Take on one of Canada’s best backpacking trails, Rockwall Highline
Want to tackle your first backpacking trip, but not sure how to make it everything you dream of it being? The Backpacking the Rockwall Highline is a perfect introduction to backpacking. With no previous experience required (just some solid hiking fitness!) and a long reel of unbelievable scenery to discover, this is a backpacking trip you’re guaranteed to fall in love with!
Your guides will take you along the jagged, rocky ridgelines that make the Rockwall Highline so incredible, spotting the Bugaboos, countless glaciers, Floe Lake, and tumbling waterfalls below. Gaze up at one of the tallest waterfalls in Canada, and then climb along some of the most impressive peaks in the Kootenays. Each night, you’ll camp under a wide sky of stars, completely immersed in the wild beauty of the Canadian Rockies. You just can’t miss out on the Backpacking the Rockwall Highline tour!
Highlights of the Backpacking the Rockwall Highline
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Backpacking the Rockwall Highline Itinerary
Day 0 Meet in Canmore and Gear Check
You’ll need to arrive in Canmore a day ahead of your first hike to make sure everyone’s gear is ready to go. It’s an early start in the morning, so find yourself a comfy hotel bed and rest up.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: None
Day 1 Paint Pots to Helmet Falls
Begin our adventure from the Paint Pots, a source of red ochre clay used by indigenous communities. You’ll hike along Ochre and Helmet Creeks, passing through mature forests to tonight’s campsite. You’ll be right in the middle of a stunning cirque dominated by one of the largest waterfalls in the Rockies, Helmet Falls (352 metres).
Watch for mountain goats on the cirque as you set up camp and eat dinner together.
Overnight Location: Camping in Kootenay National Park
Distance: 14.6km, 330m elevation gain
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Day 2 Goodsir Pass Day Hike
Today and through the rest of the tour, you won’t stray too far from the lush subalpine meadows the Rockwall Highline is famous for. Hike out to Goodsir Pass, where stellar mountain views can be appreciated. Climb up through the larch forests to walk the ridges above the pass before descending back to camp.
Overnight Location: Camping in Kootenay National Park
Distance: 6-10km, 450-650m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3 Helmet Falls to Tumbling Creek
Today is going to be a stunning one! Hike to the base of Limestone Peak and the northern end of the Rockwall. You’ll hike through flower-dotted meadows, making a side trip to Wolverine Pass, an impressive cleft in the Rockwall. From the cleft, look over the jagged spires of the Bugaboos to the west.
Drop down into the head of Tumbling Creek to make camp.
Overnight Location: Camping in Kootenay National Park
Distance: 12.4km, 700m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4 Tumbling Pass to Numa Creek
An easier trail takes you up to Tumbling Pass this morning, where you can snap photos of Tumbling Glacier (not tumbling very far, usually). The pass is gorgeous, with larches and wildflowers flanking you. On the pass, you can choose some ridgewalks to maximize your views.
Take a long descent into Numa Creek, where you’ll camp tonight.
Overnight Location: Camping in Kootenay National Park
Distance: 7.1km, 330m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5 Numa Creek to Floe Lake
After coffee at camp, start hiking through Numa Pass, the highest point of your trail. The views here are exceptional! You’ll descend to Flow Lake, one of the most beautiful places in the Rockies, with its waters speckled with fallen ice. You’ll get to camp right next to this magical lake tonight.
Overnight Location: Camping in Kootenay National Park
Distance: 10.2km, 860m elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6 Floe lake to Radium Highway
It’s your last day! It’ll be bittersweet as you pack up camp and hike through a forest regenerating after a forest fire in 2003. Watch for flowering perennials taking advantage of the extra sunlight.
Arriving at the van and driving back to Canmore, you’ll feel equally accomplished, satisfied, and sad to be leaving. You can choose to go out for dinner tonight with the grou to toast your journey if you’d like!
Overnight Location: None
Distance: 10,7km, 690m elevation loss
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Backpacking the Rockwall Highline Price and Dates
This guided backpacking tour is run as a fixed-departure tour where you’d be joining a group, however, custom private tours can be organized for those willing to travel with their group only (please contact us with your preferred date and the number of people in your group and we will create the itinerary just for you). Please note that due a very high demand and limited availability in campgrounds it is necessary to plan your trip a long time in advance.
Important note: This tour is subject to non-standard cancellation terms.
- If cancelling your program anytime between time of booking and up to 60 days before the program start, you will receive a full refund less a $100.00 (plus tax) administration fee.
- Between 59 days and 45 days before the program start, 60% of the program cost will be refunded.
- Cancellation less than 42 days before the program start and during the program results in a loss of the entire amount paid.
Prices below are per person:
Accommodation on the Backpacking the Yoho Valley and Iceline Trail Tour
This tour is based in campsites in the Canadian Rockies. Facilities may be basic or limited, so you should be comfortable with a rustic experience. Tents will be provided.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travellers
There are no single rooms available on this tour as all accommodations are communal. The minimum group size is 3 people, so please contact us about joining an existing group if you are a solo traveller.
Hotels on Standard Tour
Camping in the Canadian Rockies
Spend each night camping in gorgeous spots in the mountains, enjoying an authentic backcountry experience with your group. Facilities may not be available.
What’s Included in the Backpacking the Rockwall Highline Tour?
Meals
5 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 5 dinners are included. Please pack any additional snacks you may want. Meals to suit dietary requirements are available but may incur an additional fee depending on your needs.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 5 nights are included. Accommodations before or after the tour are not included but can be booked as a supplement. You should arrive to Canmore one day before the tour start for a briefing.
Transportation During the Tour
You will be driven from Canmore to the trailhead on Day 1. You will be responsible for your own transportation to Canmore and back on the final day. We recommend booking shuttles or renting a car.
Also Included
- Tents
- Expert guide services
Not Included
- Flights
- Hotels
- Meals, drinks, or snacks
- Travel insurance
- Optional excursions
- Visas if required
- Anything not mentioned as included
- GST (5%)
Optional Extras
- Special dietary requirement meals
Frequently Asked Questions about Backpacking the Rockwall Highline
Located in Canmore, Alberta at the gates of Banff National Park, Yamnuska Mountain Adventures is one of Canada’s premier providers of mountaineering, rock & ice climbing, backcountry skiing, hiking, and trekking experiences in the Canadian Rockies. For over 40 years, we have hosted thousands of clients from Canada and all over the world. Our brand is known for quality mountain experiences, safety, and well-organized itineraries. We have some of the best mountain guides and hiking guides in the industry. All Yamnuska Mountain Adventures climbing guides are certified through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.
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