitally reproduced on high-quality, durable, weatherproof 3M vinyl. This is not a hand painted mural project. See example of a 3M pillar below.
Selected submissions will include three (3) pieces in total:
One (1), large piece: 8 ft x 12 ft
Two (2), smaller pieces: 4 ft x 4 ft each
Note: artists can submit artworks for one or all three
High resolution photograph or digital image of artworks between 3000-3500 pixels (height or width) each.
Brief written explanation of the artwork and its connection to the Great Divide Trail. Please ensure the uploaded files (image & written) are named to easily identify the artists piece and the written description.
Submissions must be original to the artist and suitable for all audiences and ages.
Please note, the wall will also include a dedicated area below the piece for QR codes linking visitors to GDTA resources and trail information.
For location reference, please see the below photos.
Mural Locations on Building
Inspiration
This project allows for creative expression of any medium, including paintings, photography, drawings/illustrations, etc. Below is just one example of a map project for the West Coast Trail that could serve as inspiration.
Honorarium
A $500 honorarium will be awarded to the selected artist.
Submission Deadline
All submissions must be received by July 15, 2025.
Selection Process
Artwork will be reviewed and selected by a community jury panel.
Artists retain original artwork rights; the Great Divide Trail Association will hold rights for mural reproduction and promotional use only.
The project is supported in partnership with the South Canadian Rockies Tourism Association, with promotional recognition provided across multiple platforms.
We look forward to your creative interpretations celebrating the spirit and legacy of the Great Divide Trail!
Questions?
For inquiries about submissions or the project, please contact:
The Great Divide Trail Association (GDTA) opposes the proposed construction and operation of a coal mine at Grassy Mountain, and the Government of Alberta’s lifting of the moratorium on new coal exploration and development in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The Grassy Mountain project, and increased exploration and development in the region, would have significant negative impacts on the Great Divide Trail (GDT) and the hundreds of people who enjoy it every year.
The GDT is a highly valued long-distance trail in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Each year, hundreds of people from across Canada and around the world are drawn to its spectacular mountain scenery and opportunities for outdoor recreation in a wilderness setting. For more than 40 years, the GDTA has invested countless volunteer hours in trail maintenance, promotion and education.
A surface coal mine at Grassy Mountain, and exploration in the vicinity of the existing trail corridor, will pose an existential threat to the trail, irreversibly harming the experience of the hundreds of people each year who enjoy and benefit from it.
Exploration activity and/or surface mining would cause harm far beyond these activities’ footprints, including through significant noise and dust from blasting and heavy machinery; negative impacts on air and water quality, as well as wildlife and their habitat; and sight pollution from great distances in areas of currently untouched natural beauty.
With respect to increased exploration, the greatest threat to the trail is in the Willoughby Ridge area, where there is 100 percent overlap between the trail and exploration leases. As a result of road building, drilling and blasting, parts of the trail could be completely destroyed.
Exploration activity and/or surface coal mining in or near the GDT corridor would negatively impact the world-class wilderness recreation experience the GDTA has worked hard to build for more than 40 years. It will also reduce the environmental gains achieved while building and maintaining an environmentally sustainable and protected trail along the Great Divide of the Canadian Rockies.
The impact on visitor experience would be substantial. In order to mitigate this, the GDTA may be forced to move the trail to a new location, causing years of disruption to trail users. Not only would this be expensive, but the impacts would be felt all across the 1,100km trail as limited GDTA resources would need to be redirected from other projects for the foreseeable future.
The GDTA calls for an end to the Grassy Mountain mining project and the reinstatement of the long-standing moratorium on new coal exploration and development in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
When most people think about supporting trails, they imagine funding the creation of new bridges or enhancing trail features. While these projects are certainly important, there’s another side to trail maintenance that often goes overlooked: operating costs.
To keep the Great Divide Trail Association (GDTA) running smoothly, we need consistent, unrestricted funding for things like insurance, website upkeep, office supplies, wages, and technology. These essential elements are the backbone that allow us to continue the trail’s maintenance, offer educational programs, and provide vital resources for hikers. There’s also a lot of work that goes on to maintain the GDT, such as engaging with the parks and communities along the trail, building relationships, and applying for permits. These tasks require more than just volunteer help, and donations help fund this crucial work that ensures the trail remains accessible and protected for all who enjoy it.
Without stable funding for these hard costs, we simply wouldn’t be able to keep our doors open. Monthly donations play a crucial role in ensuring we can cover these ongoing expenses. It’s not as glamorous as building a shiny new bridge, but it’s the foundation that supports everything we do.
When you sign up for a monthly donation, you’re ensuring that the GDTA stays open and continues its important work—maintaining trails, educating the public, and providing essential hiking resources. We can’t do it without your support.
Your commitment allows us to continue the good work that keeps the trails open and accessible for everyone. Thank you for helping us stay on track and keep the trail experience alive!
Applications are now closed for 2025 – Thank you for all that have applied
Are you hiking some or all of the GDT this summer? The GDTA is looking for a handful of hikers to be volunteer Trail Ambassadors this year. Share your love of this amazing Canadian treasure, and help out the GDTA while you enjoy your hike.
What does an Ambassador do?
Share awareness of the GDT (and the GDTA) to people you meet
Share photos of your hike with the GDTA
Share information about the trail conditions you encounter
The GDTA will make sure you have some GDT stickers to hand out, and we’ll provide a little bit of hiker-appropriate swag (you can leave it at home if you’re counting grams!)
Requirements
Anyone that’s hiking any amount of the GDT can apply to be a Trail Ambassador. All we ask is that you:
Promise to obey all park regulations
Have the necessary permits for all nights on trail
Practice meticulous Leave No Trace Principles
Be willing to talk up how great the GDT is to anyone you meet!
Priority may be given to people that have hiked parts of the GDT before.
How to apply
Applications are now closed for 2025 – Thank you for all that have applied
