31 Best Backpacking Trips in BC By: AuthorTaryn Eyton
It includes the best backpacking trips near Vancouver, on Vancouver Island, and in Eastern BC including the Rocky Mountains.
A few of these trips require reservations, but most do not. Read my guides to BC backpacking reservation dates and tips for backpacking in BC without reservations for more info.
This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.
BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS NEAR VANCOUVER
1. Howe Sound Crest Trail
Duration: 2-4 days
Distance: 31.7 km traverse
Best Months: Mid-July to September
Difficulty: Very Challenging
Elevation Gain: 660 m
Fees and Reservations: None.
This very rough trail is more like a route in some places and requires occasional hands-on scrambling moves as you traverse a chain of rocky summits high above Howe Sound near Vancouver. If you’re up for the challenge, the views are worth it.
More Info: Find details on this hike in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia.
2. Watersprite Lake
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 17 km round trip
Best Months: Mid-June to October
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 660 m
Fees and Reservations: The hut requires reservations and costs $20/person/night. Advance reservations and fees are required for camping.
Watersprite Lake is an Instagram sensation thanks to its ice-blue water and dramatic rock tower. We can credit the BC Mountaineering Club for building the trail to the lake along with a cabin and campground. I think it’s one of the best hikes in Squamish.
More Info: Find details on this hike in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. Make cabin reservations through the BCMC.
3. Garibaldi Lake
Heads up: Day passes are required at Garibaldi Lake in summer 2023. However, if you have a backcountry camping reservation, you don’t need a day pass. Learn more in my guide to BC Parks day passes.
Duration: 2 to 4 days
Distance: 18 km round trip
Best Months: July to September
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 900 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations are required and cost $6/night/tent pad. Camping fees are $10/person/night
Located just north of Squamish, Garibaldi Lake is one of the most popular backpacking trips in BC. But it’s also one of the most picturesque with tumbling glaciers, alpine meadows, and unique volcanic geology. From the lake, you can tackle incredible day hikes like Black Tusk and Panorama Ridge.
More Info: Find details on this hike in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. For info on reservations, see Garibaldi Provincial Park.
4. Russet Lake
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 25 to 29 km round trip
Best Months: Mid-July to September
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 305 to 1280 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations are required and cost $6/night/tent pad. Camping fees are $10/person/night. Hut fees are $50/person/night.
Nestled into the mountains above Whistler, Russet Lake is home to a backcountry campground and a luxurious new hut. There are two ways to get there: a steep trail from the village or an undulating traverse across mountain summits from the top of the Whistler Gondola.
More Info: Find details on this hike in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. For camping reservations, see Garibaldi Provincial Park. For hut reservations, see the Spearhead Huts Society.
You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
5. Wedgemount Lake
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 13 km round trip
Best Months: July to September
Difficulty: Very Challenging
Elevation Gain: 1160 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations are required and cost $6/night/tent pad. Camping fees are $10/person/night
The hike to Wedgemount Lake is punishingly steep. But at the top, you’ll enjoy a gorgeous lake ringed with summits. Hike beyond the far end of the lake to touch a glacier, which has retreated an alarming 400 m in less than 30 years.
More Info: Find details on this hike in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. For info on reservations, see Garibaldi Provincial Park.
Psst! You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
6. Joffre Lakes
Heads up: Day passes are required at Joffre Lakes in summer 2023. However, if you have a backcountry camping reservation, you don’t need a day pass. Learn more in my guide to BC Parks day passes.
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 10 km round trip
Best Months: Late June to early October
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 320 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations are required and cost $6/night/tent pad. Camping fees are $5/person/night.
The chain of three Joffre Lakes near Pemberton make up one of the Vancouver area’s most popular day hikes. But leave the day-time crowds behind by scoring a coveted reservation to camp at the Upper Lake. Listen for chunks of glacier crashing down the rocks on warm days. This is also one of my picks for the best easy backpacking trips in BC.
More Info: Find details on this hike in my Joffre Lakes hiking guide and my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. For info on reservations, see Joffre Lakes Provincial Park.
7. Sunshine Coast Trail
Duration: 8-14 days
Distance: 180 km traverse
Best Months: Late May to October
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 1305 m
Fees and Reservations: None.
The Sunshine Coast Trail winds through the forests along the length of the upper Sunshine Coast near the town of Powell River. Hike by the ocean, through old-growth forest, and across mountain tops, staying in rustic backcountry huts along the way.
More Info: Find details on shorter backpacking trips you can do on sections of the SCT in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. For full details on the trail, pick up a copy of The Sunshine Coast Trail Guide Book by R. E. Walz or visit the Sunshine Coast Trail website>
Some sections of the Sunshine Coast Trail are hikeable all year and made my list of the best spring backpacking trips in British Columbia.
You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
8. HBC Heritage Trail
Duration: 4-6 days
Distance: 74 km traverse
Best Months: July to September
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 1525 m
Fees and Reservations: None.
The HBC Heritage Trail traces a historic route through the Cascade Mountains followed by fur traders during the 1840s and 50s from Hope to Tulameen. Info panels along the way explain settler and Indigenous history. This trail is not well-known, making it one of the quieter hikes on this list of the best backpacking trips in BC.
More Info: Find details on shorter backpacking trips you can do on sections of the HBC Heritage Trail in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. For full details on the trail, pick up a copy of The HBC Trail Book and the HBC Topo Map, or visit the HBC Heritage Trail website.
9. Heather Trail Manning Park
Duration: 2 to 5 days
Distance: 45 km round trip
Best Months: July to mid-September
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 320 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $5/person/night. The Buckhorn campground requires reservations. All other campsites are first-come, first-served
This is Manning Park’s signature trail. With a start high in the alpine, you stay above treeline in meadows of wildflowers for nearly the entire length. Take a side trip to summit Three Brothers Mountain and dip in chilly Nicomen Lake.
More Info: Find details on this hike in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. For info on camping fees, see Manning Provincial Park.
10. Frosty Mountain Manning Park
Duration: 2 to 3 days
Distance: 14 km round trip
Best Months: July to early October
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 670 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $5/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served
Ascend the highest mountain in Manning Park for panoramic views. Break up your hike by camping at Frosty Creek camp. Plan your visit for fall when the larch tree needles turn golden.
More Info: Find details on this hike in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia, and my Frosty Mountain trail guide. For info on camping fees, see Manning Provincial Park.
BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
1. Juan de Fuca Trail
Duration: 3 to 5 days
Distance: 47 km
Best Months: May to October
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 190 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping costs $10/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
This gorgeous coastal trail is easier to access than the West Coast Trail thanks to first-come, first-served camping and trailheads close to Victoria. But the hike is just as challenging and spectacular, making it easy to include on a list of the best backpacking trips in BC.
More Info: Get details on this hike in my Juan de Fuca Trail guide. For info on camping fees, see Juan de Fuca Provincial Park.
The Juan de Trail is hikeable all year and made my list of the best spring backpacking trips in British Columbia.
You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
2. West Coast Trail
Duration: 5-8 days
Distance: 75 km
Best Months: June to September
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 225 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations are required and cost $25.75. Trail fees are $180. You will also need to pay National Park entry fees of $10/person/day.
The West Coast Trail is Canada’s premier multi-day backpacking trip. It follows the wild coastline for 75 kilometres, up and down ladders, across cable cars, through mud holes, and along beautiful beaches as it travels between the isolated towns of Port Renfrew and Bamfield.
More Info: Get details on this hike in my West Coast Trail guide. For reservation info, see Pacific Rim National Park.
The West Coast Trail opens in May and made my list of the best spring backpacking trips in British Columbia. AND… You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
3. Della Falls Trail
Duration: 2-5 days
Distance: 32 km round trip
Best Months: Mid-May to September
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 540 m
Fees and Reservations: None
Della Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in BC at 440 m tall. (Some sources claim it’s the tallest waterfall in Canada, but that’s not true.)
The hike starts with a boat trip across Great Central Lake. From there you hike up a river valley to the base of the falls. Allow time for the 6 km side trip to Love Lake where there is an incredible view of the entire waterfall from above.
More Info: Get all the details in my Della Falls Trail guide and join the Della Falls Facebook group.
You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
4. Wild Side Trail
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 22 km round trip
Best Months: May to October
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: None
Fees and Reservations: Trail fees are $15/person/day.
This trail takes you along the shoreline of Flores Island in Ahousaht First Nation territory. Most of the hike is along incredible sandy beaches. The trail is a short water taxi ride from Tofino. This off-the-beaten-path hike doesn’t get many visitors, making it one of the quietest hikes on this list of the best backpacking trips in BC.
More Info: Get details on this hike in my Wild Side Trail guide.
The Wild Side Trail opens in May and made my list of the best spring backpacking trips in British Columbia AND my list of the best easy backpacking trips in BC. PLUS… You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
5. Lake Helen Mackenzie Loop Strathcona Provincial Park
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 8 to 15 km loop
Best Months: July to September
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 190 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $10/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
This beginner-friendly loop starts high in the alpine of Strathcona Provincial Park at Mount Washington ski area, which means there is little elevation gain. Two different loop trips are possible, each with its own lakeside campground. This trip made my list of the best easy backpacking trips in BC.
More Info: See Strathcona Provincial Park for trail info and camping fees.
You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
6. Circlet Lake and Mount Albert Edward Strathcona Provincial Park
Duration: 2 to 3 days
Distance: 31 km round trip
Best Months: July to September
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 980 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $10/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
Summit Mount Albert Edward, one of the highest peaks on Vancouver Island. On the way, you’ll stay at tiny Circlet Lake. This Strathcona Provincial Park trip also starts at Mount Washington and is a rite of passage for many Vancouver Island hikers.
More Info: Read my trip report from my hike to Mount Albert Edward. See Strathcona Provincial Park for trail info and camping fees.
You can get to this hike without a car! It’s on my list of car-free backpacking trips in BC.
7. Bedwell Lakes Strathcona Provincial Park
Duration: 2 to 3 days
Distance: 22 km round trip
Best Months: July to September
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 850 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $10/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
Climb steeply up through the forest to emerge on the granite shores of Bedwell and Baby Bedwell Lakes, each with their own campground. Intrepid hikers can continue to isolated Cream Lake, which makes a great day trip destination. The trailhead is in a remote area near Buttle Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park.
More Info: See Strathcona Provincial Park for trail info and camping fees.
8. Elk River Trail
Duration: 2 to 3 days
Distance: 22 km round trip
Best Months: May to October
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 640 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $10/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
Follow the trail through a beautiful forest alongside the shady Elk River Trail to its terminus at picturesque Landslide Lake and great views of Mount Colonel Foster. There are two campgrounds along the river to choose from. Find the trailhead along the highway to Gold River.
More Info: See Strathcona Provincial Park for trail info and camping fees.
9. Nootka Trail
Duration: 3 to 5 days
Distance: 35 km traverse
Best Months: May to October
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: None
Fees and Reservations: None.
Arrange a water taxi or floatplane to shuttle you to the Nootka Trail on Nootka Island near Gold River. It’s a remote coastal hike that sees few visitors but has incredible scenery. Highlights include sandy beaches, wolf sightings, Calvin Falls, and the tiny Mowachaht First Nation village of Yuquot.
More Info: See my trip report from my Nootka Trail hike.
10. Tatchu Trail
Duration: 3 to 4 days
Distance: 20-40 km (traverse or out-and-back)
Best Months: May to October
Difficulty: Moderate/Very Challenging
Elevation Gain: 30 m
Fees and Reservations: None.
The Tatchu Peninsula is a wilderness hike on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The hike traces a route down the west side of the peninsula, linking numerous beaches with short overland trails. There are no formal facilities or campsites. You can do the easier (and more scenic) northern section as an out-and-back or complete a very challenging traverse.
More info: See my Tatchu Trail guide and Rugged Point Provincial Park.
11. North Coast Trail
Duration: 4 to 5 days
Distance: 43 to 59 km traverse
Best Months: May to September
Difficulty: Very Challenging
Elevation Gain: 240 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $10/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
The rough and rugged trail follows the coastline around the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Start with a water taxi from Port Hardy, then get ready for lots of mud, steep hills with rope assists, and rocky beaches.
More Info: Get details on this hike in my North Coast Trail guide and join the Cape Scott Park Facebook group. For camping fee info, see Cape Scott Provincial Park.
11. Cape Scott Trail
Duration: 3 days
Distance: 47 km
Best Months: May to October
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 100 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $10/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
Follow an old settler’s route through the muddy forest to the wild beaches at the north end of Vancouver Island. Choose from several campsites on sandy beaches, then day hike out to the Cape Scott Lighthouse.
More Info: Get details on this hike in my Cape Scott Trail guide and join the Cape Scott Park Facebook group. For camping fee info, see Cape Scott Provincial Park.
BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN EASTERN BC
1. Okanagan High Rim Trail
Duration: 3 to 4 days
Distance: 58 km traverse
Best Months: Late-April to October
Difficulty: Moderate/Challenging
Elevation Gain: 800 m
Fees and Reservations: None.
This is one of the newest backpacking trips in BC. It follows a high route along a ridge top between Vernon and Kelowna. Along the way, you’ll pass by numerous viewpoints where you can look down to Kalamalka Lake and Okanagan Lake.
More Info: Get the details from the Okanagan High Rim Trail Association.
2. Spectrum Lake Monashee Provincial Park
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 12 km round trip
Best Months: June to October
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 209 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $5/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
This pretty lake sits deep in Monashee Provincial Park near Cherryville in the Okanagan. It’s a short and easy hike, perfect for beginners and families. The lake is nestled between forested peaks and has a dock for swimming. It’s on my list of the best easy backpacking trips in BC.
More Info: Get the details from my friend Gemma’s Spectrum Lake trail guide. For info on camping fees, see Monashee Provincial Park.
3. Gwillim Lakes Valhalla Provincial Park
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 12 km round trip
Best Months: Mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 890 m
Fees and Reservations: None
These spectacular lakes are located in Valhalla Provincial Park in the Kootenays above the Slocan Valley. There are several backcountry campgrounds at Gwillim Lakes and nearby Drinnon Lake. The alpine terrain makes for incredible views.
More Info: Get the details from my friend Leigh’s Gwillim Lakes trail guide.
4. Kaslo Lake Kokanee Provincial Park
Duration: 2 to 3 days
Distance: 18 km round trip
Best Months: mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 580 m
Fees and Reservations: Camping fees are $10/person/night. All campsites are first-come, first-served. Cabin rental is $350/night.
Hike into the backcountry of Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park near Nelson to camp next to Kaslo Lake. Follow beautiful trails through the alpine to viewpoints and peaks. You can also book the palatial Kokanee Glacier Cabin nearby.
More Info: See Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park for trail info and camping fees. See the Alpine Club of Canada for cabin reservations.
5. Eva and Jade Lakes Mount Revelstoke National Park
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 12 to 18 km round trip
Best Months: Mid-July to September
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 180-430 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations required. Camping fees are $10/person/night. You will also need to pay National Park entry fees of $10/person/day.
This alpine hike is easily accessible thanks to the paved Meadows in the Sky Parkway at Mount Revelstoke National Park. Walk through the alpine to a beautiful campsite on the shores of Eva Lake, an easy distance for beginners and made my list of beginner-friendly backpacking trips in BC. If you want more solitude, head over a pass to Jade Lake.
More Info: Get the details in my Mount Revelstoke National Park guide. See Mount Revelstoke National Park for reservations.
6. Hermit Meadows Trail Glacier National Park.
Duration: 2 days
Distance: 13 km round trip
Best Months: Mid-July to September
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 819 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations required. Camping fees are $10/person/night. You will also need to pay National Park entry fees of $10/person/day.
This steep trail in Glacier National Park climbs relentlessly from the Trans-Canada Highway near Rogers Pass. It tops out in a spectacular alpine bowl with meadows and a great view.
More Info: Get the details in my Revelstoke hiking trails guide. See Glacier National Park for reservations.
7. Mount Assiniboine Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park
Duration: 4 to 6 days
Distance: 52 to 55 km round trip
Best Months: Mid-July to mid-September
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 430-480 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations and fees are required to camp in the park through BC Parks and to camp on the access trails through Banff National Park.
The scenery at Mount Assiniboine is postcard-worthy, but getting there can be a challenge. The hike itself is long, but not too difficult and the camping at Lake Magog is gorgeous. But it requires reservations in both a BC Park and Banff National Park, which can be tough to arrange.
More Info: See Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park for trail info and reservations. Join the Mount Assiniboine Facebook group. See Banff National Park for info on access trails and reservations for camping on those trails.
8. Rockwall Trail Kootenay National Park
Duration: 4 to 5 days
Distance: 55 km traverse
Best Months: Late July to mid-September
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 920 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations are required and cost $11.50/per reservation. Camping fees are $10/person/night. You will also need to pay National Park entry fees of $10/person/day.
This spectacular trail traverses the mountains of Kootenay National Park near Banff, climbing up and over several high passes. There are glacier views, alpine lakes, and the best wildflower meadows I’ve ever seen. I think it has the best effort to reward ratio of all the backpacking trips in BC.
More Info: Get details on this hike in my Rockwall Trail guide. For reservation info, see Kootenay National Park. And join the Rockwall Trail Facebook group.
9. Iceline and Whaleback Trails Yoho National Park
Duration: 2 to 3 days
Distance: 28 km loop
Best Months: Mid-July to early September
Difficulty: Challenging
Elevation Gain: 710 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations are required and cost $11.50/per reservation. Camping fees are $10/person/night. You will also need to pay National Park entry fees of $10/person/day.
Combine several trails in Yoho National Park near Field to make an epic loop that takes in the spectacular Iceline and Whaleback Trails. The views of nearby peaks and waterfalls are breathtaking. Choose from two backcountry campgrounds along the way.
More Info: See Yoho National Park for trail info and reservations.
10. Berg Lake Mount Robson Provincial Park
Heads up: The Berg Lake Trail is currently. It suffered extensive damage due to flooding in late June and early July 2021. BC Parks has announced that the trail will be open as far as Kinney Lake in summer 2023, but the full trail will not re-open until 2025.
Duration: 2 to 4 days
Distance: 42 km round trip
Best Months: July to early September
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 800 m
Fees and Reservations: Reservations are required and cost $6/night/tent pad. Camping fees are $10/person/night
This incredible trail near Valemount follows the Robson River uphill to Berg Lake, named for the glaciers crashing into it from Mount Robson, the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. Plan to spend a few days in the area to tackle spectacular day hikes.
More Info: Get details on this hike in my Berg Lake Trail guide. For reservation info, see Mount Robson Provincial Park.
