The Lost Valley hike in Glencoe is one of the most rewarding short walks in the Scottish Highlands. Starting near the famous Three Sisters viewpoint, this rocky trail leads into a hidden valley surrounded by steep mountain walls, waterfalls, and incredible scenery. We hiked the Lost Valley trail during our 3-day stay in Fort William with kids.
If you’re wondering whether the Lost Valley walk is suitable for families, here’s what to expect, including trail difficulty, parking, safety notes, and our experience hiking it with kids.
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The Lost Valley Hike Highlights
The Three Sisters are a beautiful set of three side-by-side peaks in the Glencoe Valley. The Lost Valley hike allows you to get up close to them and appreciate their magnificence. The Lost Valley hike is one of the shorter, more approachable walks in Glencoe, as many hikes in the area are tougher summit trails.
The area where the Lost Valley trail meets the Alt Coire Gabhail river is especially beautiful. The cascading waterfalls flowing through this incredibly lush valley are an amazing sight and is such a treat.
Wildflowers are everywhere, including some very showy purple foxgloves.
Being so close to water, there are a lot of birds and the sound of birdsong is ever-present on the hike.
Lost Valley Hike Stats
How Long is the Lost Valley Trail?
The total round-trip distance of the Lost Valley trail is 5 km (3.1 miles).
How Steep is the Lost Valley Hike?
The Lost Valley Three Sisters walk is mostly uphill and has about 275 m (900 feet) of total elevation gain. There are some steep sections of this Glencoe hike, and a few areas which require scrambling up rocks, but anyone in reasonable shape ought to be able to do it.
How Hard is the Lost Valley Glencoe Hike?
We’d rate the Lost Valley hike as a ‘moderately difficult hike’. This hike can be a rough and rocky walk in spots, but it’s pretty short. Our 3 & 6 year old kids were able to climb the whole way up themselves, except for the spots where we had to help them because their legs were too short.
We carried our 3-year old down some of the more difficult areas for safety purposes. There were several other families hiking the Lost Valley trail with kids this day and they were all doing it under their own power.
How Long Does the Lost Valley Hike Take?
The Lost Valley Glencoe hike took us 2 hours and 40 minutes to complete, which is slower than our typical pace. This is due to the more challenging stages of the hike which required some creative scrambling up the trail with the kids.
Where to Park for the Lost Valley Trail
The parking lot for the Lost Valley hike is in the Three Sisters Viewpoint parking lot. This parking lot can get extremely busy as it is used by hikers and tourists simply stopping for a picture of the Three Sisters. A significant amount of tour buses stop at the Three Sisters viewpoint, so there’s a chance your car could get blocked in no matter where you park. We almost were.
Lost Valley Trail Map
You can download the Lost Valley trail map onto your phone using the AllTrails app. Due to the remote location, be sure to download the trail map in a location where you have Wi-Fi or a cell signal.
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What to Expect on the Lost Valley Walk
The Lost Valley trail begins with an easy downhill walk into the valley towards the River Coe. As you approach the river, you descend a steep set of steel stairs to reach the bridge to cross the river. After crossing the river, you begin your ascent up the hill into the Alt Coire Gabhail river valley.
At this early stage of the Lost Valley hike, the trees along the Lost Valley trail are thick and block a lot of daylight, making it prime midge territory. After a little while you exit the forest through a gate and enter a clearing. The views of the Glencoe valley all around you are breathtaking.
The Lost Valley trail continues to ascend the valley with the sounds of the river raging below. The trail is single file at this stage and there are several spots where the drop-off is significant, so stay close to your kids at all times.
Eventually, the trail meets the Alt Coire river and you are treated to a series of cascading waterfalls. The Lost Valley trail is very scenic at this stage as it continues to follow along the river, providing new waterfalls at every turn.
There are several spots where kids can stop and throw rocks into the water, while you try to get a good waterfall picture. There are a lot of midges in this area as well, so make sure everyone is well protected.
When we got about 90% up the Lost Valley trail, we started to get a little concerned about the trip back to the car. It took quite a while to get to this point with our kids, with a lot of scrambling up-and-over rocks, which were still wet from the morning rain.
It’s not in our nature to leave a hike unfinished, but it had taken a lot of work to get the kids this far, and we figured the scenery wouldn’t change much on the final leg of the hike.
Plus, to be honest, the midges were getting on our nerves, so we made the hard choice to forgo the last 10% of the Lost Valley trail and started to head back down. It still bugs us we didn’t finish this beautiful Glencoe hike…
As it turns out, the hike back down was easier and faster than we had thought. As we crossed back over the river towards the car park, we started to feel regretful for not finishing the Lost Valley hike, but then the skies parted and the sun came out.
We’d barely seen the sun on the first two weeks of our family road trip through Scotland. We were very excited for it to come out at that precise moment, where we could see the Glencoe Three Sisters in all their glory. It was a beautiful sight.
Hiking Lost Valley with Kids
There are no bathrooms in the Three Sisters Viewpoint parking lot. There are places along the trail where you could find privacy, but it can get pretty busy, so finding privacy may be a challenge.
There are no water stations either, so be sure to fill your water bladders before leaving home.
The trail surface on the Lost Valley hike varies quite a bit, but it’s mostly gravel with rocks sticking out, plus sections of larger rock with steps cut into them. We wouldn’t recommend normal shoes for this hike; hiking shoes with good grips are a must.
Be prepared for anything. Wear layers and bring plenty of water, sunscreen, rain gear, and something to repel the midges repel the midges.
Dogs are allowed on the Lost Valley Hike. I’d only recommend bringing your dog if it’s a medium-to-large athletic dog. Smaller dogs may struggle with this one.
Our kids love climbing rocks, so they loved this hike.
Most kids will probably love the huge black slugs that live in the valley along this trail.
Before you head out, read our best tips for hiking with kids and see what we actually pack in our guide to hiking gear for kids.
Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break
There are a few spots along the river which would make a nice place to stop for lunch, but the midges may ruin the picnic. If the midges are out, have a quick snack in the valley by the river and save the full lunch for when you get back to the Three Sisters Viewpoint.
Safety Notes and Trail Cautions
There are a few spots along the river valley where the trail drops off very sharply. The path is wide enough to walk comfortably but keep a tight grip on your little ones just in case.
There is a section at the beginning of the valley ascent where you need to hold onto a rope handrail as you walk up a steep set of rocks. Most kids should love scrambling up this, but it’s pretty high, so again, keep close. It’s more difficult on the way down.
Some hikers swear by Avon Skin So Soft for Scottish midges, but I’d treat it as a lighter option. For more reliable protection on a hike like Lost Valley, a purpose-made repellent such as Smidge is usually a better choice (readily available in stores in Scotland).
Follow Along our Family Trip to Scotland
We arrived in Fort William after we had spent 6 amazing days hiking the Scottish highlands in Loch Lomond with kids. After Fort William we knocked a destination off our bucket list, going to the Isle of Skye with kids for a 5-day stay.
If you are planning a family trip to Scotland, check out our comprehensive Scotland packing list for families. For inspiration, don’t miss our favorite things to do in Scotland with kids.
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Dan Brewer is an intrepid family travel blogger with a passion for exploring the world's most captivating destinations. With 62 countries under his belt and a sense of wanderlust that knows no bounds, he has made it his life's mission to share his travel experiences and insights with fellow families who love to travel.
When Dan isn't traveling with his wife and kids, he's either out enjoying the Canadian Rockies he calls home or working on one of his three travel sites (Family Can Travel, Travel Banff Canada and Ultimate Sports Road Trip).