8 Spring Backpacking Trips near Vancouver

May 19, 2025May 9, 2025 / Maria / Leave a comment

Earlier this season I posted a list of some of my favourite Spring day hikes. As much as I love day hiking, backpacking is my favourite activity and I’m always excited to start camping once the weather gets nice. Spring is tricky for backpacking because the alpine is still full of snow until at least late June, but if you pick the right trail, Spring can be a really nice time for hiking because it’s not too hot and there’s usually not a fire ban in effect. Every year is different and just because a trail is generally snow-free in a previous year, doesn’t mean it will always be snow-free. Make sure to do real time research before heading out to the trail to confirm the conditions. Make sure to Leave No Trace and always be respectful of the land and indigenous territories through which you are hiking. Here’s a few of my favourite Spring backpacking trips!

Lindeman Lake

Located in Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park, this is a really popular hike. There’s somewhat limited space for tents, so I advise going early in the day or on a weekday if you want one of the tent pads. The hike to Lindeman Lake is less than 2km, but it is quite steep, with 350m of elevation gain. The parking lot is often targeted by thieves, so make sure you don’t leave anything valuable in your car. There is a bear cache and outhouse, but it’s only a throne-style toilet, meaning there are no walls. Due to the high volume of crowds at this location, I think it could use a little TLC from BC Parks. Get a backcountry permit for $5pp per night from camping.bcparks.ca. Campfires are NOT permitted, so enjoy a swim in the clear, but cold, lake instead!

Viewpoint Beach/Half Moon Beach

A photo overlooking Gold Creek and Golden Ears Mountain from Viewpoint Beach on a sunny day in Golden Ears Provincial Park in BC.

Viewpoint Beach is located very close to the lower mainland, in Golden Ears Provincial Park, and as a result, it’s also very popular. The nice thing about this location is that it’s an easy 4km hike and there’s lots of space for tents. There is an outhouse and bear cache, but the bear cache is severely undersized for the number of visitors, so be prepared to hang your food. Some people cross the river to access Hiker’s Beach, but be careful doing this when the river is running high. Also, be aware there’s no cache or outhouse on that side. If you want to avoid the crowds, you can hike another 6km to Half Moon Beach, but this trail isn’t in great shape, so be prepared for a slower, muddy hike. Get a backcountry permit for $5pp per night from camping.bcparks.ca. Campfires are NOT permitted.

Tikwalus Heritage Trail

A cute red merle Australian Shepherd dog poses on a dirt trail with a large dog backpack, with green forest in the background while hiking on the Tikwalus Heritage Trail in British Columbia, Canada.

The first two trails on this list are very popular, so if you’re looking to avoid the crowds, Tikwalus Heritage Trail is located near the Fraser Canyon on Highway 1. It’s a 6km hike to get to the campsite, but the challenge with this trail is an elevation gain of 750m, so be prepared for a climb! This trail is mostly forested, but has lovely views of the backcountry from the campsite. These are all first-come-first-serve sites, but there’s a fair amount of space and in my experience, it’s not that busy. There is an outhouse and bear cache, but there’s no water source immediately at the campsite, so fill up at the river located 1km before camp. There are no permits for this campsite and campfires are permitted if there’s no fire ban.

Levette Lake/Hut Lake

Two women sit in swimsuits on a dock with a dog, looking out at the forest and blue water of Hut Lake Recreation Site, Northwest of Squamish in British Columbia, Canada.

Levette Lake and Hut Lake are free rec sites located in the backcountry near Squamish, off Paradise Valley Road, but the vibe is very different at each lake. Levette is popular among locals and depending if the road is open, you can generally drive right up to the lake to camp. If you want to avoid the crowds, it’s a 5km hike from Levette Lake to Hut Lake. The trail is along rugged road and some hardcore off-roaders will drive all the way to Hut Lake. There’s not a lot of space for tents at Hut Lake and there’s no bear cache or outhouse, but we were the only people at this campsite when we visited on a weekend in mid-July. It’s a great option for a rainy weekend and we enjoyed swimming in the lake. There’s no permit for this site and campfires are permitted if there’s no fire ban.

Juan de Fuca/West Coast Trail

A photo of Mystic Beach on a sunny, blue sky day with the forested cliffs in the background and the waves washing up on the beach on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail on Vancouver Island, BC.

The Juan de Fuca Trail is a great option for Spring as it’s located along the coast of Vancouver Island and is open year round. However, it’s closed in 2025 due to damage from winter storms, so I’ve opted to include the West Coast Trail as an alternative. The WCT opens May 1 for the season and is extremely popular, so be prepared to book your permit from Parks Canada when they release in Jan/Feb. Both trails are long, multi-day hikes, though it is possible to do shorter trips along the Juan de Fuca trail. If you’re hiking the Juan de Fuca, backcountry permits are required for $10pp per night from camping.bcparks.ca. Both trails are recognized for their coastal beauty and campfires are permitted when there’s no fire ban.

San Josef Bay/Cape Scott Trail

A photo of San Josef Bay on a cloudy, moody day, with the forest lit by the sun and the waves crashing onto the sand in Cape Scott Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, BC.

Given the challenges with the Juan de Fuca Trail this year, visiting San Josef Bay or Cape Scott on the northern part of Vancouver Island is a great alternative! San Josef Bay is recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and is only 3km from the trailhead along well maintained trail. If you’re more ambitious, there’s a fully developed trail that travels 25km each way to the historic lighthouse at Cape Scott. This trail is more challenging, but still relatively well maintained, with several campsites on beautiful beaches. All campsites have an outhouse and bear cache and you can get a backcountry permit for $10pp per night from camping.bcparks.ca. Campfires are permitted when there is no fire ban. Be prepared to drive along 65km of gravel road to access the trailhead – any car can make the trip, but be prepared to drive slow.

Sunshine Coast Trail

The Sunshine Coast Trail is a 180km trail through the wilderness of the upper Sunshine Coast. The entire trail will not be accessible until summer, but there are a few options for Spring hiking in the first 50km of trail between Sarah Point and Powell River. You can do the entire 50km section, or you prioritize one of the shorter trail options, such as Manzanita Bluffs, Appleton Canyon, Rieveley Hut, or Little Sliammon Lake. This is a very well maintained trail with facilities at every site. It is free to hike, but I recommend a donation to qPaws if you’re using the huts. The trailhead at Sarah Point is along rugged road, so I recommend booking a trip with the Sunshine Coast shuttle to access the trailhead. Be aware that not all campsites have a reliable water source (or any water source) and plan accordingly.

Cheakamus Lake

Cheakamus Lake is a popular campsite near Whistler. I include this option with a caveat to check the trail conditions before going. I’ve hiked the trail in May when it’s been completely clear of snow, but I’ve also had to cancel a June trip when the snowmelt was particularly late. It’s a great option for beginners as it’s a mostly flat trail. There’s two campsites on the trail, the first is a 4km hike from the trailhead and the second is a 7km hike. Reservations are required to stay at these sites and release 4 months in advance of your date from camping.bcparks.ca for $10pp per night. Campfires are NOT permitted, but there is an outhouse and bear cache.

Top 10 Unbeatable Trails in Southwestern BC

December 26, 2024November 19, 2024 / Maria / Leave a comment

I’ve been living in British Columbia for almost 11 years now. Every 2 years I compile a list of my top 10 favourite hikes in Southwestern BC during that period. This means that I have almost 300 hikes in my overall hiking log and 50 hikes in my “favourites” list. I decided to create one more ultimate top 10 list using only the trails from my last 5 compilation posts (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5). Most of these are very well known hikes, with good reason, though there are a few slightly lesser known trails. After a decade living on the West Coast, these are the trails that I’ll never stop recommending!

#10 Howe Sound Crest Trail

The Howe Sound Crest Trail is a quintessential hike located just outside of the lower mainland. It is a very challenging hike, but iconic due to its proximity to the city and the towering Lions mountains. The hike leaves from the top of Cypress Mountain and hikes 30km of ridgeline parallel to Howe Sound, ending at Porteau Cove. It can be done in a single day as a trail run, but it’s a very technical and challenging hike and I recommend at minimum, 1 night on the trail (I did 2 nights). The trail passes through the Lions and then hikes up and down several peaks to the halfway point at Magnesia Meadows. From there, you can summit both Mount Harvey and Mount Brunswick, before continuing back in the forest to campsites at Brunswick Lake and Deeks Lake. It’s a beautiful trail, but there is a lot of elevation gain and it should not be underestimated. (30km, 1500m elevation gain, 2-3 days)

#9 South Chilcotin

There are tons of hiking trails available in South Chilcotin Provincial Park and it is a great place to escape the crowds. Day hiking definitely isn’t possible here, but if you really want to escape out of the city and spend an extended period of time in nature, this is a great choice. The route I took involved hiking into the park along the Tyaughton Creek Trail and doing a loop around the park. Highlights included hiking up to the top of Lorna Pass and over Deer Pass. There are some beautiful lakes on the south side of the park. I did a 90km route over 6 days and I’m already dying to go back and explore more of the park. (30-90km, 2-6 days)

#8 Cheam Peak

Camping isn’t allowed on Cheam Peak, so this hike can only be done as a day hike. It’s extremely popular, but notoriously difficult to access. 4WD and high clearance are definitely required to get to the trailhead, so don’t even try to take a small vehicle up there. There are a lot of water bars and they start early, so don’t try and park on the road either as it will only create more barriers. But if you can find a ride to the top, this is a truly iconic hike in the Fraser Valley. The entire hike is in the alpine and you start by hiking into a grassy meadow before a steep slog up the mountain to the top. From the top, you can see the entire Fraser Valley on one side and the sweeping backcountry on the other. I’ve done this one twice and always enjoy it, despite the crowds. (10km, 650m elevation gain, 1 day)

#7 Mount Price

Mount Price is the secret version of Panorama Ridge. I haven’t done this hike since 2018, so it may have gotten more popular since then, but when I visited, it was empty compared to the crowds in the rest of the park. Similar to Panorama Ridge, this trail is located in Garibaldi Provincial Park and can be completed in a day, but is best done overnight at the lake. While the Panorama Ridge trail goes up the north side of Garibaldi Lake, the Mount Price Trail goes up the south side. You walk along the lake doing some light bushwacking, before you hit a large boulder field that you have to scramble up to the large flat top of Mount Price. From there, you can admire the Garibaldi backcountry in every direction! Enjoy the gatorade blue hues of Garibaldi Lake, the towering glacial peaks of Mount garibaldi, and the iconic Black Tusk, home of the Thunderbird. (29km, 1400m elevation gain, 1-3 days)

#6 Russet Lake

Mount Price is only one of many breathtaking hikes in Garibaldi Provincial Park. Another gorgeous hike can be found along the High Note and Musical Bumps trail to Russet Lake. In theory, this could be done as a day hike, but I really recommend it as an overnight hike due to the length and late opening time of the gondola. The Russet Lake trail starts in Whistler and can be accessed from either the top of Peak Chair (which comes with a hefty price tag, but is worth it in my opinion), or from the base of the mountain along the Singing Pass Trail. The Singing Pass Trail is free, but is mostly in the trees and involves a lot of elevation gain. The route from Peak Chair follows the High Note Trail to Flute Summit, before merging with the Musical Bumps Trail. The entire trail is in the alpine and breath-takingly gorgeous, but it does involve doing several mini summits, so it is still a very tiring trail. It’s highly worth the payout! (24km, 550m elevation gain, 2 days)

#5 Panorama Ridge

I’m just realizing how many of the hikes on this list are in Garibaldi Park! I don’t think this hike needs any introduction. Panorama is the crown jewel hike of Garibaldi and one of the most iconic hikes in the entire province. I admit that I am a bit resentful of this hike because of the huge number of people it attracts, but I’ve still made the trek up there on more than one occasion to admire the views. Lots of people do it as a big day hike, but I’ve always camped at the lake. My preferred way to visit Panorama Ridge is to thru hike from Garibaldi Lake to Helm Creek and stop at Panorama Ridge along the way. Helm Creek is another stunning area of the park and makes for a fantastic thru hike. If you want to avoid some of the crowds, you could enter the park from the Cheakamus Lake entrance and day hike Helm Creek, since most people come via the Rubble Creek entrance. (30km, 1500m elevation gain, 1-3 days)

#4 Heather Trail

We’ve almost concluded the Garibaldi Park hikes, so let’s talk about my other favourite park, E.C. Manning Provincial Park. I absolutely adore Manning Park, which has always attracted less visitors than Garibaldi Park, but the crowds are definitely increasing in recent years, especially in the Fall on the Frosty Mountain Trail. But the Heather Trail is where I’d rather spend my time. If you just want to do a day hike, drive to the top of Blackwall Road and hike out and back to 3 Brothers Mountain, which captures a lot of the highlights of the trail. You do most of the elevation gain in the car, so most of the hike is located in the alpine and is very well known for its alpine wildflowers. But I like to extend the trip by backpacking the Heather Trail, which continues further to Nicomen Lake. From Nicomen, you can turn around and hike back to your car, or continue on the Grainger Creek Trail and thru hike to Cayuse Flats, which is what I did. (38-42km, 1000m elevation gain, 2-3 days)

#3 Skyline II Trail

As much as I love the Heather Trail, the Skyline II Trail is my favourite trail in Manning Park! It gets less crowds than the Heather Trail, but it is becoming more popular in recent years. If you just want to do a day hike, follow the trail up to Snow Camp Mountain and back, which features a breaktaking viewpoint before Despair Pass, and beautiful alpine meadows after the pass. The most iconic mountain on this trail is Hozomeen Mountain, which is located just across the border. My preferred trip is to backpack to Mowich Camp and then do a day hike to Hozomeen Ridge on the second day. I returned to my car along the same route, but you can thru hike the Skyline II Trail down the other side of the mountain into Skagit Valley Provincial Park if you have two cars. (17-40km, 500m elevation gain, 1-3 days)

#2 Elfin Lakes

Elfin Lakes is the last hike on my list from Garibaldi Park. It’s also a very popular hike, but not on the same level as Panorama Ridge. That said, of all the trails in Garibaldi Park, this one is by far my favourite and I keep returning to it year after year (I think I’ve been up there 7 times now)! This trail can be done as an overnight or a day hike, in all seasons (although there is some avalanche risk in the winter). You can either tent or stay in the shared hut. The reason I love this hike is because the views from the tent are absolutely phenomenal and it’s great for stargazing. Plus, there are several options for day hikes from the campsite and I’ve had a lot of fun exploring the Gargoyles, Opal Cone, and Mamquam Lake over the years. I never get tired of this hike! (22-42km, 600m elevation gain, 1-3 days)

#1 Sunshine Coast Trail

The Sunshine Coast Trail will always top my list and is a very sentimental trail to me. It’s a 180km trail that can be done in sections or as one large thru hike. I did it in 2 sections in 2022. I did the first 50km with my sister, and the second 130km alone. It remains the only trail I’ve ever backpacked on my own. The trail has a large system of huts that you can stay in and is maintained by a committed network of volunteers. While the trail does have a number of gorgeous viewpoints, it is a lot of forest walking. I can’t quite pinpoint what is so special about this trail, I think it’s a combination of all the elements of the experience, but it will always have a special place in my heart. The highlights for me included Sarah Point, Manzanita Bluff, Appleton Canyon, Inland Lake, Tin Hat Mountain, Walt Hill, Rainy Day Lake, and Fairview Bay. So basically, the entire trail! (180km, 7-12 days)

10 Epic Thru-Hikes in BC

July 31, 2024September 17, 2024 / Maria / 5 Comments

If you’re an avid backpacker already and looking for an epic adventure, there are lots of multi-day trips in British Columbia to whet your appetite. I’ve only done a small sample of what BC has to offer, but these are some of my favourite thru hikes! If you’re a beginner, check out my Guide to Backpacking and Overnight Trips for Beginners posts, as well as my safety resources.

A thru-hike is basically a trip that starts and ends at different locations, allowing you not to repeat any trail. They can be somewhat harder to coordinate and plan because 2 vehicles are often needed and the trailheads may be several hours apart from one another. I don’t recommend any of these trails for true beginners as they are all multi-night trips, several of which are in more challenging or technical terrain. But if you’re an intermediate or experienced backpacker and looking to get outside for extended periods of time, check out some of these trails!

North of Vancouver

Howe Sound Crest Trail

The Howe Sound Crest Trail (or HSCT), is the closest trail to Vancouver on this list, as well as one of the shortest. That might lead you to believe that it’s one of the easier trails, but that is not the case. I think a lot of people stumble onto this trail who are not quite prepared for the steep and technical terrain, so definitely proceed with caution. The trail is 30km long and runs from Cypress Mountain to Porteau Cove. It can be done as a 1 or 2 night hike and most people start from Cypress because then it’s a net downhill trail. There are no facilities, so be prepared to do a bear hang and dig cat holes for your waste.

I prefer to do this trail as a 2-nighter and camp at the Enchantments and Brunswick Lake, but there is no water on trail until the halfway point, so if you camp at the Enchantments, you need to do a large water carry. The trail crosses between the Lions and up and down through several small summits. The start and end to the trail are pretty straight forward, but the trail gets very technical in the middle. If you’d like to extend the trip, you can consider summiting Mount Harvey and Mount Brunswick along the way. It’s a gorgeous trail with unparalleled views of Howe Sound.

Helm Creek Trail

A hiking trail extends through the alpine of Garibaldi Provincial Park towards Helm Lake, with the forest and mountains in the background on a sunny day in British Columbia, Canada

This route doesn’t have a formal name, but extends from Rubble Creek to Cheakamus Lake in Garibaldi Provincial Park, near Whistler. If you’re on my website, most likely you’re familiar with this trail because of the popular trips to Garibaldi Lake, Black Tusk, and the iconic Panorama Ridge. Lots of people explore these trails as a day hike or a 1-nighter from Garibaldi Lake or Taylor Meadows. But I always recommend turning it into a multi-day trip by continuing on to Helm Creek. This trail is more appropriate for newer backpackers because of its substantial facilities.

This hike can be customized to whatever length you prefer. Start at Rubble Creek and spend a few nights at Taylor Meadows or Garibaldi Lake and explore Black Tusk or Mount Price. When you’re ready to go to Panorama Ridge, pack up your camp and stop at the ridge on the way to the Helm Creek Campsite, which takes you through the gorgeous Helm Lake area. From there, you hike down towards the Cheakamus Lake parking lot. If you want to extend the trip further, make a detour to Cheakamus Lake or Singing Creek campsites. This hike requires camping reservations, which release 4 months in advance of your date from camping.bcparks.ca.

East of Vancouver

HBC Heritage Trail

A photo of Palmers Pond on a summer day, with the green meadows, forest, and mountains in the background, on the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC Trail) near Hope in British Columbia, Canada.

In my opinion, this is one of the most challenging trails on the list (except for maybe the North Coast Trail). HBC stands for Hudson Bay Company and is a historic trail that was originally used by the First Nations and later by the fur trade. The trail is 74km long and extends through the mountains from Hope to Tulameen. A lot of the trail is through the forest, but it has some gorgeous campsites and views along the way. It’s not an overly popular trail and you likely won’t see many people on it if you like solitude.

What makes this trail challenging right now is the state of the trail. The trail has been revitalized in recent years and has a dedicated volunteer maintenance group, but the 2021 flood was particularly hard on this area. Volunteers have been working to clear the trail, but there is still quite a lot of blowdown in some sections and the trail does require fording at least 3 rivers. All of the campsites have nice facilities, so if you give yourself enough time to navigate the technical terrain, it is a beautiful trail.

Heather Trail

If you’re new to thru-hiking, the Heather Trail would be my recommendation. This is a relatively easy trail, with gorgeous views and brand new facilities. It’s located in E.C. Manning Park and can be done over 2-3 days. The trail starts at the top of Blackwall Road, which means most of the challenging elevation gain is done in the car. Technically, the Heather Trail is 21km, ending at Nicomen Lake and requiring an out-and-back trip. However, if you connect to the Grainger Creek and Hope Pass Trails from Nicomen Lake, you can turn this into a ~40km thru-hike, ending at Cayuse Flats.

Over 2 nights, I would camp at Kicking Horse and Nicomen Lake, or you could add a night at Buckhorn Campsite at the start of the trip and take your time. The trail is all in the trees after Nicomen Lake, and even though it’s 17km from Nicomen to Cayuse Flats, it’s a very easy trail, though there is another campsite option at Grainger Creek. You do need backcountry reservations to stay at these sites as of 2024, which can be obtained 4 months ahead of your trip at camping.bcparks.ca.

Skyline II Trail

I love Manning Park and the Skyline II Trail is one of my all time favourites. This trail is more difficult than the Heather Trail, but still a relatively easy trip. The trail is approximately 25 kilometres from Strawberry Flats in Manning Park to Whitworth Meadow in Skagit Valley Park. There is one campsite at the halfway mark, Mowich Camp.

While this hike can be done in one night, I highly recommend doing 2 nights at Mowich Camp and making a detour to hike the 15km round trip trail along Hozomeen Ridge and back. This trail will take you to the border monument and a fantastic view of Hozomeen Mountain in the US. The trail itself is easy to follow and takes you through gorgeous alpine meadows. The campsite is pretty basic and the water source can run dry later in the summer. A backcountry permit is needed and can be obtained 2 weeks prior to your trip at camping.bcparks.ca.

Vancouver Island & Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast Trail

This is the longest trail on my list, but is hands down my favourite thru-hike ever! The Sunshine Coast Trail (or SCT) is 180km and extends through the entire upper Sunshine Coast, from Sarah Point on the Malaspina peninsula, to Powell River, and down to the ferry at Saltery Bay. The SCT is unique because it is a hut-to-hut hiking route, which means you can do the entire trail, staying in free mountain huts along the way.

The trail can be a challenge to coordinate in terms of transportation and food carries, but it is incredibly well maintained by volunteers, with gorgeous facilities. You can do a section of the trail, or commit to the entire thing. The trail is primarily in the forest and tackles a lot of cumulative elevation gain. There are tons of lakes to enjoy a cool swim and some amazing viewpoints along the way. The trail can get busy, so if you plan to stay in the huts, you should still bring a tent with you as a back-up.

Juan de Fuca

The Juan de Fuca trail is often touted as a great beginner coastal trail. It is good in that it’s a lot easier than its more popular sister trail, the West Coast Trail, but it is still challenging in its own right. It’s a 47km trail on Vancouver Island between Port Renfrew and China Beach. There are several nice campsites located both in the forest and along the beaches, but like all the coastal trails on the island, it can be very technical and muddy.

It’s been several years since I did this trail and I have heard that some parts have received much needed maintenance since I did it, but it will still be quite muddy in early summer and there are several tidal points on the trail that require advance planning to cross. The nice thing about this trail is that there are several bailout points that connect to the highway if the trail is too challenging. Backcountry permits are required and can be obtained 2 weeks in advance from camping.bcparks.ca.

North Coast Trail

Two tents camping on a golden sand beach with drift wood and the forest and waves of the pacific ocean in the background at sunset on Irony Creek Beach in Shuttleworth Bight on the North Coast Trail on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

The North Coast Trail (or NCT) is probably the hardest hike on this list. It’s much less popular than the West Coast Trail, but the traffic to this hike has definitely been growing. The NCT is a ~60km hike on the far north coast of Vancouver Island. It has a reputation for being extremely muddy and it doesn’t get very much maintenance. The NCT is only accessible by water taxi, so most people add on another ~25km of hiking to Cape Scott to finish this trail.

The Cape Scott Trail is accessible by dirt road and is better maintained than the NCT. The highlights of both trails are the gorgeous, remote beach campsites. There are several tidal points on the trail and you should be prepared for a very slow hiking pace through extremely technical terrain. But you’ll also likely get to view bears, eagles, and if you’re lucky, maybe even a wolf. Backcountry permits are required for this hike and can be obtained 2 weeks ahead of your trip at camping.bcparks.ca.

Rocky Mountains

Mount Assiniboine

Mount Assiniboine can be accessed as a loop trail, thru hike, or by helicopter. Of course, I did the thru hike option. Mount Assiniboine is one of BC’s premier mountain campsites and there is a lot to explore from the core area of the park. We planned for 3 nights in the Magog Lake Campground, and 1 night on either end of the trip to hike in and out. While Assiniboine Park is located in BC, the hike is accessed through Banff National Park in Alberta.

Take the gondola up to Sunshine Village and hike through the alpine meadows to Porcupine Camp on night one, then continue to Assiniboine for several days in the park. Explore Magog Lake, Cerulean lake, and Sunburst Lake, as well as the iconic hike up to the Nub for sunset. On your way out, hike through beautiful Wonder Pass and camp at Wonder Lake before ending your hike at Mount Shark. You will need to coordinate 2 vehicles and book backcountry reservations for Assiniboine 4 months in advance at camping.bcparks.ca, as well as backcountry reservations for Wonder Lake at reservation.pc.gc.ca, which release sometime in March for the entire season.

Rockwall Trail

The Rockwall on a sunny day with the mountains in the background and the forest in the foreground with blue sky in Kootenay National Park in British Columbia, Canada.

The Rockwall Trail is another extremely popular trail located in Kootenay National Park. It’s a 55km trail from Paint Pots to the trailhead for Floe Lake that is incredibly scenic. There are a number of campsites along the trail and it can be done in 3-4 nights. Floe Lake is the most popular campsite on the trail, but I also highly recommend staying at the Helmet Falls campsite. Along the way, you can stay at Tumbling Creek, Numa Creek, or both, they’re pretty similar sites.

The trail is very well maintained and has lots of facilities. Campsites release for the entire season in March at reservation.pc.gc.ca, so make sure you watch for the release date, because the sites will sell out immediately. If you’re lucky enough to score permits, enjoy this beautiful trail through the Rocky Mountains and past the iconic Rockwall.