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There’s a lot to see and do in this immense park. Climbing, hiking, salmon viewing (in August) and white-water rafting are probably the most popular activities but you can also cross-country ski, view birds and wildlife, take a helicopter tour or visit sites of historical interest. You’ll find a museum and a good selection of locally produced art and crafts in the nearby community of Valemount.
Mount Robson is a dream destination for climbers all over the world. While there are taller mountains in North America, very few offer the almost 3,000 m (10,000 ft) of sheer ascent that Robson does. The park’s trail system contains everything from a quick, 20-minute interpretive loop to a challenging route called the Berg Lake Trail that takes days to complete. If you prefer to pack a lot of sightseeing into a short period of time, book a helicopter tour at the Visitor Centre.
Human history on Mount Robson began with the Texqakallt Nation, who called the mountain Yuh-hai-has-kun (The Mountain of the Spiral Road) because of its layered appearance. In the early 1800s, the first European explorers and traders in the Yellowhead Pass-Tete Jaune area relied heavily on the Texqakallt for guidance and food. Overlander Falls was named in honour of an epic, gold rush-era journey made by 115 men and one woman through treacherous Yellowhead Pass. It’s one of many places in the park with a colourful Aboriginal, explorer or prospector story attached. You’ll find many interesting displays on the human and natural history of the park in the Visitor Centre.
Interesting changes in vegetation and elevation have made the Berg Lake Trail one of the best known hiking trails in the Rockies. If you’re up to a multi-day trek, you’ll pass through three biogeoclimatic zones and ascend almost 800 m (2,625 ft) by the time you’ve completed it.
The Valemount and Area Museum is just 20 minutes from Mount Robson. It focuses mainly on post-European history in the area, such things as fur trading, gold rushes and the construction of Canada’s national railway in the early 20th century.
An easy and entertaining way to learn about the history and geography of the Mount Robson area is to attend one of the interpretive talks given seasonally in the Robson Meadows Campground amphitheatre. To view and purchase work by local artists and artisans, head to the nearby town of Valemount.
224,866 ha (555,654 ac) Mount Robson is the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies at 3,954 m (12,972 ft) and an immense oasis of undisturbed wilderness for many types of wildlife. Elk, marmots, martens, bears and over 182 bird species thrive in the park’s three vegetation zones. In August, the world’s second longest chinook salmon run roils through the Fraser River. The fish travel as many as 1,200 km (746 mi) to spawn in their natal streams in the park in August. The best place to view this amazing natural phenomenon is Rearguard Falls.
Mount Robson is a powerful antidote for urban malaise: the air is clean, the scenery is stunning and the sounds are all natural. The park is immense and almost entirely undeveloped, so you’ll find peace and beauty wherever you go. Two particularly popular places to spend a lazy afternoon are the sandy beach at the Lucerne Campground and the short, 500-m (547-yd) trail to Overlander Falls.
Mount Robson, the source of the mighty Fraser River, is a great place to engage in river water activities, such as fishing, canoeing, kayaking and rafting. You can book a guided fishing or white-water rafting trip at the Visitor Centre in the park.
Mount Robson is a wilderness park, so you won’t find a bustling ski hill on its slopes. What you will find are miles and miles of scenic and well-maintained cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails.
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