The Rockwall Trail is a 55 km (34-mile) trek in the Canadian Rockies. Located along the Great Divide in British Columbia, this classic trail traverses three stellar alpine passes in Kootenay National Park over the course of five days.

You'll hike through subalpine meadows and deep valleys, past impressive hanging glaciers and waterfalls, and camp by the side of rushing streams and a vibrant turquoise lake. The trail’s defining feature is a single, massive limestone cliff, towering in some locations more than 900m (2953 feet) above the trail below.

Show up with only your personal gear and let us take care of the rest! Enjoy coffee served to your tent in the morning, delicious home made meals at night, and watch the sun set as you kick back and reconnect with nature.

Get ready for your mind to be blown. This hike is a truly remarkable experience!

Level of difficulty

Challenging
  • Distance44 km
  • Elevation gain1,890 m
  • Pack~30 lb
  • On the moveup to 6 h a day

This trip is designed for those with an intermediate fitness level. Being self sufficient for 5 days will create a heavy pack. You should have the ability to carry 30 lbs (18 kg) for up to 6 hours over 500 m elevation gain.

If you have the fitness level, minimal experience is needed for backpacking; let me teach you!

6-week hiking fitness program (PDF)

Day by day

4 hiking days · 44 km · 1,890 m of climbing

  1. Day1

    Today is for the pre-trip meeting only. Our meeting will take place in person at 7pm in Canmore. Location TBD. We will make sure everyone has everything they need, introduce the group, and distribute the group gear. Virtual attendance is also an option.

  2. Day2

    14.3 km+285 m

    We will wake up full of excitement and anticipation. With a green mindset, we will carpool from Canmore, Alberta to the Paint Pots trailhead. Today will be spent exploring the vivid colours of the Paint Pots, the beautiful waterfalls, and the lush forests! We will rest our heads at the Helmet Falls campground – 14.3 km, 285m of elevation gain.

  3. Day3

    12 km+475 m

    Enjoy your morning coffee, pack your bag, and lace up your boots. Today we will get our first glimpse of the mind-blowing Rockwall and it's hanging glaciers. We will Take time to enjoy the views from Rockwall pass and learn about the surrounding area. We will spend the night at Tumbling Creek - 12 km, 475m elevation gain, 350m elevation loss.

  4. Day4

    7.5 km+320 m

    Sleep in and let your body rest. Today is a shorter day, although what it lacks in distance it makes up for in magnificence! Our route will go over another mountain pass and take us by several glacial lakes that calmly sit below the hanging glaciers. This is most certainly one of the most beautiful parts of the entire trail. We will spend the night at Numa Creek - 7.5 km, 320m elevation gain, 715m elevation loss.

  5. Day5

    10 km+810 m

    Today we get teased off the start with a surprisingly flat trail. Immediately after Numa Creek, a suddenly steep switchbacks transports you through the thick forest. Thankfully, our packs will be nice and light as we will have eaten the majority of our food by this point. Once we make it to Numa Pass the views are incredible to both the south and the north. We'll be able to see the bottom of the valley we just came from and Tumbling pass off in the distance! After we've conquered Numa Pass we only have a short distance to the most scenic campsite of the trail, Floe Lake - 10 km, 810m elevation gain, 315m elevation loss.

  6. Day6

    After basking in the magnitude of the Rockwall reflecting in Floe Lake during breakfast, we'll start our last day. Heading back to civilization the trail switchbacks steeply, quickly losing most of the elevation gained on the previous day. Once back at the parking lot we will celebrate our success with cold drinks and a snack.- 10.5 km, 715m elevation loss.

Gear, food & lodging

Included

  • Backcountry skills learning
  • Wilderness pass for each night
  • Tents for camping - we prefer people from the same "bubble" share tents as some campgrounds have limited tent platforms. Strangers will not be paired together unless requested to help decrease pack weight
  • Amazingly delicious food from the evening on day 1 to lunch on the last day
  • The expertise from an ACMG Guide
  • All group gear - stoves, pots, food storage materials, & water treatment.
  • All safety equipment - bear spray, first aid kit, emergency communication device, and tarp
  • Transportation to and from the trailhead
  • Drinks and snacks upon pick up after the hike!!

You bring

  • Accommodations the night before getting on the trail
  • Breakfast and lunch day 1 and supper on the last day
  • Personal Gear (Can be arranged for an additional fee)
    Personal Gear List

Photos from the trail

Taken by our guides and guests on this trip.

Where

Kootenay National Park, BC

Get Outside is based in Canmore, Alberta — 1.25 hours from Calgary International Airport, 5 km from the entrance to Banff National Park. Multi-day trips start with an in-person pre-trip meeting where we check everyone’s gear and hand out group equipment.

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