A Backpacking Guide For The Rockwall Trail
The Rockwall Trail Backcountry Hiking Guide and Gear list
4 DAY/3 NIGHT BACKCOUNTRY TRIP
ten essentials to always pack
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET STARTED
A complete summer backpacking guide
What is the Rockwall Trail?
The Rockwall Trail is a single track 55 km (34 mile) trail in Kootenay National Park, Canada, that requires a traverse over three alpine passes, through subalpine meadows and past some of the most stunning hanging glaciers found in the Canadian Rockies. Kootenay National Park takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Kutenai First Nations people. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, this National Park is 1,406 square kilometres (543 sq mi) of land of startling contrasts. One of the most incredible sights of this section of the park and the trail is the massive limestone cliff that in some areas towers over the trail more than 900 meters. Rockwall can be hiked as a multiday backpacking trip, trail run in a day, or included as part of your route if you are hiking the Great Divide Trail.
The trailheads (Paint Pots and Floe Lake) are located on the Banff-Windermere Highway (Hwy 93 south) which cuts through the park from north to south and connects to Banff National Park and Radium Hot Springs. UNESCO named the region a World Heritage Site because of the mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, caves, fossils, and canyons located in the area.
The trailheads are only 13 km apart and there is no shuttle service so it helps to plan your exit strategy off the hike. Option 1 is to bring two vehicles if you are in a group and leave one at the end point of your hike. If you only have one vehicle, like we did, you can wait in the parking lot for anyone coming off the trail and offer to drive them to their vehicle if they are willing to shuttle you back. This is to great way to meet new people and ask about their experience. Personally, I prefer having my vehicle at the end of the hike and we were able to return the favor and shuttle hikers when we finished out hike.
How to book the hike?
Rockwall has been on my bucket list (check out my other bucket list hikes) for a few years and it is by far the most epic and stunning hike I have completed to date. This is a popular hike that is often revisited year after year by hikers so it is best to book as soon as booking season opens with Parks Canada. Reservations can be made by calling 1-877-737-3783 or by visiting the Parks Canada website to book. Visit their website at the start of the year to confirm booking dates and log on at least 15 minutes prior to the opening time.
When should you book?
The earliest you can book the Floe Lake campsite is July 10th, but the entire trail is typically passable between mid-July and mid-September.
Depending on the previous winter, it is possible to encounter snow along the passes right up to the end of July. The trail can also be susceptible to avalanche and winter storm damage and may be difficult in some areas. I have hiked Rockwall in mid July and the end of August. In July, we encountered snow along the meadows and at the passes and both times the brush was extremely overgrown as we descended from Tumbling Pass into Numa Creek campground.
Another resource is Kootenay National Park Trail Report, the Parks Canada website or a tourism visitor centre for any trail advisories prior to starting your hike. Something I also do is check the most recent posts and reviews from people on hiking apps like AllTrails.
What route should you hike?
This is truly your personal preference. I have seen trail runners heading south to north, but I am going to convince you to hike from the Paint Pots and finish at Floe Lake. Here are the advantages of hiking north to south:
Parks Canada Trail Map
Easier First Day
If you start at Paint Pots and camp at Helmet Falls you will have an easy day. You will gain approximately 285 meters elevation in 15 km and odds are, you will arrive at camp early and have time to relax and maybe walk close to the base of Helmet Falls.
Hiking up the passes in the shade
Typically, we left camp around 700 am to 730 am which gave us more time in the trees and cooler areas.
Better views
On day 2 of our hike, we were at Wolverine Pass in the morning and stopped for a quick snack to take in those incredible limestone cliffs. The trail twist and turns and you feel as though you are hiking in the cliff most of the time and can enjoy the spectacular view. If you are a photographer like me, this is a photography paradise! This entire hike direction is stunning and if the sky is clear, the view of Floe Lake as you top the pass is like a dream.
Less elevation gain
The toughest hike is leaving Numa Creek campground as the trail is steep with switchbacks and can be tough in the heat of the day but before you know it, Numa Pass arrives and you are back in an alpine meadow.
Easier last day
As hard as it is to leave Floe Lake, you can leave knowing that your remaining 10 km hike out is mostly downhill
Basically, you won’t regret hiking either direction, but I hiked the same way twice because the views are so beautiful. You can thank me later!
our 4 day/3 night route
PAINT POTS TO HELMET FALLS
Distance: 15km | Elevation Gain: 300m | Elevation Loss: 50m | Time: 4.5-5.5 hours
From the Paint Pots trailhead, follow the flat Ochre Creek Trail through the trees to a big bridge across the Vermillion River. Once across, walk through a wet area to Ochre Spring which is about 1km from the trailhead. The mineral content is what makes the beautiful contrasting orange-red tones in the mud.
The next section of trail is through the forest. You will come to a junction where the trail to Tumbling Creek Campsite goes left and Helmet Falls campsite goes right. You don’t want to miss out on Rockwall Pass so make sure you keep right! Around 6km from the trailhead, cross Ochre Creek on a bridge and arrive at the Helmet/Ochre Junction Campsite. This is a great spot to stop for a little break.
The next section of trail is through the forest above the banks of Helmet Creek. Around the 12.5km mark you will find a suspension bridge to cross Helmet Creek. The sun was toasty as we crossed several avalanche paths but the wildflowers and mountain views took most of my attention from this point on. We had a black bear encounter in this section, but it was well off the trail in the trees and we decided it was safe to continue on.
At about 15km, there is another a junction with the Goodsir Pass Trail where your route stays left. Very soon you step out of the trees to pass the Helmet Warden Cabin. Keep going to cross a small creek and you have arrived at the Helmet Falls Campground. Way to go! You can glimpse the falls through the trees from the campground, but for a close-up view follow a faint trail for about 500m. The 2888m-tall bulk of Limestone Peak towers overhead.
Helmet Falls from camp
HELMET FALLS TO TUMBLING CREEK FOR LUNCH
Distance: 12km | Elevation Gain: 640m | Elevation Loss: 500m | Time: 5-6 hours
From the campground, follow the Rockwall Pass Trail towards Helmet Falls and watch for the main trail going left across a small creek. For the next 3 km the trail switchbacks steadily uphill through the forest, gaining 400m. We enjoyed the coolness and smell of pine in the early morning.
I am always super excited for my first glimpse of Rockwall at the top of this climb. You will descend through meadows to a creek crossing about 5km from Helmet Falls Campsite. This is a good place to top up your water as it is the last reliable source before Tumbling Creek Camp.
Cross the creek and head up the exposed gravel slope to traverse a rocky glacial moraine and a small turquoise pond. A plank bridge takes you back into the trees to climb again. As you get higher, you’ll get better views of Rockwall and a large unnamed glacial lake at its base.
In my opinion, this is one of the most scenic sections of the entire trail with incredible views of the Rockwall Trail. Rockwall Pass is about 8.5km from camp. Continue along the trail to a junction at Wolverine Pass. Welcome to the Wolverine Pass Trail! We stopped here for a hydration break and to soak in the spectacular views. From the meadow to the left you’ll be able to spot the Wolverine Warden Cabin, but it is off-trail so you won’t reach it.
From the pass you’ll descend for 3km to Tumbling Creek campground. The first kilometer is a mellow downhill through meadows and open forest. The final 2km to camp is a very steep descent full of switchbacks. Tumbling Creek camp is in 2 sections and we chose to stop here for a lunch break and to top up our water.
*Option is to camp at Tumbling Creek for an extra night if you want shorter distances per day.
Tumbling Creek to Numa Creek to Camp
Distance: 8km | Elevation Gain: 340m | Elevation Loss: 700m | Time: 4-5 hours
From the campground, follow the trail downstream to the junction with the Tumbling Creek Trail. You can use this route to return to the Paint Pots which is 10.5km away. If you want to stay on the Rockwall Trail, take a right to cross the bridge over Tumbling Creek. You are now on the Tumbling Pass Trail where you will gain 340m over the next 3km.
The first 2 km climbs steadily and we took breaks on the switchbacks in the shade of the trees. The highlight in this section for me are views of Rockwall and the hanging glacier views of Tumbling Glacier that extend along this section of the trail.
The next 5 km is for the most part a descent. The first kilometre from the pass is gentle through meadows and a stream crossing. But soon after, you will descend onto a steep and rocky slope with loose rocks, gravel and scrub bushes. The trail switchbacks sharply and crosses several meltwater streams. This descent can be tough on your knees so pace yourself. After the last stream crossing (which was actually flowing quite a bit in July) we entered a tunnel of alder and willows. It doesn’t seem to matter the time of year, this part is overgrown and feels like it lasts forever when it is actually only a few kms. Because visibility is so low we made sure to talk loud and sing through this section to prevent a bear encounter.
About 6.5km from Tumbling Creek Camp the brush lets up, the slope becomes less severe, and you are in the forest again. Numa Creek campground is our second favorite camp because it’s permitted to have campfires unless there is a fire ban. Campfires create such a great atmosphere to meet other hikers and campers.
Numa Creek to Floe Lake
Distance: 10km | Elevation Gain: 790m | Elevation Loss: 300m | Time: 4-5 hours
Leaving the campground on the Numa Pass Trail, the first few kms are a gentle climb through the forest and the quiet setting is extremely peaceful.
After passing through a large open area in an avalanche chute, you’ll encounter a new bridge about 3 km from Numa Creek Camp. Once you are across the bridge, the grade steepens as you being a long ascent up switchbacks to Numa Pass. Most of the ascent is in the trees and at the start you are able to see a beautiful waterfall. The first year we hiked Rockwall, the forest fire smoke was thick in this section and cast an eerie orange glow in the sunrise.
The grade stays steep until around the 6km mark when you begin to break out into the alpine and cross a scree slope. You’ll top out about 7km after leaving camp, having gained 700m along the way. The towering spire of Foster Peak is to the southwest and the Rockwall stretches away from you to the north. Another highlight for me was being able to see views of Floe Lake resting at the back of the cliffs.
After leaving the pass, the trail heads downhill through open forest and pockets of meadow filled with wildflowers. You will drop 300m from the pass to the campsite at Floe Lake. You may need to keep your bug spray handing or netting if you packed it. The mosquitoes and flies were intense in July.
Floe Lake to Floe Lake Trailhead
Distance: 10km | Elevation Gain: 30m | Elevation Loss: 730m | Time: 3-4 hours
Leaving Floe Lake is bittersweet for me because it is such a challenge to book and get the days you need and feels like it is over way too quickly. But before you know it, you are starting the long descent to Highway 93. You’ll lose 730m of elevation between Floe Lake campground and the trailhead. The bulk of the trail is through recently burned forest, which means it can be hot and exposed on sunny days.
The first two kms of trail switchback steeply downward. Watch the steep sections! After crossing a wide and rocky creek, the grade eases and we stopped to take in our last views of the Rockwall behind you and the surrounding mountains. Not long after, we could see the highway and other hikers starting their trek up to Floe Lake. The fireweed was stunning throughout this area - did you know that Fireweed is an excellent source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, magnesium, and manganese. The antioxidants in fireweed benefit the digestive system, the circulatory system and the immune system, the lungs, and the skin (source Google)
When you reach a large bridge over the Vermillion River you are basically at the end of the hike and the parking lot a few minutes later.
hiking the Rockwall Trail from South to North
If you choose to hike the Rockwall trail from south to north, you can still use my directions above, but you’ll have to reverse them. However, the elevation gain, elevation loss, and time stats will be different. I’ve listed them below to help you out:
Floe Lake Trailhead to Floe Lake: Distance: 10km; Elevation Gain: 730m; Elevation Loss: 30m; Time: 4.5-5.5 hours
Floe Lake to Numa Creek: Distance: 10km; Elevation Gain: 300m; Elevation Loss: 790m; Time: 3.5-4.5 hours
Numa Creek to Tumbling Creek: Distance: 8km; Elevation Gain: 700m; Elevation Loss: 340m; Time: 4-5 hours
Tumbling Creek to Helmet Falls: Distance: 12km; Elevation Gain: 500m; Elevation Loss: 640m: Time: 5-6 hours
Helmet Falls to Paint Pots Trailhead: Distance: 15km; Elevation Gain: 50m; Elevation Loss: 300m: Time: 4-5 hours
what to expect at camp
There are five campgrounds on the Rockwall Trail: Helmet/Ochre Junction (6km from Paint Pots), Helmet Falls (15km), Tumbling Creek (27km), Numa Creek (35km), and Floe Lake (45km). Floe Lake is by far the most beautiful campsite but I truly believe each camp offers a unique feature of the hike.
Each campground has gravel tent pads, outhouse(s), and a shared cooking area set away from the tenting area. The cooking areas have a few tables with benches and metal food storage lockers. All of the campgrounds are next to a creek, lake or close walking distance to a water source.
Campfires are allowed inside metal fire rings at the Numa Creek and Helmet Ochre Junction campgrounds but are prohibited in all other locations on the Rockwall Trail.
ALTERNATIVE ITINARARIES
5-DAY ROCKWALL TRAIL ITINERARY
If you want to take your time and enjoy the scenery, spend 5 days hiking the Rockwall Trail. This 5-day itinerary is also great for families or people who aren’t in amazing shape. We hiked with our friends and their kids (13 and 10 years old) and this was a great itinerary for them. If you take 5 days, you also won’t have any crazy long days of hiking.
Paint Pots to Helmet Falls (15km, +300m, -50m, 4.5-5.5 hours)
Helmet Falls to Tumbling Creek (12km, +640m, -500m, 5-6 hours)
Tumbling Creek to Numa Creek (8km, +340m, -700m, 4-5 hours)
Numa Creek to Floe Lake (10km, +790m, -300m, 4-5 hours)
Floe Lake to Floe Lake Trailhead (10km, +30m, -730m, 3-4 hours)
3-Day Rockwall Trail Itinerary
If you like putting in long days, this speedy 3-day Rockwall Trail itinerary might be for you. The first day is a nice warm-up, then the next two days are full-on… but with lots of scenery.
Paint Pots to Helmet Falls (15km, +300m, -50m, 4.5-5.5 hours)
Helmet Falls to Numa Creek (20km, +980m, -1200m, 9-11 hours)
Numa Creek to Floe Lake Trailhead (20km, +820m, -1030m, 7-9 hours)