Hiking the BC Rockies - Columbia

Travel info for the BC Rockies.   Trails in this area.

For beauty and splendour that's incomparable the Rockies has it all. This region runs from Revelstoke east to the Alberta border and south to the US border and down the middle is the Rocky Mountain Trench. This deep valley separates the Rockies from the Purcell Range to the west, and making it's winding way through BC and down into the United States, is the Columbia River. This region is rich in sheer natural beauty, with alpine lakes, miles of mountain meadows, rocky peaks and hot springs. Adventures are limitless in the Rockies. Mountain climb, raft, fish, ski and hike, or just plain relax in one of the hot springs, drinking in the beauty of the mountains.

This region is world famous for it's wildlife. There are Rocky Mountain grizzlies in the Akamina-Kishinena area, where they are protected. While the Premier Ridge, has been designated by the United Nations as the place of the most valuable ungulate populations outside the Africa's Serengeti Plains. Weather conditions can vary from place to place in the Rockies, summer are usually hot and dry, the higher elevation cool quickly. Dress in layers, have rain gear handy, carry spare water, plenty of sun screen and bug repellent.

Books from bcbooks.com
Backroad Mapbook: The Kootenays	Bush Basics	Incredible Rogers Pass
Provincial and National Park Campgrounds of BC		Wildlife of Western Canada

Elk Lakes Provincial Park:

St. Mary's Alpine Provincial Park:

St. Mary's Alpine Provincial Park high in the Purcell Mountains is breath taking alpine splendour in a totally wilderness setting. There are no designated campsites, and no trails, this is remote back packing country. Hikers should be experienced and self reliant, definitely skilled with map reading and know wilderness survival.

Access to this area is by logging roads, a four-wheel drive is necessary. From Marysville take the St. Mary's Lake gravel road to St. Mary's Provincial Park and continue on for another 45 km (28 mi.) north of the park and eventually you will reach this very remote area.

Kootenay National Park:

Kootenay National Park, that borders both Yoho and Banff National Parks, has more than 200 km (125 mi.) of trails within it's boundaries. The side by side position of mountain ranges feature wild open valley that are super for hiking. Plant life varies from bunch grass to white rhododendrons, there are more than 150 species of birds in this area and a wide range of animals that include bears, mule deer and bighorn sheep. One of the many hikes in Kootenay is the Rockwall Highline Trail, this is a 3 to 4 day backpack journey along the base of the Kootenay Wall, which is a 500 metre (1640 foot) escarpment. Reservations for wilderness campsites should be made well in advance and can be done by writing. Overnight trips in the Kootenay require a park-use permit and a user fee, these can be obtained up to 24 hours in advance at park information centres. Camp only is designated areas.

Mount Assiniboine Park:

Bugaboo Glacier Provincial Park:

Yoho National Park:

Hamber Provincial Park:

For extreme wilderness hiking, hike in or fly into the Hamber Provincial Park, located north of Glacier National Park and bordering Alberta's Jasper National Park. Not only is it the wildest park in B.C. it is also the most inaccessible. You can hike in, by way of a very difficult 23 km. (14 mi.) trek from Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park . To hike the Sunwapta Canyon to Fortess Lake Trail is a good 8 hours one way and is only recommended to experienced hikers. Once you reach Fortress Lake there is limited hiking but the fishing is great.

Good gravel roads off Highway 93/95 south of Canal Flats will take you to three different parks that truly represent the best the Rockies has to offer. The parks are Whiteswan Lake, Top of the World and Premier Lake, where the alpine regions are extraordinary, the fishing is great and the wildlife and flowers abound. Visiting these three parks means back-country camping and hiking at it's finest.