Berg Lake Trail

The Berg Lake Trail is the most famous multi-day backpack in the Canadian Rockies — 23 km from the Mount Robson Visitor Centre up the Robson River to Berg Lake, a turquoise glacial tarn directly beneath the 800 m north face of Mt. Robson (3,954 m), the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. The route gains 800 m of elevation through three distinct climate zones — temperate rainforest, the "Valley of a Thousand Falls", and alpine tundra — and remains a benchmark Canadian Rocky backpack.

The trail is walked in 3 to 4 days as an out-and-back. Day 1 follows the gentle path along the Robson River past Kinney Lake to Whitehorn at 11 km. Day 2 is the steep one: the "Valley of a Thousand Falls" section climbs 600 m past White Falls, Falls of the Pool, and Emperor Falls (a roaring 60 m cascade just off the trail) into the alpine zone, finishing at Berg Lake Camp on the south shore of the lake. Day 3 is typically a layover day, used for side-trips to Mumm Basin (a panoramic ridge above the lake), Toboggan Falls (a short hike to a hidden cascade), or longer routes to Snowbird Pass and the Robson Glacier. Day 4 retraces the route back to the trailhead.

Permits are mandatory and allocated by BC Parks via a December reservation lottery; demand far outstrips supply for July and August dates. The campgrounds are bear-aware with bear poles and metal lockers. The trail is open snow-permitting from late June to mid-September, though the lower section (Kinney Lake) often opens earlier. The trail suffered major flood damage in 2021 from the atmospheric river that devastated southern BC; reconstruction has been gradual and some side-trails remain closed. Always check trail status with BC Parks before booking. Mt. Robson itself sees significant rain and weather, even in summer — pack proper rain gear and a warm layer.