Revelstoke National Park
One of Canada’s great Rocky Mountain National Parks Updated June 2022
To begin your tour, go to the town of Revelstoke in British Columbia.
Revelstoke
The town of Revelstoke has hotels, grocery stores, gas stations, and other businesses to meet basic needs. If you like trains, there is also a railway museum.
Meadows in the Sky Parkway
Start your tour of Revelstoke National Park with a drive up the Meadows in the Sky Parkway. This is the only place in any Canadian National Park where you can drive to the top of a mountain. (There is a similar road in Glacier National Park in Montana).
The road winds 26 kilometres up the mountain with several viewpoints and hiking trails. The elevation increases from 470 metres at the bottom to 1,500 metres at the top. When you reach the parking lot, there is still one kilometre to go. This last kilometre is a single-lane road and not open to vehicles. However, a small shuttle bus goes every 20 minutes, or you can walk. I suggest taking the bus and saving your energy for the hiking trails at the top. Return on the bus or walk. (no pets allowed on the shuttle bus).
The Meadows in the Sky Parkway is not suitable for large vehicles or vehicles with trailers. Medium-sized RV campers can make the trip, but not bus-sized motorhomes. There are two parking lots. RVs must park in the first one. The second parking lot has spaces only large enough for cars and pick-up trucks. Cars may park in the first lot if the second one is full. The road is paved but steep and windy. There is limited parking, so I suggest going early in the morning to ensure you get a parking space, or you may have to wait until someone leaves.
Balsam Lake
Balsam Lake is the small pond near the parking lot. There is a picnic area, toilets, some hiking trails, and a shuttle bus stop.
An Alpine Meadow
Once you get to the top, you will be in a beautiful alpine meadow with a small lake called Heather Lake. In summer, the meadow is full of mountain wildflowers. The flower peak season varies from mid-July to the first week of August. From the shuttle bus stop, several hiking trails of various lengths exist.
A short trail around Heather Lake takes only about ten minutes to complete. Several other trails branch off of this one. The First Footsteps trail starts opposite the bus stop and has examples of aboriginal art along the trail and a good viewpoint.
This is a wonderful opportunity to visit what is usually a very remote place and difficult to access on other mountains. Pack a lunch; go early in the morning, and plan to spend the whole day in the meadow. The scenery is spectacular, the flowers are beautiful, and the air is crisp and clean. It is difficult to imagine a more beautiful place.
Wildlife you might see include ground squirrels and marmots. There are lots of birds, including the friendly Canada Jay. There is a possibility of seeing a bear, so you should know what to do in that event.
The gate is locked at 8:30 p.m., so ensure you are out before then (it could be earlier in spring and fall.) The road is not ploughed in winter. It usually opens in late May and ends with the first heavy snowfall. Spend another night in Revelstoke before moving on.
Skunk Cabbage Trail
You will come to the Skunk Cabbage Trail west of the town of Revelstoke. This is an easy 30-minute walk on a boardwalk. The Skunk Cabbage is a strange plant. It grows only in wetlands in the mountainous Pacific Northwest. It is called Skunk Cabbage because it does not smell too good when it blooms. A rose it is not, but it is a fascinating plant that you may never see again. The trail is an easy 30-minute boardwalk loop.
This trail is also an excellent place to look for birds if you are a birder. There is a nice picnic area at the parking lot.
Giant Cedars Trail
The Giant Cedars Trail is another short, easy boardwalk through a forest of ancient cedar trees. The trees you will see were just little saplings when Christopher Columbus came to America. The Giant Cedars boardwalk is located near the western end of the park. This 15-minute walk is fascinating and well worth stopping.
Of course, if you are travelling west to east, you can do the boardwalks first before arriving in the town.
Accommodation Recommendation
Revelstoke has all types of accommodations, from chain hotels to bed and breakfast establishments.
I stayed at the Minto Manor. This 1905 Edwardian mansion is now a bed and breakfast. But it is not just a place to sleep. The house is full of history and is furnished with period furniture. The host, Edna-Mae, is wonderfully friendly and has lots of local information. She also makes a great breakfast which is a complete meal with yoghurt, fruit, eggs, cooked vegetables, toast and tea or coffee. Not just bread and cold cereal that some B&Bs offer for breakfast. There are cheaper and more expensive places to stay, but I think the Minot Manor is the best place for the money.
Sleep in a Rubik’s Cube
If you want to sleep in a Rubic’s Cube, there is a strange hotel called the Cube where you can stay. I did not stay there, so I don’t know what it is like inside.
My Thatched Hut Travel Tip
In British Columbia, hotels are obliged to charge federal tax (GST 5%), provincial tax (PST 7% on purchases and 8% on hotels), Hotel tax (2%) and in some places, there is a city tax. This could add up to more than 15% of your bill in addition to the basic price.
Here is your secret My Thatched Hut Travel Tip. Bed and Breakfast accommodations with three rooms or less are required to charge only the GST (5%). If you are staying in hotels for your entire vacation, this can add up to considerable savings. The same thing applies to camping fees.
The main menu above lists articles on other Canadian mountain National Parks under Travel-Canada from Sea to Sea to Sea. Others will be added over time.
All photos are copyright and property of My Thatched Hut except for the two mountain flowers photos used with the kind permission of Karen Best.