I’m also afraid of heights but, sometimes, you just gotta suck it up and move forward. Habitat: Open and meadowy trail, burnt forest, glaciers, peaks and a large lake. The last 1/3 was draining mainly because it was slippery and i did fall a few times. Autumn snowfalls may make hiking difficult in late September/October. I have to be honest, I was little disappointed though. As you meander through this initial part of the Floe Lake trail take time to stop and admire the views around you. Floe Lake is a little known day hike in Kootenay National Park with an impressive rock wall surrounding the lake. Start from the Bradley Taggart Lakes trailhead and stay between the two lakes. This…, The Kindersley-Sinclair Loop hike is a classic hike in Kootenay National Park. Kootenay National Park is not often visited for a simple reason. Floe Lake is a small lake set beneath a rock wall escarpment in Kootenay National Park. Hike to Floe Lake Kootenay National Park August 3, 2013 The first day of our Floe Lake trip included the 5+ hour drive from Edmonton into Kootenay National Park, and after getting up absurdly early, we made it to the trailhead by just after 10am. This 59 kilometre hike can be done South to North, starting at the Floe Lake trailhead and finishing at the Paint Pots or vice and versa. Hike the Floe Lake Trail 6.5 miles and 2,350 feet of elevation gain to Floe Lake camp. The last hour of the hike you're hiking up the switchbacks. More. The Lake O'Hara Alpine Circuit is 12 km in length and it's a combination of the following trails: Lake O'Hara shoreline… 8. The trail into Floe Lake is part of the multi day Rockwall Trail. The Rockwall trail is a famous 3-5 day trek in Kootenay National Park. 4. Begin your hike at the Floe Lake Trailhead right off the highway near the east side of the park. After crossing Floe Creek (bridged) and ascending moderately the trail turns to the southwest, contouring around the southern … Incredibly exhausting hike. Like most Rockies hikes, the best time to hike the Floe … The Verdant Creek wildfire has claimed another popular hiking area in Kootenay National Park with the closure of the Floe Lake trail and the Rockwall Trail south of Tumbling Pass. If you're looking for a great alpine lake hike or backpacking trip with solitude in the Canadian Rockies, then I would recommend going to Floe Lake, located in Kootenay National Park. Absolutely stunning water right by the rock wall at the top. Floe Lake is a lake in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, Canada. The second one was long and takes several switchbacks to go. Much of the park is inaccessible and a big part of the forests burnt down during wildfires. Total elevation gain: 1,800m But don’t take our word for it, check out the pictures for yourself. I would however love to see Floe Lake and the "classic" views of the peaks behind it. Bridge over Vermilion River. The Rockwall Trail is a multi-day trek that is sure to astound you. Return the way you came or make a loop trip by hiking out via the Numa Creek Trail, a 10-mile loop trip between the Floe Lake and Numa Falls parking lots. After taking a lunch break, I made my way to Floe Lake. Floe Lake and Numa Pass are part of the multi-day backpacking route between Marble Canyon and Vermillion Crossing in Kootenay National Park: the Rockwall. Perhaps the most underrated hike in the entire Canadian Rockies is the Ball Pass hike in Kootenay National Park. I've read a couple of route descriptions online and am wondering if it would be possible/realistic to hike from the Floe Lake Trailhead to Floe Lake campground and back in one day? All junctions with other trails are clearly signed showing directions and distances. There is a point by some picnic tables that provides fine views. This day was going to be longer, 17 km, but after a quick climb to Numa Pass, it was all downhill. There is back country campground at the Lake. The trail was really easy to follow and was on the narrow side. DIFFICULT 3.0 mi. Once it flattened near Floe Lake, I realized snow up there was probably 2 m or could be deeper. The trail starts off easy and then gets strenuous as the trail gradually steepens. Length: 21 km Hiking time: 7 hours Elevation: 715 m Trailhead: Floe Lake parking lot, 72 km east of Radium Hot Springs. Overview This is a moderate one way trail in Kootenay National Park. Floe Lake . Note: The higher sections of the trail are snowbound until early to mid-July. The route covers 34 miles and winds through magnificent landscapes, including alpine passes, vast meadows, and ancient glaciers. It was cold for us, so just a quick 15 min to return back to what seemed would never ever end. Rockwall Pass and Tumbling Pass: Park at Paint Pots and hike in to Tumbling Creek Campground. The best part of the hike is the wall of limestone cliffs that reach a staggering 2950 feet. See the detailed trail description below for a better idea of how much elevation and loss you’ll tackle on the Rockwall Trail. This trail goes by Paint Pots, Ochre Spring, Helmet/Ochre Jct. We allowed ourselves a lie-in. Was there last summer. The hike to Floe Lake is long and typically done as either an out-and-back backpacking trip or as part of a multi-night traverse of northern Kootenay National Park along the base of the Rockwall. Difficulty? The last 2 km gets steep but it’s a gradual steepness rather than straight incline. Floe Lake . Floe Lake is a lake in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, Canada. Once you have parked at the Floe Lake Trailhead Parking and gathered all your gear for the day, head towards the trailhead and begin down a path to cross the first bridge over the Kootenay River, then after 15 minutes cross another bridge. Day 4 Numa Creek to Floe Lake, 10 km, 755 m (2475 feet) to top of Numa Pass and 250 m (825 feet) loss to Floe Lake. September 29, 2018 - Last big hike of the year! Making my way back to the trailhead, I hiked through the burnt forest again (Photo 9), the result of a devastating 2003 forest fire, and crossed the photogenic, teal-coloured Vermillion River (Photo 10). The burnt forest is actually a beautiful sight. As the trail steepens, you switchback your way up to the stunning vistas and gorgeous Floe Lake - which is perfect for a well-deserved cool down after a big hike! Was an epic hike to end a great year of hikes! This famous trek is capped at the north end by Helmet Falls (one of the Rockies’ highest waterfalls) and at the south by Floe Lake (so named because ice floes originate and break off from the glacier above). It's a really pretty trail, walking through the wild flowers and old burnt trees for most of the way, however there is no shade and it was very hot! A wonderful natural site to immerse yourself with nature and wildlife. The name Floe Lake comes from the small icebergs that used to flow through the lake after glacial calving. Most parties opt to start at Floe, and spend their last night at Helmet Falls. Beautiful Floe Lake itself is located at the bottom of a massive 1000m sheer rock face. Pack an extra layer, as the top was colder than expected. Image credit: Christopher Fast/Wikimedia.org. Commonly known for British Columbia, the trail is surrounded by greenery rather than rocks, as it’s the case of hiking trails in Alberta. For backpackers, this is often the first stop in a longer, multi-day trip that continues over the nearby pass and deeper into the park, but for beginners, it can be done as a quick one night trip, allowing for greater leisure on the trail and at the lake. Did the trail as a day hike and would return for camping! The first 2/3 were fun, easy and pretty! We decided to go for a hike in the late afternoon despite the bad weather. We started from the North and camped at Helmet Falls our first night, and then continued south and exited out Floe Lake. This involved a bit more scrambling and walking along the ridge of the mountain, with sheer drops on either side that wouldn’t end well if something happened. It was beautiful and can imagine on a sunny day how goergous it would be. We hiked from the Floe ake trailhead past the lake and up Numa pass. The first part of the trail is relatively flat and easy but the last quarter of the hike features a 30% uphill climb. Even better, to walk at least some way up the Numa Pass part of the trail to get good views. Most itineraries describe it as a four to five day adventure, and recommend starting with the trail into Floe Lake. The views were real treats! Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Floe Lake is in a lovely setting at the base of the Rockwall. An approximately 20km round trip hike with extremely underrated status. 5 Views Last Month 303 Since Sep 20, 2018 Difficult. Option 1: Avalanche Canyon has an unmaintained but well-traveled trail up it. Starting out at 7am, it would be 6km from the Floe Lake trailhead to the stone bench intersection (see Bob Spirko’s description and photo of the stone bench) where I made the north turn to go up the rock avalanche chute. Floe Creek Trail, access via Floe Lake trailhead; Recommended time of year to hike this trail: Mid-July to early October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Day One: The hike to the Floe Lake Campground Floe Lake campground is the first destination. The trail to Floe Lake starts at – where else – the Floe Lake trailhead, just off highway 93S. The Floe Lake trailhead will be well signed to your right, after about 22.0km from the AB/BC border. This means that when you visit you will be treated to not one, but two iconic views that are simply breathtaking. The lake is only accessible by a 10.7 km hiking trail that leaves from a marked trailhead on highway 93. It’s just breathtakingly gorgeous and other-worldly (Photos 1, 6, 7, 8). Take time at Floe Lake to have a snack and look around at the glaciers on the other side of the lake. Floe Lake Track is a 12 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near East Kootenay G, British Columbia, Canada that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Parks Canada does not book sites at Floe Lake campground until July 10. For multi-day hikers, there is a campground at the Floe Lake, so you can witness a sunrise or a sunset at the lake. Was it beautiful? Well tracked, even with the relatively poor weather conditions, we still saw a decent crowd. The Rockwall is even more impressive closer and higher up (Photo 6). notes. Time: 7 hours. From the trailhead, the Floe Lake Trail goes southwest about 500m where it crosses the bright blue Vermillion River where it rushes along a narrow canyon. Then hike to Mystic Lake on day 2, this requires a short excursion of about 800 m one way, then hike over Mystic Pass, to the Ink Pots and down to the Moose Meadows trailhead. Rockwall Trail run - arriving at Floe Lake will mcKechnie. Floe Lake Trail Difficult. Floe Lake is considered the park's "classic" hike and is a great way to sample what the park has to offer. Excellent hike! An image of Floe Lake appears on the wall of the International Arrivals at Customs Canada in the Calgary International Airport . It was an amazing, gentle elevation and very scenic panoramic views and will certainly do it again. The day did not start off too well with snow and ice on the highway. That being said, the massive fire that ravaged through here in 2003 has left meadows of wildflowers as you make your way along the first 8.0km of the trail. Most itineraries describe it as a four to five day adventure, and recommend starting with the trail into Floe Lake. Head in the direction of a waterfall and take the path to the right, just before the waterfall. Walking from North to South means that you will be hiking up the mountain passes in trees, then walking down on mostly exposed terrain. Variety: Fire burned forest in 2003 - regrowing. It's a solid 7 hours of hiking to get there and back, with quite a bit of vertical gain as you ascend to the lake itself, but it's an extraordinarily beautiful place. Icefloe is the highest of all the park’s lakes. Plan your day so you have some time to spend at the lake too. DIFFICULT 22.5 mi. Leave a Comment. Piper Pass. I would recommend this direction for a backpack, and the opposite direction for a trail run (it's about 50k). Nice hike! The Floe Lake Trailhead is about one third of the way between the Castle Junction on Highway 1 and Radium Hot Springs on Highway 93 South. 2hr50mins up and 2hrs30mins down. There was a wildfire here years ago, so you will have to walk through a burned area for awhile. A full day hike of 21km with elevation gain of 938m and 7.5 hours of enjoying the outdoors. ... Jade Lake Hike - Washington State - Duration: 3:32. hikeart 33,467 views. Rockwall Trail and Floe Lake. Since the hike is one way and not a loop, you will need two cars parked at either end. I recommend to do the whole Rockwall trail. 1,550m of total elevation gain and 5 hours later, I summited (Photos 3, 4, 5) and the 360° views sure are pretty: Mount Temple to the north and Mount Assiniboine to the southeast, with more recognizable peaks within closer view. 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