Berg Lake Trail Backpacking Guide (2026): Permits, Campsites & Itineraries

Aug 27, 2024
10 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

The Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson Provincial Park is still one of our favorite backpacking trips anywhere. The route passes turquoise lakes, enormous waterfalls, glaciers and some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the Canadian Rockies, all beneath the towering face of Mount Robson.

We backpacked the trail before the devastating 2021 floods and spent two nights near Robson Pass. The route fully reopened in 2025 after extensive reconstruction, so this guide combines our firsthand experience with updated 2026 planning information for permits, campsites and itineraries.

Quick Facts

Location	Mount Robson Park, British Columbia
Distance	22–23 km one way
Trip Type	Out-and-back backpack
Difficulty	Moderate–strenuous
Recommended Time	3–4 nights
Permit	Required for overnight camping
Best Season	Summer to early fall
Dogs	Dogs are allowed on the Berg Lake Trail for day-hikes only
Our Recommendation	Spend at least 2 nights near Berg Lake/Robson Pass

How to Get a Berg Lake Trail Permit

Backcountry camping reservations are required for the Berg Lake Trail during the peak season, and campsites can be competitive, especially at the most popular locations near Berg Lake.

Reservations are made through the BC Parks reservation system, and you will need to select the specific campground where you plan to stay each night.

Unlike many parks that release campsites on a rolling basis, BC Parks releases the entire Berg Lake Trail peak-season inventory on a designated opening day each year. Reservations open at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time on that date, so if you have specific dates or campsites in mind, we recommend being ready when reservations open.

Our biggest advice is to have several itinerary options prepared before you begin booking. There are no bad campsites along this trail and Berg Lake, Marmot, Rearguard, and Robson Pass are all excellent bases for exploring the upper portion of the trail, but being flexible with your campsites can greatly improve your chances of putting together a trip.

If your preferred itinerary is unavailable, continue checking the reservation system. Cancellations do happen, particularly as your trip dates get closer.

You can technically make a reservation as late as 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time on your arrival date if campsites remain available, but we would not rely on this for a Berg Lake trip.

Our Booking Tips

Have your preferred dates and at least one or two backup itineraries ready.
Decide which campgrounds matter most to you before reservations open.
Log into your BC Parks account ahead of the reservation release time.
If your first choice is unavailable, try shifting your trip by a day or adjusting where you spend each night.
Keep checking for cancellations if you do not get the itinerary you want initially.
Before leaving, verify current trail conditions, closures, and campground information with BC Parks.

Our Verdict

The Berg Lake Trail remains one of the most memorable backpacking trips we have ever done. We rated it 95/100, making it our #1-ranked hike on our Best Hikes in the Pacific Northwest list.

We originally planned to spend one night at Whitehorn and two nights at Robson Pass, but heavy wildfire smoke forced us to change our itinerary. When conditions briefly cleared, we decided to push all the way to Robson Pass and spend two nights there before hiking out.

Based on our experience, we recommend giving yourself at least three nights on the trail if possible. The scenery is too good to rush, and an extra night gives you more flexibility to explore the upper trail and adjust for changing weather. Before the 2021 flood, Emperor Falls also had some spectacular campsites and would have been an excellent place to spend a night on the way in or out.

Come prepared for rapidly changing mountain weather, pack extra layers, and build some flexibility into your itinerary. Even with the smoke and unexpected changes to our plans, this was an unforgettable trip and still holds the top spot on our list of favorite Pacific Northwest hikes.

Trail Details & Route Breakdown

The Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson Provincial Park is one of the most spectacular backpacking routes in the Canadian Rockies. The trail passes through lush forest, turquoise lakes, enormous waterfalls, glacier-carved valleys, and some of the best views of Mount Robson anywhere in the park.

The trail was heavily damaged by flooding in 2021 and remained partially closed for several years while BC Parks rebuilt major sections of the route. The full Berg Lake Trail reopened in 2025, so hikers can once again complete the entire route, although some trail sections and campground infrastructure may differ from what we experienced before the flood.

Route Overview

The Berg Lake Trail is roughly 23 km (14.3 miles) one way from the trailhead to the Berg Lake area. It is a moderately strenuous backpacking route with a mix of relatively easy valley walking, steady climbing, and steeper sections around Emperor Falls.

The difficulty increases considerably after Whitehorn, but the scenery also becomes more dramatic as you climb toward the upper valley and Mount Robson.

Trailhead to Kinney Lake — About 6 km / 3.7 miles

The first section of the trail is relatively gentle and makes for an easy introduction to the trip. The route follows the Robson River through beautiful forest before arriving at Kinney Lake, a striking turquoise lake surrounded by steep mountain walls.

This section is popular with day hikers, so expect more people here than on the upper portions of the trail. Kinney Lake is also one of the best places on the route for reflections when the water is calm.

Kinney Lake to Whitehorn Campground — About 5–7 km / 3–4 miles

Beyond Kinney Lake, the trail begins to feel more remote. The terrain becomes more varied as you move through forest, river flats, and increasingly rugged mountain scenery.

You will cross streams and pass numerous waterfalls spilling down the surrounding slopes before eventually reaching Whitehorn Campground, one of the most popular stopping points on the lower trail.

Whitehorn makes a good first-night campsite if you want to break the hike into manageable sections before tackling the steeper climb toward Emperor Falls.

Whitehorn to Emperor Falls

This is where the trail becomes significantly more challenging.

The route climbs steeply out of the valley toward Emperor Falls, gaining elevation quickly through a series of sustained climbs. It is one of the harder sections of the trip, especially with a full backpack, but the scenery makes the effort worthwhile.

Emperor Falls is one of the highlights of the entire trail. The waterfall is enormous and incredibly powerful, and the surrounding mountain scenery becomes increasingly dramatic as you climb higher.

Before the 2021 flood, the Emperor Falls campground also had some beautiful campsites. While we would have happily spent a night here on our original trip, hikers should check current BC Parks campground information because the trail and camping areas were substantially rebuilt after the flood.

Emperor Falls to Berg Lake

After the steep climb around Emperor Falls, the trail becomes somewhat easier as you enter the upper valley.

This is where the landscape really opens up. You begin getting expansive views of Mount Robson, glaciers, waterfalls, and broad alpine terrain as you continue toward Marmot and Berg Lake.

Eventually, you reach Berg Lake, sitting directly beneath Mount Robson and the Berg Glacier. This is the scenery most hikers come for, and it absolutely lived up to our expectations.

Berg Lake to Robson Pass

If you have the time, we highly recommend continuing beyond Berg Lake toward Robson Pass.

The trail becomes quieter as you move farther from the main Berg Lake camping area, and the upper valley offers a more remote feel with excellent views back toward Mount Robson.

We ended up spending two nights at Robson Pass on our trip after wildfire smoke forced us to change our original itinerary. Despite the unexpected conditions, this ended up being one of our favorite parts of the experience.

Wildlife and grizzly bears

Mount Robson Provincial Park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including black bears, grizzly bears, deer, marmots, and elk. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the upper sections of the Berg Lake Trail offer plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife, especially in quieter areas away from the main trailhead.

Grizzly bear safety

Bear-safe food storage is available at designated campsites, and we also carried bear spray throughout our trip. As always, give wildlife plenty of space, keep a clean campsite, and follow current BC Parks food-storage and bear-safety guidelines.

Berg Lake Trail Campsites, Ranked

Distances are approximate one-way mileage from the Berg Lake Trailhead. Some campground locations and facilities changed during the post-2021 flood reconstruction, so always check current BC Parks information before your trip.

1. Kinney Lake

Our Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10

Best For: A late start or short first day

Distance: 7 km / 4.3 miles

Kinney Lake is undoubtedly beautiful, with turquoise water, often very reflective and dramatic mountains surrounding the lake, but it is still relatively close to the trailhead and does not have the remote alpine feel of the campgrounds farther up the trail.

It makes the most sense if you are getting a very late start or want an especially easy first day. Otherwise, we would continue farther up the trail.

2. Whitehorn — 11 km / 6.8 miles

Our Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10

Best For: A comfortable first night

Distance: 11 km / 6.8 miles

Whitehorn is a very practical first-night destination and works especially well for a three- or four-night itinerary. It breaks up the approach nicely before the steeper climb toward Emperor Falls.

The surrounding mountain scenery is impressive, although the campground itself is not as spectacular as those farther up the valley. The river is at a beautiful confluence of turqouis and darker water. We originally planned to spend our first night here and still think it makes a very logical stopping point for most backpackers.

3. Emperor Falls — 16 km / 9.9 miles

Our Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

Best For: Waterfalls and dramatic mountain scenery

Emperor Falls was one of the most spectacular camping areas we saw on our trip. The campground sits in an incredible location near the massive waterfall and is surrounded by dramatic mountain terrain.

If the current reconstructed campground retains anything close to the atmosphere of the original location, this would be one of our top choices for a night on the trail.

We would especially consider Emperor Falls for the first night if you don't mind pushing it or for the final night on the way back to the trailhead.

4. Marmot — 18 km / 11.2 miles

Our Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

Best For: Glacier views and easy access to the upper valley

Marmot is where the scenery really starts to become spectacular. By this point, you are well into the upper valley with increasingly impressive views of Mount Robson and the surrounding glaciers.

It is a great alternative if Berg Lake is unavailable and puts you in an excellent position to explore the upper portion of the trail the following day.

5. Berg Lake

Our Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ 10/10

Best For: The classic Berg Lake experience

Distance: 22 km / 13.7 miles

If you are hiking the Berg Lake Trail, this is the campsite most people dream about.

Camping beneath Mount Robson with Berg Lake and the Berg Glacier nearby is hard to beat. The scenery here is the reason the trail became so famous, and this would be one of our first choices when planning an itinerary.

It is also an excellent base if you want to spend an additional day exploring the upper valley rather than immediately turning around.

6. Rearguard — About 22 km / 13.7 miles

Our Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9/10

Best For: Solitude near Berg Lake

Rearguard offers a great compromise between being close to the famous Berg Lake scenery while potentially feeling quieter than the main Berg Lake campground.

Its location makes it an excellent base for exploring the upper valley, particularly if you want easy access to Berg Lake without necessarily camping at the busiest location.

If Berg Lake were unavailable, Rearguard would be very high on our list.

7. Robson Pass — 23 km / 14.3 miles

Our Rating: Our Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10

Best For: Solitude and a more remote experience

Robson Pass was our camping spot on the trail.

We originally planned to spend two nights here, and despite wildfire smoke forcing us to modify the rest of our itinerary, we ultimately did spend two nights at Robson Pass although it was a long trip in.

Being farther up the valley gives it a much more remote feel than the campgrounds closer to Berg Lake. It is an excellent choice if you want to get away from some of the crowds and spend more time exploring the upper reaches of the trail.

Recommended Itineraries

1-Night Itinerary — Fast & Ambitious

Night 1: Berg Lake

This is the quickest way to experience the upper trail, but it makes for a long first day and a long hike out the following morning. We would only recommend this option for strong, experienced backpackers who are comfortable covering big mileage with a full pack.

If your goal is simply to reach Berg Lake and spend one night beneath Mount Robson, it can work but you will have very little time to explore.

2-Night Itinerary — Best Short Trip

Night 1: Emperor FallsNight 2: Berg Lake

This is a much better option if you only have two nights. Emperor Falls breaks up the climb nicely and gives you a spectacular first-night setting before continuing into the upper valley.

Your second night at Berg Lake lets you enjoy the most iconic scenery on the trail before hiking out the following day.

3-Night Itinerary — Our Recommendation

Night 1: Whitehorn

Night 2: Berg Lake

Night 3: Emperor Falls or Berg Lake

For most hikers, we think three nights is the sweet spot.

Whitehorn gives you a manageable first day, Berg Lake puts you in the heart of the best scenery on Night 2, and your third night gives you some flexibility. You can either spend a second night near Berg Lake to explore more of the upper trail, or begin your return and stay at Emperor Falls to shorten the final day.

If you have the campsite availability, this would be our preferred itinerary for a first trip.

4-Night Itinerary — Best for Exploring

Night 1: Whitehorn

Night 2: Berg Lake

Night 3: Berg Lake or Robson Pass

Night 4: Emperor Falls

Four nights gives you the best opportunity to slow down and really enjoy the trail.

After a manageable first night at Whitehorn, spend your second night near Berg Lake. On Night 3, either stay in the Berg Lake area again or continue farther to Robson Pass for a quieter, more remote experience. On the return, Emperor Falls makes an excellent final-night stop and leaves you with a much easier hike out.

If your schedule allows it, this is the itinerary we would choose for the most complete Berg Lake experience.