Where on earth
Satellite imagery flying in from a world view to Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson), Canada. Use the + / − buttons, or click the map to zoom with your scroll wheel; drag to pan and pinch to zoom on touch.
- Region
- British Columbia, Canada
- Country
- Canada
- Biome
- Canadian Rockies valley and alpine (853–1,645 m)
- Best season
- Late June – late September
- Trip length
- 2–5 days
- Difficulty
- hard
- Backpacking
- Hiking
- Winter Camping
- Snowshoeing
- Climbing
- Mountaineering
- Canoeing
- Fishing
Key takeaways
- Biome: Canadian Rockies valley and alpine (853–1,645 m)
- Best season: Late June – late September
- Trip length: 2–5 days
- Difficulty: hard
- Top activity: backpacking
- Key hazard: BC Parks: "The Berg Lake Trail includes many potentially significant safety hazards. Slippery rocks, cliffs, uneven trail surfaces, wildlife, fast-flowing rivers, and waterfalls can all be dangerous, even to experienced visitors."
Photos of Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)
Topic summary
Twenty-three kilometres up the Robson River to a glacier-fed lake under the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies — rebuilt and fully reopened after the 2021 floods.
Key takeaways
- Difficulty: hard
- Trip length: 2–5 days
- Best season: Late June – late September
- Permit required
- Kinney Lake day hike — 7 km each way on the rebuilt lower trail, bikeable as far as Kinney Lake Campground.
- Whitehorn overnighter — 11 km in, camp, and out the next day.
Intended uses
- backpacking
- cold weather
Climate suitability
Canadian Rockies valley and alpine (853–1,645 m)
Verification notes
Permit source: Backcountry camping reservations — Berg Lake Trail. Last verified September 20, 2026.
Tools for a trip here
Picked for how, when and where you're going. Free, no signup.
- Sleep System Temp CalculatorCold nights: check your bag and pad add up to a safe sleep.
- Base Weight CalculatorEvery ounce is carried — total your kit and find your base weight.
- Pack Volume SizerSize the pack for your trip length and season.
- Water Purification MatrixTreat water from streams and lakes on trail.
- Layering CalculatorCold-season miles: layer for climbs and camp.
Plan with verified data
Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson) trip tools
Route options
- Kinney Lake day hike — 7 km each way on the rebuilt lower trail, bikeable as far as Kinney Lake Campground.
- Whitehorn overnighter — 11 km in, camp, and out the next day.
- Berg Lake in three days — Whitehorn or Emperor Falls on the way up, Berg Lake for the middle night, out on day three.
- Robson Pass end-to-end — the full 23 km, with the pass camp as the turnaround.
- Side routes off the main corridor shown on the BC Parks map: Hargreaves Lake, Toboggan Falls, Mumm Basin and Snowbird Pass (no dogs on Snowbird Pass).
Sample itineraries
- Kinney Lake day trip · 1 daysTrailhead to Kinney Lake and back, 14 km round trip on the easiest section of the rebuilt trail. The option when the campgrounds are booked out.
- Classic three-day · 3 daysUp to Whitehorn (11 km), on past Emperor Falls to Berg Lake (21 km) for the second night, then the long walk out. The standard trip most reservations are built around.
- Four days with side routes · 4 daysTwo nights at Berg Lake or Robson Pass so you can walk Toboggan Falls, Mumm Basin or the Snowbird Pass route with a day pack instead of a full load.
Seasonal conditions
| Season | Window | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | May – mid-June | Snow lingers in the upper valley and the lake is still breaking up. The reserved season has not started; check advisories before travelling at all. |
| Summer | Late June – August | The operating season. In 2025 the full trail opened June 26 with reservations required through September 29. Warm valley days, cold nights at Berg Lake under the glaciers. |
| Autumn | September – late September | Quieter and colder, with the reserved season ending in late September. September and October are also rut season — BC Parks warns that elk, moose and deer can become aggressive. |
| Winter | October – April | BC Parks warns that "during or following certain weather patterns, you may run into dangerous conditions on the Berg Lake Trail, especially in winter," and points visitors to Avalanche Canada and Environment Canada before going. |
How to get there
From Valemount, follow Highway 5 north to Highway 16, then head east for 18 kilometres. From Jasper townsite, follow Yellowhead Highway 16 west for 84 kilometres to the Mount Robson Viewpoint centre. On the north side of the highway, a two-lane paved road runs for 2 kilometres to the parking lot for the marked trail to Berg Lake.
- Mount Robson Viewpoint centre
Highway 16 landmark for the approach from Jasper. The road to the trail parking lot begins on the north side of the highway.
- Berg Lake Trail parking lot
Located at the end of the 2-kilometre paved access road. The marked hiking trail reaches Berg Lake 19 kilometres from here.
Sources: Wikipedia · Wikivoyage. Confirm road and trailhead conditions with the managing agency before you leave.
Permits & closures
Backcountry camping on the Berg Lake Trail requires a BC Parks reservation in peak season, booked through the BC Parks reservation service, which includes the camping permit. Outside peak season some campgrounds are first come, first served. For the 2025 season, reservations opened 7 a.m. on April 2, 2025 and were required from June 26 to September 29. Opening dates and fees are set season by season — confirm the current dates and per-night fee on the BC Parks reservations page before planning around them.
Official permit source: Backcountry camping reservations — Berg Lake Trail · Verified 2026-09-20
Closures & advisories: Camping reservations open for the entire Berg Lake Trail (March 26, 2025) · Verified 2026-09-20
Safety & stewardship
- BC Parks: "The Berg Lake Trail includes many potentially significant safety hazards. Slippery rocks, cliffs, uneven trail surfaces, wildlife, fast-flowing rivers, and waterfalls can all be dangerous, even to experienced visitors."
- No cell service anywhere on the trail except the Welcome Centre — carry paper maps and consider a satellite communicator.
- Permanent boil-water advisory — boil, filter or treat all water.
- Permanent campfire ban on the whole trail; portable stoves only.
- Bear country — make noise on the trail and store food and scented items properly.
- Rut season in September and October: BC Parks warns elk, moose and deer can become aggressive.
- Winter and shoulder-season avalanche hazard; check Avalanche Canada and current BC Parks advisories.
Water: BC Parks keeps a permanent boil-water advisory on the Berg Lake Trail. Boil, filter or otherwise treat every litre, including at the campgrounds.
Wildlife: BC Parks flags wildlife as a trail hazard and states plainly that the park's trails travel through bear country; elk, moose and deer are present and can be aggressive in the autumn rut. BC Parks does not publish a species checklist specific to the Berg Lake corridor.
Leave No Trace: Designated trail only — no off-trail hiking, no harvesting of mushrooms or berries, and pack out everything you carry in.
Popular pursuits at Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)
- Backpacking
Multi-day travel with everything on your back — see the packing blocks below.
- Hiking
Day miles on marked trail, with route notes and trail links below.
- Winter Camping
Cold-season travel and camp craft; layering matters more than mileage.
- Snowshoeing
Packed-snow travel when the trail disappears.
- Climbing
Rock and alpine lines with approach beta.
- Mountaineering
Glacier and high-route objectives with real consequence.
Animals around Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)
Wildlife guideTimber wolfCanis lupus
Big gameBlacktail DeerOdocoileus hemionus columbianus
GamefishPacific SalmonOncorhynchus spp.
Wildlife guideCanada lynxLynx canadensis
Big gameElkCervus canadensis
GamefishRainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss
Wildlife guideBlack bearUrsus americanus
Big gameBlack BearUrsus americanus
Maps, GPS & compass for this trip
Carry a waterproof paper map and a compass you can steer by, and treat the GPS as the backup — not the other way round. Buying links go to Amazon; Wild10 earns a commission at no cost to you.
Waterproof topo maps
- Waterproof topographic map — Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)Amazon search for waterproof, tear-resistant topo maps covering this area.
- National Geographic Trails IllustratedThe waterproof Trails Illustrated series — check for a sheet covering this area.
- Waterproof map case & compass lanyardKeep a paper map readable in rain, spray and a swamped boat.
Fishing at Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)
Planning to fish Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson), British Columbia? Fishing licences, open seasons and catch limits in British Columbia are set by the local wildlife authority and change every year — check the official source before you cast a line.
Do I need a fishing licence at Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)?
- A British Columbia fishing licence is normally required for anyone over the local youth age.
- Read the current British Columbia fishing regulations for special waters, barbless-hook or catch-and-release rules.
- Clean, drain and dry boats and gear between waters to stop invasive species.
Hunting near Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)
Thinking about hunting Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson), British Columbia? Hunting seasons, tags and draws in British Columbia are set by the wildlife authority each year. Confirm the rules for your species and unit before you go.
Is hunting allowed at Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)?
- Confirm the land around Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson) is open to hunting and which management unit it falls in.
What do I need to hunt in British Columbia?
- A British Columbia hunting licence — most jurisdictions also require hunter education certification.
- Species tags or draw results for big game such as deer, elk, moose or bear where they occur.
- Knowledge of firearm and bow transport rules, which differ by land type and border crossing.
Berg Lake and Mount Robson
Berg Lake lies within Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia, on the Robson River just below its source. The lake sits beneath the north face of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. That setting defines the destination: a mountain lake closely connected to the ice and terrain above it, rather than a roadside viewpoint. Berg Glacier partly feeds the lake, whose turquoise water can hold icebergs even in the middle of summer. The marked hiking trail reaches Berg Lake after 19 kilometres from the parking lot. Plan around that walking distance as well as the scenery; reaching the lake is a substantial undertaking, and the road approach is only the beginning of the trip.
Planning the Walk
The central route is the marked hiking trail from the parking lot to Berg Lake. Its stated 19-kilometre distance is the approach to the lake, not a complete out-and-back outing. Choose a plan that accounts for the return journey, the group's walking pace, rest stops and the equipment being carried. Trail markings help identify the route, but they do not replace a map or a realistic turnaround decision. Carry food, drinking water and layers appropriate for a mountain outing, including protection from rain and cold. Before committing to a departure, confirm current trail access and any booking or permit requirements with the managing agency. Do not assume that a marked route is open or that overnight arrangements can be made on arrival.
A Glacier-Fed Mountain Setting
Icebergs on Berg Lake are not limited to winter: they can remain visible in the turquoise water during the middle of summer. That is a useful reminder to prepare for a cold mountain environment even when travelling in the warmer part of the year. Bring insulating layers and weather protection rather than relying on conditions at the highway to guide packing. The glacier-fed lake and Mount Robson's north face are the defining features of the destination, but a hiking visit should not be treated as an invitation to approach or travel onto ice. Keep plans centred on the marked trail and assess conditions as the outing progresses. Allow time to appreciate the lake without letting a late arrival compromise the return plan.
What to pack for Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson)
- Waterproof jacket and protective outer layers
- Warm insulating layer
- Warm hat and gloves
- Comfortable hiking footwear
- Route map and navigation backup
- Headlamp
- First-aid kit
- Food sufficient for the planned walking days
- Water containers and treatment method
- Shelter and sleep system if overnight arrangements are confirmed
Berg Lake Trail (Mount Robson) FAQ
- Where is Berg Lake?
- Berg Lake lies on the Robson River in Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia, below the north face of Mount Robson. Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.
- How far is the hike to the lake?
- The marked hiking trail reaches Berg Lake 19 kilometres from the parking lot. That is the approach distance, not an out-and-back total.
- How is the parking lot reached from Valemount?
- Follow Highway 5 north to Highway 16, then head east for 18 kilometres. On the north side of the highway, a two-lane paved road runs 2 kilometres to the parking lot.
- How is the parking lot reached from Jasper?
- Follow Yellowhead Highway 16 west from Jasper townsite for 84 kilometres to the Mount Robson Viewpoint centre. On the north side of the highway, follow the two-lane paved road for 2 kilometres to the parking lot.
- Can there be icebergs in summer?
- Yes. Berg Lake is partly fed by Berg Glacier, and its turquoise water can contain icebergs even in the middle of summer.
- What should be confirmed before an overnight trip?
- Ask the managing agency about current trail access, permit requirements, and authorized overnight arrangements. Choose a schedule that accounts for the 19-kilometre approach and the return walk.