National Parks in British Columbia

British Columbia is home to seven national parks, including Pacific Rim, Glacier, and Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserves. This page provides detailed route information for three of these parks: Yoho National Park, Mount Revelstoke National Park, and Kootenay National Park.

The primary activities are human-powered outdoor sports. Across the parks detailed on this page, there are more than 130 routes for hiking, cycling, and mountain biking. Yoho National Park is particularly known for its extensive hiking trail network, while Mount Revelstoke National Park offers a significant number of mountain bike trails.

Yoho National Park, part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site, is defined by rock walls, waterfalls, and high peaks. It is known for the Burgess Shale fossil site and features like Emerald Lake. The park contains over 40 hiking trails and a selection of routes for mountaineering and touring cycling.

Mount Revelstoke National Park is characterized by its ecological diversity, from inland temperate rainforest to alpine meadows with summer wildflowers. The park offers over 20 hiking routes and 10 mountain bike trails. It is a place of contrasts, with ecosystems changing dramatically with elevation.

Kootenay National Park features a landscape of high summits, glaciers, canyons, and river valleys. The park contains a mix of over 30 routes for hiking, mountain biking, and cycling. Its terrain ranges from the challenging Rockwall Trail to more moderate paths along the Kootenay and Vermilion Rivers.

Yes, family-friendly options are available. For example, Mount Revelstoke National Park has short, accessible trails through its inland temperate rainforest and sub-alpine meadows. Yoho National Park also offers easier walks around its lakes, providing access to notable scenery without significant elevation gain.

Hiking is a primary activity, with more than 80 distinct hiking trails available across the three parks detailed here. Yoho National Park alone offers over 40 hiking routes through its mountain landscape. Trails range from short interpretive walks to multi-day alpine treks.

Yes, mountain biking is available on designated trails. Mount Revelstoke National Park has approximately 10 mountain bike trails, and Kootenay National Park offers another 5 routes. These trails traverse varied terrain, from forested paths to more open valley routes.

The main season for hiking and cycling in mountain parks like Yoho, Kootenay, and Mount Revelstoke is from July to mid-September. During this period, trails are typically snow-free, and services are fully operational. Wildflower displays in alpine meadows, such as those in Mount Revelstoke, are best in July and August.

A Parks Canada Discovery Pass is required for entry into all national parks. Specific high-demand, multi-day backcountry routes, such as the West Coast Trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve or the Rockwall Trail in Kootenay, require separate backcountry permits and reservations made well in advance.

National parks are federally managed areas protecting nationally significant natural and cultural heritage. British Columbia also has an extensive provincial park system and other designations like nature reserves. While national parks often encompass vast, iconic landscapes, other areas may protect different types of ecosystems or focus on specific recreational opportunities. For example, the Mountains in British Columbia page details specific ranges that may fall within or outside of national park boundaries.