Ranger Service

CairnGorm Mountain Ranger Service ensure stewardship on behalf of Highlands & Islands Enterprise for the Cairngorm Estate and provide a welcome and support service for visitors to the Estate.

The Cairngorm Estate covers 1400 hectares from the edge of Glenmore Forest  up to the high plateau where land neighbours include R.S.P.B Abernethy Reserve & Rothiemurchus Estate.

CairnGorm Ranger Base is at the front of the Mountain Railway Base Station and daily opening hours are 8:30 - 17:00. Information on walking routes, weather conditions, wildlife sightings and land management issues can be found in the Ranger Base or by speaking to the Ranger team. If the  Ranger is busy out and about on the Estate or leading a guided walk, many of our helpful staff will be able to assist.

Weather Information
Daily weather forecasts are posted. In winter, an avalanche forecast is also available. The weather forecast is provided by Mountain Weather Information Service which covers the Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath mountain range - Click here for a pdf forecast

Birds & wildlife
A summary is available on our display board in the Ranger Base of what wildlife has been seen recently. Visitors are encouraged to report any wildlife that they have seen.

Where to walk
Many paths and trails start at the Coire Cas Car Park. Within Coire Cas, there are waymarked trails with marker posts and interpretation. These are the Coire Cas Mountain Trail, Mountain Woods Trail, Lower Coire Cas Loop, Aonach Trail & Mountain Garden. A trail map for these routes is available from the Ranger Base, Ticket Office or from the Mountain Shop.

Other paths that start at the car park go out further afield have NO waymarkers or directional signs. You are expected to be self-sufficient in navigating in the mountains in any weather. We recommend that if going beyond the ski area the best option is to get an Ordnance Survey or Harveys map. These are available for sale in the Mountain Shop in the Day Lodge.

For more information on route choice and any other information, the Rangers will be happy to assist you. There is nothing better than local knowledge.

Footpaths
The footpaths on Cairn Gorm are managed by the Ranger Service. Regular maintenance is carried out on the paths; anything from clearing out drains to complete rebuilding, for which external contractors are often brought in.

Guided walks & Events
From May through until October there are guided walks throughout the Cairngorm Estate. The Walk @ The Top is a daily 90 minute walk suitable for most ages and the Northern Corries Walk is a longer alternative. For full details on guided walks please see the Walking & Trails page for more details.