Alberta Provincial Highway No. 40 is a south-north highway located in western Alberta, Canada. It is also named Kananaskis Trail in Kananaskis Improvement District and Bighorn Highway in the M.D. of Bighorn No. 8.
It extends from Coleman in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass northward to the City of Grande Prairie, it currently has two gravel sections.
The first gravel section runs for approximately 102 km (63 mi) from the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass to Highway 541, and is currently marked as Highway 40. The second gravel section, which runs for approximately 293 km (182 mi), through the Rocky Mountains Forest is named Highway 734, also called Forestry Trunk Road. The intention is that one day the entire road will be a continuous paved highway. In the past, other gravel sections were named Highway 940, the 900 series in Alberta is used as temporary names.
Highway 40 is a basic mountain gravel road which is right on the edge of the big mountains. In spring run off time (now mostly over) there are patches of muck on the hilly parts which you have to pay attention to. An ordinary car can handle it. It can be dusty and sometimes unpleasant with monster pick-ups roaring through. It is interesting because it is under the shadow of the Rockies and is a lot wilder.
Highway 40 is an incredibly beautiful and quiet ride. There are very few vehicles out here. The road is closed from mid-December until June 1st, but only to motorized traffic.
