On the Trail
Hiking
Hiking in Mount Revelstoke National Park offers you the chance to explore the rugged Columbia Mountains.
Mount Revelstoke's trails range from short, valley-bottom strolls, to steep, tough climbs. Some offer spectacular panoramic views of mountains from subalpine meadows lush with wildflowers, while others wind through stands of old-growth cedar-hemlock forests.
Whatever trail you choose, come prepared for travel in a rugged mountain environment and unpredictable weather.
The 'Hiking in Mount Revelstoke National Park' brochure contains a map and information on trails. The publication “Footloose in the Columbias,” available at the Friends of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks, includes details on trail length, hiking time, difficulty, elevation gain and special features. Voluntary safety registration is available.
Self-guided Trails
Giant Cedars Boardwalk Trail
Cedars more than 500 years old grow in the park. © Parks Canada - Jeff bolingbroke
A half kilometre boardwalk takes you into the heart of the park's old-growth forest, among cedar trees that may be more than half a millennium old. Signs along the way relate the importance of functioning ecosystems. Benches are provided so you can relax and breathe in the serene forest atmosphere. Trailhead is at the Giant Cedars Picnic Area, 30 km east of Revelstoke on the Trans Canada Highway.
Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk Trail
Skunk Cabbages grow in low-elevation wetlands. © Parks Canada - Rob Buchanan
A 1.2 km trail and boardwalk leads you over a swamp inhabited by muskrat, beaver, skunk cabbage and a host of birds. Signs help you identify the plants and animals you see along the way. This fascinating place is at its best from May through July. Trailhead is at the Skunk Cabbage Picnic Area, 28 km east of Revelstoke on the Trans Canada Highway.
Meadows in the Sky Trail
Wildflower meadows blossom in August © Parks Canada
One kilometre of paved trail takes you through a sub-alpine meadow. Signs provide information about this fragile area where winter lasts up to nine months of the year. A point of interest is the Icebox, a shaded rock cleft where snow persists throughout the summer. This trail is at its best in late July and early August when the wildflower blooming season is at its peak. Trailhead is at the summit of Mt. Revelstoke, a 25 km drive from the town of Revelstoke.
Bicycling
Cycling is allowed on the Trans-Canada Highway and the Meadows in the Sky Parkway, as well as on 2-km and 5-km trails at the foot of Mount Revelstoke. A connector trail links these trails with Highway 23 North.
More on cycling in Mount Revelstoke National Park...
Skiing and Snowshoeing
© Parks Canada
The Meadows in the Sky Parkway is left unploughed in the winter.
Backcountry skiers and snowshoers can use the Meadows in the Sky Parkway or the Summit Trail to overnight at Caribou Cabin (19 km).
The Inspiration Woods trail and the 2km and 5km Loop trails on the lower part of the mountain are great for snowshoeing and are in an area of low avalanche risk.
The spectacular terrain and heavy snowfalls of the Selkirk Mountains combine to produce some of the best ski touring opportunities in North America. Voluntary registration is recommended.
This is avalanche country. Phone (250) 837-MTNS or check the local avalanche forecasts from Parks Canada and the Canadian Avalanche Centre. Winter travelers venturing beyond the Monashee picnic site (8 kms up the parkway) must be knowledgeable of avalanche terrain and have appropriate training to ensure their own safety and their self-rescue capability.
Mountaineering
The granitic peaks of the Clachnacudainn (pronounced CLAK-na-KOO-din) range east of the summit of Mount Revelstoke offer good scrambling and Class 4 climbing. Also, a locally popular rock face known as the Lauretta Slabs is accessible within a short distance of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Climbing requires special skills and equipment. For advice on routes and conditions, contact us by phone - 250-837-7500 - or by email.
The booklet “Footloose in the Columbias” contains information on access routes, as does the “American Alpine Club Climber's Guide to The Columbia Mountains of Canada Central” (1992), ed. John Kevin Fox (The AAC Press, 113 East 90th Street, New York 10128).