Experience Mount Revelstoke & Glacier National Parks
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Mount Revelstoke National Park is a place of contrasts: from dense old-growth rainforest of giant cedars and hemlocks, travel up through subalpine forest, and finally alpine meadows and tundra. Marvel at the spectacular view of the ice-clad peaks of the Selkirk Mountains and to the west, the Monashee Mountains. Mount Revelstoke is the only national park in the country that offers an opportunity to stand on a mountain-top five just minutes walk from a vehicle.
The park is famous for summer wildflower displays on the summit of Mount Revelstoke. Each year the meadows of the upper subalpine zone blossom into brilliant colour by the middle of August. It was the beauty of these meadows, so near to their town that inspired a group of people in Revelstoke to lobby for the creation of the national park in 1914.
1. Meadows in the Sky Parkway and Day Area
Begins 1.5 km east of Revelstoke.
The ONLY place in a Canadian National Park where you can drive to the top of a mountain. This road switch-backs 26 km up Mount Revelstoke to flower filled meadows. A free shuttle service takes you the last km. It usually runs 10am – 4pm from mid-July to mid-Sept. Ten trail heads at the summit including the Koo Koo Sint Trail that details David Thompson’s travels in the area. The heritage of three First Nations peoples – the Secwepemc, Ktunaxa, and Okanagan is highlighted in the First Footsteps Trail. Left unplowed in winter, the area is ideal for snowshoers, cross-country skiers; ski touring terrain lies beyond.
2. Nels Nelsen Historic Ski Jump
Exhibit celebrates international ski jumping (1915-71). Hike from the Railway tMuseum or the Nels Nelsen Historic Area on Meadows in the Sky Parkway.
3. Skunk Cabbage Trail
28 km (25 min) east of Revelstoke.
Unique wetlands experience, interpretive 30-min boardwalk trail loop. Great bird-watching!
4. Hemlock Grove Trail
54 km (40 min) east of Revelstoke
Explore the rain forest. 10 minute interpretive boardwalk winds through ancient Western Hemlocks.
5. Loop Brook Trail
63 km (45 min) east of Revelstoke.
Railway history is featured on this 1 hour hiking loop.
6. Illecillewaet/Asulkan Valleys
66 km (50 min) east of Revelstoke.
Several hikes begin at this trailhead. Explore trails and mountaineering routes established more than a century ago.
7. Rogers Pass Discovery Centre
Summit of Rogers Pass: 76 km (55 min) west of Golden. 72 km (52 min) east of Revelstoke; 250-837-7500
Parks Canada Info Desk, Regular Hours: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Theatre & exhibits: history, wildlife & avalanches
Friends of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier bookstore.
8. Beaver/ Copperstain Valleys
79 km (1 hr) east of Revelstoke.
Hike into the wilderness interior of Glacier National Park. The Beaver River Valley is home to antique stands of Western Red Cedar and western hemlock. The vast alpine meadows of Bald Mountain attract hardy adventurers on this 16+ km hike.
9. Beaver Valley Day-Use Area
85 km (65 min) east of Revelstoke.
The Beaver Valley is a place of fragile beauty and dynamic mountainsides, shaped by mudflows and landslides. It’s home to carnivores and carnivorous plants, damselflies and dragonflies. In the warmest and driest part of Glacier, this day-use area is one of the park’s first and last snow-free facilities every season.
Glacier National Park was established in 1886. It encompasses 1,349 km2 and contains the Rogers Pass National Historic Site. With more than 400 glaciers and some of Canada’s most active avalanche areas, snow is serious business here! Explore an amazing trail system and climbing routes. Connect with the park’s gentler side in summer when quiet campgrounds and interpretive trails await you. Start your visit at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre, where a roaring fireplace, comfortable armchairs and friendly staff carry on a tradition of Columbia Mountains’ hospitality that began 125 years ago.
The City of Revelstoke is located on the Trans Canada Highway, almost half way between Golden to Kamloops, on the banks of the Columbia River. Revelstoke is nestled in between the Monashee Mountains and Eagle Pass, to the west, and the Selkirk Mountains to the east.
Revelstoke was founded in the 1880s when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built their rail line through the area. The town was named after Lord Revelstoke, the head of a United Kingdom (British) banking firm that saved the CPR from bankruptcy. The town has maintained its close ties to the railroad ever since. To learn more about the rich local rail history, check out the Revelstoke Railway Museum.
Revelstoke has had a love affair with skiing and ski-jumping since 1915. Now, in the winter months, Revelstoke has world class snowmobiling, heli and cat skiing and some of the best backcountry skiing anywhere. In November 2008, Revelstoke Mountain Resort opened and lays claim to have the longest vertical descent in North America.
Today, Revelstoke offers full visitor services and a charming downtown area. Quaint boutiques, casual coffee bars, museums and restaurants are all within easy walking distance. Enjoy free live entertainment every evening, all summer long at the Grizzly Plaza. Pop out to the Farmers` Market to look for great gift ideas made by local artisans and buy some locally grown fruits and vegetables. It`s open 8 am til 1 pm on Saturdays from May til October.
In the summer, recreation opportunities abound with hiking, mountain biking, caving, fishing, canoeing, and the very popular zip-lining. Heli hiking in this region is simply stunning and when you are ready to just relax, head to the hot springs.
For more great ideas on what to see and do in and around the city, check out http://seerevelstoke.com.
