Lost Valley Hike Glencoe With Kids: Complete Family Guide

The Lost Valley hike Glencoe was one of our favourite family hikes in Scotland. It’s a moderately challenging but hugely rewarding walk through one of the most dramatic landscapes in the Scottish Highlands, ending in a hidden valley with incredible 360-degree mountain scenery.

We completed the walk to Coire Gabhail (the lost valley) with our three children on a crisp April day, during our unforgettable Scottish Highlands road trip. Despite the challenges and elevation, they seriously enjoyed this hike and it was a brilliant way to immerse ourselves in the dramatic landscapes of Glencoe.

This walk felt truly adventurous, involving scrambling over rocks alongside waterfalls, leaping between stepping stones to cross rivers and staring up at astonishing mountain scenery.

The Lost Valley hike is best suited to families with older children (ours were 8, 11 and 14). It is fairly challenging in places and involves some steep drops, uneven terrain and around 300 metres of ascent.

This guide will show you exactly how to plan your visit, including how to get there, parking, what the trail is like and our top tips for enjoying the Lost Valley hike with kids.

Disclaimer: All walks featured on this site are completed at your own risk. Please assess weather conditions, route suitability and your group’s abilities before setting out. Trail conditions can change quickly and extra care should always be taken around steep drops, rivers and uneven terrain. We are not liable for any personal injury, loss or damage that may occur.

Is The Lost Valley Hike in Glencoe Worth It?

Yes – absolutely! The Lost Valley is one of the best hikes in Glencoe and carries a huge adventure factor despite being relatively short at just 5km long. This walk includes jaw-droppingly dramatic mountain scenery, the excitement of “discovering” a hidden valley and enough challenge to keep older children and teenagers interested throughout.

During our visit, the combination of immense mountain scenery, waterfalls and that feeling of being a very tiny person in a huge landscape meant that our children loved this hike.

Climbing into a hidden valley, magically transformed by fresh snow in early April, was an unexpected highlight of our Scotland trip. I can’t recommend this walk enough for that delicious feeling of being in an isolated, wild place full of rugged beauty.

Where Is The Lost Valley In Glencoe?

Important note on naming: The Lost Valley, also sometimes referred to as the Hidden Valley, is properly known as Coire Gabhail.

The Lost Valley is located in the Three Sisters of Glencoe area and is around 20 miles from Fort William and 5 miles beyond the village of Glencoe.

The car park for the walk sits directly beside the A82, one of Scotland’s most iconic drives and an essential part of any Scotland road trip itinerary. It also makes a perfect stop on the drive between Fort William and Glasgow or the Trossachs.

The Lost Valley itself can only be accessed on foot. Before you even begin the hike, you are greeted with dramatic mountain scenery and uninterrupted views of the Three Sisters of Glencoe.

This hike makes an ideal stopping point when travelling through the Scottish Highlands, particularly if you are road-tripping between Fort William, Glencoe and southern Scotland.

There is a wide choice of accommodation in and around Fort William, making it an excellent base for exploring Glencoe and the surrounding Highlands.

Parking For The Lost Valley Hike

For the Lost Valley hike, park at the Three Sisters car park on the A82. The car park is completely free but can become extremely busy, particularly during summer and school holidays.

During peak periods, it is highly recommended to arrive early before both the road and car park become congested. This is one of the busiest car parks in Glencoe.

If the main car park is full, there is a second overflow parking area slightly further along on the opposite side of the road.

Tour buses occasionally block cars in while visiting, although this tends to be temporary as many visitors stop briefly for photographs before continuing along the scenic route.

There are no toilet facilities on the route or at the car park.

The excellent Glencoe Visitor Centre is a useful nearby stop for toilets, a café, walking trails and useful information about the landscape and history of the area.

What Is The Lost Valley Hike Like?

We completed most of the route in around two hours, although snow obscured the upper section of the path during our April visit.

Stage 1: Leaving the Viewpoint and The Initial Climb

From the car park, turn left and follow the path down into the glen between the Three Sisters mountains. The route initially descends fairly steeply before dropping via a metal staircase and crossing the River Coe on a wooden bridge.

Stage 2: Scrambling, Birch Forest & River Crossings

Continue following the path, which now begins to climb steeply upwards, involving some scrambling over large rocks. A rope handrail helps in one particularly slippery section.

The trail climbs through birch woodland before following the gorge alongside a river filled with moss-covered boulders and cascading waterfalls.

There is a short section near the largest waterfall where the path becomes fairly narrow, with a steep drop on one side. Take extra care here, particularly in wet weather or with children.

The path becomes progressively steeper and rockier as you approach the Lost Valley (also known as the Hidden Valley). This is the point where motivation may begin to fade slightly, but the hardest work is nearly over.

Stage 3: Entering The Hidden Valley

The path crosses the river via a set of stepping stones before opening out into a small plateau.

Here, Coire Gabhail stretches out in all its glory. The hidden valley is in fact a hanging valley carved out by a tributary glacier thousands of years ago during the last Ice Age.

It is said that the MacDonalds of Glencoe once hid stolen cattle within the valley — and having walked this route ourselves, that must have been quite an undertaking.

Finding ourselves unexpectedly walking through snow in April only added to the excitement and sense of adventure.

To complete the walk, simply retrace your steps back to the car park.

Is The Lost Valley Hike Suitable For Kids?

It depends. Although only around 5km long, this is a challenging hike with over 300 metres of ascent, uneven terrain and some scrambling sections. Most older children and those with some hiking experience should be able to manage the route.

Our children were between 8 and 14 and managed this fairly easily, with only minimal complaining.

If this hike is a little too challenging for your family right now, the Steall Waterfall walk is another incredible family hike in the Highlands and a slightly easier option.

You could also complete just the first section of the route to the bridge and back, which still provides a taste of Glencoe’s dramatic scenery without committing to the full hike.

Important note: some sections pass close to steep drops and fast-flowing water. Families with younger or impulsive children should take extra care throughout the walk.

What To Pack For The Lost Valley Hike

Although relatively short, the Lost Valley hike is not a casual stroll and proper footwear is absolutely essential. The terrain is rocky, uneven and often slippery, particularly after rain.

We’d recommend bringing:

• Sturdy walking boots or hiking shoes with good grip
• Waterproofs (Scottish weather changes incredibly quickly)
• Warm layers, even in summer
• Water and snacks
• A basic first-aid kit
• Gloves and hats in colder months
• Walking poles if you struggle on steep descents or river crossings

If you’re visiting during colder months or early spring, don’t underestimate conditions higher up in the valley. We certainly weren’t expecting to find snow in April.

Navigation Tips, Safety Advice & Following the Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Navigation

We used these directions on the Komoot app for navigation and would strongly recommend downloading directions before setting out, as there is little to no mobile signal in the valley or car park.

Although the route itself is fairly obvious in good weather, snow, mist or heavy rain can make sections much harder to follow, particularly higher up near the valley itself.

If you’re unfamiliar with hiking in the Scottish Highlands, this is not a walk to underestimate despite the relatively short distance.

Safety Advice

The Lost Valley hike includes steep drops, slippery rocks, river crossings and sections of scrambling. Conditions can change rapidly, especially after rainfall when the river crossings may become significantly more difficult.

Families with younger children should take extra care throughout the route, particularly near waterfalls and narrow sections of path.

As with all hikes in Scotland, make sure you:

• check weather conditions before setting out with a mountain specific forecast
• wear appropriate footwear
• carry waterproof clothing and warm layers
• allow more time than you think you need
• turn back if conditions feel unsafe

One of the things I loved most about this walk was how wild and untouched it felt. However, that sense of adventure comes with real mountain hazards and should be treated with respect.

Following The Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Please don’t treat this beautiful landscape as an Instagram playground or picnic spot to leave litter behind or light fires on the ground. The Lost Valley is both historically important and environmentally sensitive, and it deserves to be treated with care.

Follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code by:

• taking all litter home
• avoiding damaging plants and fragile ground
• keeping dogs under control
• respecting wildlife and other walkers
• parking responsibly
• avoiding unnecessary erosion by sticking to established paths where possible

Part of what makes Glencoe so special is its raw, wild beauty. Hopefully future generations will be able to experience it in exactly the same way.

Best Time To Visit The Lost Valley

The Lost Valley hike is beautiful year-round, but conditions can vary dramatically depending on the season.

Spring is an especially magical time to visit, with waterfalls in full flow, quieter trails and the possibility of lingering snow higher in the valley. Our April visit felt particularly atmospheric thanks to the unexpected snowfall.

Summer offers longer daylight hours and greener landscapes, although this is also the busiest season and the car park fills extremely quickly.

Autumn can be spectacular, with golden colours appearing across the glen and fewer crowds on the trail.

Winter conditions can make the route significantly more challenging, with ice, snow and swollen river crossings adding extra difficulty. Unless you have winter hiking experience, this is probably best avoided during severe weather.

Whenever you visit, waterproofs are essential. The Highlands are famous for delivering four seasons in a single afternoon.

Lost Valley Hike FAQs