the berg lake trail
Situated in the heart of Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia; the Berg Lake Trail has to be one of my all time favourite Canadian hikes… The diversity on this trail is simply mind-blowing!
The trail begins with an undulating path through an enchanting forest of Hemlock and Cedar as it winds its way along the Robson River to reach Kinney Lake. Here you are welcomed by still waters, crisp reflections and your first taste of the elevation to come. Pass the shelter at Kinney camp before choosing your next route option. Take the high route over the cliffs for a perfect lunch spot, or stick low and cross the braided streams of the glacial delta. Soon you will reach the suspension bridge of Whitehorn and begin your ascent up to Emperor Falls… a steep climb with no access to water so don’t forget to fill up beforehand! A quick detour to the falls will add a kilometer to your hike but trust me…it’s worth it. The final stretch of the hike opens up to a huge glaciated valley before reaching the tip of Berg Lake.
With three campsites to choose from along the shoreline, I’d recommend booking early and securing a spot at Berg camp for three reasons:
The Shelter - With unpredictable mountain weather, this can be a lifesaver. Drying boots, keeping warm, avoiding mosquitoes… need i say more?
The Views - Cosy up in your tent and watch as the Mist & Berg glaciers spit ice out into the turquoise lake - you can even hear the crashing into the water at night!
The Location - At 21km this distance is doable for most seasoned hikers in a day and opens up many more achievable opportunities to explore the area.
From Berg Lake there are a number of awesome day-hikes to further convince you that this is one of THE BEST hikes you’ll ever do and leave you wanting to return year after year. For me, Snowbird Pass offers unparalleled views of the Robson glacier as you ascend the lateral moraine to the meadows above. Other fantastic spots include Mumm Basin, Toboggan Falls and Hargreaves Lake.
We visited in August 2017 and September 2018 and have seen a huge variation in the weather, from 30°c heat to over a foot of snow!
