Three notable hikes run through the east end of Mount Robson Park. These include well-developed, hard-surface trails and undeveloped hiking routes. This page provides an overview of two trails and one route:
Check the advisories on the Mount Robson Park page before heading to the park. When you arrive, before starting your hike, visit the Welcome Centre for information on current conditions and hazards.
All these hikes travel through bear country. See the wildlife safety page for information on staying safe around bears.
Yellowhead Mountain trail
Yellowhead Mountain is named after Pierre ‘Tete Jaune’ Bostonais, who was an Iroquois guide in the early 1800s. Yellowhead Pass marks the border between Alberta and British Columbia and separates the Pacific and Arctic watersheds.
This is a three-to-five-hour return trip. There are no campgrounds or other facilities on the trail, so it is suitable for day-hikes only.
The Yellowhead Mountain Trail trailhead is 52.8 km east of the Mount Robson Park Welcome Centre. You can access it by turning north at Whitney Lake and driving 1 km to a small parking lot by the railway tracks.
This trail has 800 m elevation gain in 8.5 km and is recommended only for experienced, physically fit hikers. The viewpoint at 2 km provides an excellent place to rest and enjoy mountain and lake views.
As you gain elevation, the vegetation changes from valley bottom pine, fir, and Aspen to sub-alpine fir and black spruce. An additional 6.5 km after the viewpoint you reach a sub-alpine meadow system. This is the turnaround point.
Mount Fitzwilliam trail
Mount Fitzwilliam is one of the most impressive and imposing peaks in the Rocky Mountains. The Mount Fitzwilliam Trail runs through some extraordinary scenery and offers two campgrounds for multi-day hikes.
Accessing the trailhead
The Mount Fitzwilliam Trail parking lot is 54 km east of the Welcome Centre, on Highway 16. The parking lot is on the shore of Yellowhead Lake. It has an information kiosk and pit toilets.
To access the trailhead, cross to the south side of the highway. Travel west along the pipeline right-of-way for 1.2 km. You will reach another small information kiosk, which marks the trailhead.
Before heading onto the Mount Fitzwilliam Trail, please register at the trailhead information kiosk.
Trailhead to main campground
The first section of the trail has 600 m of elevation gain. For the first 2 km, this is managed through a series of switchbacks. At around the 3.2 km mark, the trail levels off somewhat. This whole section is a maintained hard-surface trail.
At 7.2 km, you reach the main campground, which is on the shore of Rockingham Creek. This campground offers four tent pads, an open pit toilet, and bear-proof food caches. Camp only on the tent pads, to protect sensitive ecosystems.
Main campground to second campground
After crossing the bridge over Rockingham Creek, the trail heads east around the base of Mount Fitzwilliam. From this point, the trail is rough, not very well defined, and can be very wet, especially in the spring.
From here, the trail passes through open meadows, along the bottom of a rockslide. At 11 km, it comes to a headwall. Follow the markers up the left side of the gully. Watch out for slippery rocks underfoot and rockfall from the headwall.
After another 2.5 km, you reach the second campground at the north end of the first alpine lake. This is a basic facility, but it has bear-proof food caches, a pit toilet, and four tent pads. There are excellent day-hikes available from this point.
Moose River route
The Moose River Route is a multi-day hike, which takes five-to-seven days. This route can be completed as a full loop or as a there-and-back hike. The full loop passes through Jasper National Park in Alberta and returns on the Berg Lake Trail. Otherwise, you can turn back when you reach the Alberta border.
This is a user-maintained route, rather than a formal hiking trail. It should only be attempted by experienced backcountry hikers. We recommend using it only during late summer and the start of fall. For important information about safety precautions for this route, please see the staying safe section, below.
Trailhead to Alberta border
Start from the trailhead on the north side of the Canadian National Railway tracks by the Moose River-Highway 16 junction. The trail moves generally north, following Resplendent Creek and the Moose River.
Before heading onto the Moose River Route, please register at the trailhead information kiosk.
At 49 km, you reach the Alberta border. From here, you can turn back or stay on the trail as it crosses the border. The route passes through a section of Jasper National Park then crosses back into B.C. and joins the Berg Lake Trail.
Rustic campgrounds are available between the trailhead and the Alberta border:
- The first campground at 4.2 km
- Resplendent Creek Campground at 15.3 km
- Trio Mountain Campground at 26 km
- Steppe Creek Campground at 38 km
- Slide Lake Campground 43 km
These are user-maintained backcountry campgrounds with very basic facilities. Each has an open pit toilet, a bear-proof food cache, and a rustic fire circle. These are not maintained by BC Parks.
Jasper National Park section
The part of the route running though Jasper Nation Park descends Calumet Creek, to Smokey River. Then it crosses back into British Columbia at Berg Lake. From the Moose River Route trailhead to the Berg Lake Campground is a 66 km hike.
Two additional rustic campgrounds are available on the Jasper section:
- Calumet Creek Campground at 52 km
- Adolphus Campground at 61.5 km
If you plan to camp in Jasper National Park, you need a Parks Canada backcountry permit.
Berg Lake Trail section
After completing the Jasper section of the route, you can hike back along the Berg Lake Trail, to complete a full loop. In peak season, you need a reservation for campgrounds along this trail.
We recommend only using this route during late summer and very early fall. Reservations are usually required until the end of September. Therefore, you will almost certainly need a reservation to use this part of the route.
You should book as early as possible via the BC Parks reservation service, because available spots sell out quickly. For detailed information on this extremely popular trail, see the Mount Robson Park: Berg Lake Trail page.
If you plan to complete the loop in the off season, you still must register for the Berg Lake Trail. Register and pay at the Welcome Centre before setting out. However, we do not recommend using the Moose River Route in the off season.
Staying safe
The Moose River Route is not regularly patrolled by BC Parks staff. Make sure everyone is your party has the skills and equipment needed for survival in backcountry areas with no facilities.
Navigation skills are particularly important. Although there is a visible trail for much of the route, some sections are significantly harder to follow. When crossing gravel flats or going around marsh areas, there may be no visible trail.
This route includes 16 river crossings, which can be very dangerous in high water. Late summer and early fall are the safest times to cross. However, creek and river levels can rise quickly after periods of heavy rain, at any time of year.
Grizzly and black bears live in all the areas this route passes through. They are particularly common just south of Steppe Creek to the Smokey River-Calumet Creek confluence, including Moose Pass.
Knowledge of bear safety is vital. It is particularly important to ensure that food and food waste do not attract bears to campgrounds. For detailed guidance, see the bears section of the wildlife safety page.