The Best Backpacking Trails and Multiday Hikes In The Canadian Rockies
The Best Backpacking Trails And Multiday Hiking Trips In The Canadian Rockies
A Guide To The best hiking routes for backpacking trips in the Rockies
The Canadian Rockies are home to some of the best backpacking trails in the world, and this guide will help you discover the best multiday hiking routes in the Rockies. If you are looking for one of the best guided hiking trips in Canada check out our earlier article!
While the Rockies offer several incredible multiday hiking options, the nature of the mountain terrain in the Rockies does not lend itself well to through hikes like the Pacific Crest Trail, or the John Muir Wilderness Trail. This is because there are few roads in the Canadian Rockies, so hikes need to eventually return to the same road they started from, instead of connecting to another or even several roads. The mountains in the Rockies are also very steep, and largely impossible to hike, with vertical walls, wide glaciers and large swaths of untamed bush between most trails and areas.
Despite those challenges we have several amazing backpacking trails in the Rockies that we are happy to recommend for your next mountain adventure. The following trails are chosen by ease of access, lack of crowds, beauty and the general hiking experience overall! While this list is fairly comprehensive, there are still many more backpacking trails in the Rockies to explore. It would probably take a lifetime to explore them all! Perhaps this is why backpacking is one of the most popular things to do in the Canadian Rockies!
Canada has a lot of really amazing hiking areas, like the Yukon, East Coast, Rockies and West Coast. Check out our guide to hiking the West Coast Trail for a coastal backpacking experience.
Enjoy our guide to the best backpacking trails in the Canadian Rockies!
The Best Backpacking Trails In The Rockies, Canada
1- Mount Assiniboine
Mount Assiniboine and the network of trails in this area are kind of like Disney Land for avid hiking enthusiasts. There’s just about everything you could image and more than you could wish for. You can start your backpacking trip from Sunshine in the West, or from Mt Shark in the East. You can also book a one or two way helicopter ride to access the Mt Assiniboine area, say if you were too laden down with boxes of wine to make the hike in.
Mt Assiniboine has several wilderness campgrounds in the surrounding area, as well as the main Lake Magog Campground. There is also rustic lodging and fairly luxurious wilderness lodging from Mt Assiniboine Lodge, so you can set up a fairly comfortable basecamp while you hike around the area and explore. You could easily spend several nights here and have plenty to see each day and lots of ground to cover.
Our recommendation: Either hike in from Sunshine Meadows and out via Mt Shark, or helicopter in and hike out via Mt Shark. This keeps the hiking in a nice direction and makes best use of the terrain and reduces the overall grunt of elevation gain on your wilderness backpacking trip in the Rockies.
Mt Assiniboine backpacking highlights
Helicopter ride in/ out (if you do this options)
View from Nub Peak of Assiniboine and Og/ Magog Lakes
Choice between camping, rustic or luxury lodge
Choice between basecamp or through hike
Mt Assiniboine Key Backpacking Information
Distance: 26-30 km
Recommended Days: 3-5
Access: Sunshine Village or Mt Shark Trailhead
Area: Banff
2- Rockwall Trail
The Rockwall Trail is hands-down a bucketlist backpacking trail, but the non-stop views can be distracting and you could trip if you’re staring at the views while hiking! Beware! The Rockwall Trail is one of the most popular backpacking trails in the Canadian Rockies and for very good reason. As the name suggests, there is a massive mountainous rock wall towering above the trail at all times. While the best known photos of the Rockwall Trail are taken at Floe Lake, the entire trail is one rolling ridge after another rolling ridge of epic views.
The Rockwall Trail is located in Kootenay National Park, which is known for being a bit more natural than the other mountain parks, since the railway skipped this valley and the effects of tourism are much more recent.
There are a few different options possible on the Rockwall Trail, but for the most part this is a through hike from one end to the other. We recommend starting in the North end of the trail, so you are working your way towards Floe Lake and ending off with a pretty spectacular reward once you reach Floe Lake at the end of your backpacking trip. You can also camp for an extra night at Helmet Falls Campground and do a day trip up towards Wolverine Pass.
Parks Canada manages the Rockwall Trail and the campsites can be booked through their online reservation system. Reservations usually open up early in the year for all dates throughout the year. You should have the route and amount of nights at each campsite planned out before beginning the reservations for your trek.
Highlights of backpacking the rockwall trail
Views of the Rockwall the whole way through the hike
Floe Lake and the incredible photo op at the end
Soaking in nearby Radium Hot Springs after your backpacking trip
Rockwall Trail Key Backpacking Information
Distance: 54 km, one way
Recommended Days: 4-5
Access: Paint Pots Trailhead, or Floe Lake Trailhead. Numa Falls has access for a shorter version.
Area: Kootenay National Park
3- Sulphur Skyline Trail
The Sulphur Skyline trail has become the most sought after backpacking route in Jasper National Park and for good reason! Crossing three alpine mountain passes in just a few days is a pretty spectacular feeling and the views sure won’t disappoint!
One of the most amazing things about the Sulphur Skyline Trail is the fact that over two thirds of the trail are in open alpine, offering sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. That is a higher ratio than most backpacking routes can boast!
One important thing to know about the Sulphur Skyline Trail is how short the season is. The alpine passes can hold snow until mid August, and there is a substantial amount of snow long into July! It’s not generally recommended to attempt the trail in early July, as the snow is substantial enough to hinder travel. The trail is fairly reasonable until late September, but you should definitely be prepared for snow, since it can snow from early September onwards. (Of course it can snow at anytime, but more likely once September rolls around).
One underrated perk of the Skyline Trail is that it is within Jasper’s Dark Sky Reserve, which means that this area is under control for light pollution. What does this mean? Stars! The sky is especially dark around Jasper, and as a result, the stars shine exceptionally brightly and make for some pretty unreal photos. This also means that you could see the Northern Lights on your backpacking trip in the Rockies, if you happen to be on the trail when there is no moon and Aurora activity. You can learn more about watching the Northern Lights here.
Highlights of backpacking the sulphur Skyline Trail
Stars! The trail is in a dark sky reserve and the stars are epic!
Soaking in Miette Hot Springs after your backpacking trip in Jasper
Passing through three mountain passes and spending 2/3 of the time in the Alpine!
Sulphur Skyline Trail Key Backpacking Information
Distance: 44 km, one way
Recommended Days: 2-4
Access: Signal Hill Trailhead, Maligne Lake Trailhead
Area: Jasper townsite in Jasper National Park
4- Berg Lake Trail
The Berg Lake Trail is one of the most popular backpacking routes in the Rockies but you may not have heard of anyone hiking it lately. Unfortunately it had some major flooding a couple of years ago and the trail is being repaired until further notice. Let us know in a comment below if it opens!
The Berg Lake Trail hikes along the base of Mount Robson, which is the highest peak in the Rockies. As you can imagine, this hunk of rock is pretty impressive and imposes a lasting view in your memories!
The trail is out and back, though you can also opt to fly in or out with a helicopter and hike the trail in one direction. It can be helpful to fly out when your packs are lighter, and this also means you anticipate Berg Lake, the best part of the trail each day you are hiking. The other option is to fly in and hike out, which is also a great way to do it, but something about hiking back to the parking lot is never as fun as hiking in while enjoying the new sights if you ask me!
Highlights of backpacking the berg lake Trail
Flying in or out in a helicopter (if you choose that option)
Getting up close and personal with the tallest mountain in the Rockies!
Camping at Berg Lake Campground with epic views!
Berg Lake Trail Key Backpacking Information
Distance: 42 km return, 21 km one way
Recommended Days: 3-5
Access: Mount Robson Visitor Center
Area: Jasper townsite in Jasper National Park
5- Sawback Traverse
The Sawback Traverse is easily one of the most epic backcountry hiking routes in the Canadian Rockies, and has always been much more off the radar than the other more popular trails. The Sawback Traverse doesn’t interact with many other trails from start to finish, so you definitely feel like you are on your own and truly immersed in the wilderness, which is an increasingly rare feeling these days.
We recommend starting at the south end of the trail and working your way north, though the trail can be hiked in either direction. There are a few lakes along the way, including Mystic Lake and Baker Lake, which are both incredibly beautiful.
You can hike the Sawback Traverse between a very aggressive 3 to a relatively relaxed 6 days. We recommend taking at least 4 days to keep the daily distance around 17 km. Some of the campsites we would recommend are Mystic Valley, Luellen Lake, Wildflower Creek and Hidden Lake. Campsites book well in advance so make sure to reserve your space early!
Highlights of backpacking the Sawback Traverse
Mystic and Baker Lakes are both very beautiful
The remoteness of the hike makes for a great opportunity to immerse yourself in nature
Camping on the shore of Luellen Lake
Cocktail in the fancy bar at Chateau Lake Louise when you are done!
Sawback Trail Trail Key Backpacking Information
Distance: 71 km, linear
Recommended Days: 4-6
Access: Mt Norquay Parking Lot, Fish Creek Road, Lake Louise
Area: Banff Town and Lake Louise
6- Brazeau Loop
Hiking the Brazeau Loop is one of our favourite backpacking options in the Rocky Mountains for several reasons. You spend a significant amount of time in the alpine on this hiking trail. The Brazeau Loop is also close to the Columbia Icefield, which I always find has extra fresh air that smells so nicely spruce scented. There can also be lots of wildlife in the area, which makes for some really cool photography opportunities.
You can hike the trail in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, though we would recommend going counter-clockwise to reduce the long uphill grind on day 2. We recommend taking 5 days to hike the Brazeau Loop backpacking route in the Rockies. You will most likely camp at the following campsites: Four Points, Brazeau Lake and Jonas Pass Cut-Off campground. It is also possible to camp in the White Goat Wilderness Area on one of the nights.
Watch for bears, elk, sheep, mountain goats, wolves and even wolverines while hiking this Rockies backpacking route! Also make sure you are prepared for any kind of weather, since winter can show up at any time. You are up high on the Icefields Parkway, near the continental divide so this is often one of the coldest areas in the Rockies to backpack in!
Highlights of backpacking the brazeau Loop trail
Visiting the Columbia Icefields on your way in or out!
Catching sunset at Brazeau Lake
Brazeau Loop Trail Key Backpacking Information
Distance: 80 km loop
Recommended Days: 4-5
Access: Nigel Pass Trailhead
Area: Columbia Icefields in Jasper National Park
7- Tonquin Loop
You’ve probably seen photos from a backcountry lake somewhere in the Rockies, with a lake in the foreground and some sheer, craggy mountains towering over the lake in the background, reflecting off the lake. Sound familiar? Well that photo is very likely taken from the Tonquin Valley backpacking trail, which is famous for the utterly beautiful views of the Ramparts Mountain Range reflecting off of Amethyst and Outpost Lakes.
We love Tonquin Valley hiking route for a few reasons, and hate it for another. We love it because of the epic scenery and photo opportunities, plus the wildlife (including caribou), and we hate it for the mosquitoes. Mosquitoes descend on this valley like nowhere else during the month of July, so be warned. This also makes it much easier to get a campsite during July, but you would be best off to plan this multiday hike for late August or September.
We recommend taking 3-5 days for this hike, and it is one of the easier backcountry hikes in the Rockies with only 900 meters of elevation gain in the loop trail. Start at either Portal or Astoria trailheads and work your way to the other. Make sure you camp at Amethyst Lake for the spectacular views!
Highlights of backpacking the Tonquin Valley Trail
Views of the Ramparts and Amethyst Lake
Chance to see wild woodland caribou, which are very endangered
Visiting Jasper after the hike!
Tonquin Valley Trail Key Backpacking Information
Distance: 44 km one way
Recommended Days: 3-5
Access: Portal and Astoria Trailheads (shuttle required)
Area: Jasper Townsite and Jasper National Park
Backpacking options for inexperienced hikers
Whether it is your first time in the backcountry or you are an experienced hiker, the Rockies have something for everyone. There are several options for first timers, like hiking in to a lake for a night or two and then back out. We would recommend the following trails and options for anyone who is looking to build their experience or try backpacking for their first time.
Jacques Lake- Jasper
Glacier Lake- Banff National Park
Twin Falls on the Iceline Trail- Yoho National Park
Vista and Twin Lakes- Banff/ Kootenay National Parks
Floe Lake- Kootenay National Park
Hiking on Lake Minnewanka- Banff
These backpacking options can be great for first time backcountry hikers because most of them are just a small hike in and small hike out, so you are never several days into the wilderness on your own. They also typically only involve one campsite, so the booking process is much easier. You can book the same site for multiple days and use it as a basecamp while you explore the area on day hikes.
Which backpacking Trail in the Rockies is your Favourite?
Which backpacking route is your favourite? Which ones have you done? We love hearing from our readers, so leave us a comment below with your favourite trail or suggested routes!
Or if you feel like we missed an amazing hike in the Rockies, please let us know!
Also, if you’d like to skip all the planning and research you can join one of our guided backpacking trips in Banff!
About The Author
ALEX ROSS- FOUNDER
Let’s just say Alex didn’t want to work a real job when he grew up. He had his heart set on avoiding any kind of accounting, human resources, compliance, marketing and business administration, in order to be free for his dream job as a ski guide. Now he guides people on skis, but mostly does accounting, human resources, compliance, marketing and business administration work!