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Welcome to this article about 12 things to do and see in Revelstoke, Canada. 

Through our own experience of 21 days of travel through the Canadian Rockies, we tell you what you can do and what to see in Mount Revelstoke National Park and the surrounding areas of Revelstoke village.

This has been our fifth Rocky Mountain National Park visited, after the Yoho National Park, Banff National Park and the Glacier National Park and before embarking on the visit toKootenay National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada.

Within the province of British Columbia in Canada we find the Mount Revelstoke National Park, one of the 7 national parks that make up the Canadian Rockies and one of the ones that was a big surprise to us.

The route that we recommend to visit the Mount Revelstoke National Park in Canada is to settle in Revelstoke village for a few 3-4 days and from this base visit the two westernmost National Parks of the Canadian Rockies: Glacier National Park and Mount Revelstoke National Park.

The visit to Mount Revelstoke National Park that we would recommend would be to dedicate at least a full day to the natural park and another day to see the Revelstoke village and its surroundings. It is an area that has a lot to see and do in Canada.

Tips before visiting Mount Revelstoke National Park and Revelstoke village

Once the tasks of doing the eTA visa On the official website of the Government of Canada, hire the travel insurance required, review the validity of our passport, buy the adapter plug that we will need, buy a SIM card for having internet on mobile in Canada, reserve the tours and activities from the trip and pack your bags with what you need, leaving the unnecessary at home. We can now leave for Canada and its impressive landscapes!

About us

How to get to Revelstoke BC Canada

On our trip we arrived in Canada at the airport Calgary. From Calgary there is 3,5h driving through the Trans Canada Highway which crosses the entire Mount Revelstoke National Park and Glacier National Park in Canada.

Actually Calgary, if you are going to visit the Canadian Rockies, is the best airport to enter Canada, the closest without a doubt.

Furthermore, the best way to get from Calgary to Revelstoke is by private vehicle, which will give you the flexibility to get around afterwards, as there is no shuttle bus system or public transportation in this less-crowded natural park in the Rockies.

Where to stay in Mount Revelstoke National Park 

The best way to stay near Mount Revelstoke National Park is to stay in one of the 40 accommodations in Revelstoke town  or in one of the 66 accommodations in the population of Golden, just 1 hour away from Mount Revelstoke and also Glacier National Park.

Revelstoke campgrounds

Finally, I want to tell you that if what you are looking for is camping in a motorhome or camper there are 1 public campsite from Mount Revelstoke National Park Bookable if you're touring the Canadian Rockies in a motorhome or camper, but there are plenty of private campsites in the town of Revelstoke too. Plus, if you're going in a tent, you'll have a couple more campsites available to you. On the other hand, if you're like us and the public campsite is full when you go to look, you'll find a couple of private campsites in Revelstoke town.

Revelstoke BC and Mount Revelstoke National Park Tour

To visit Mount Revelstoke National Park I advise you to save 2 days, especially if you visit it with family and children.

This National Park is ideal to enjoy with the family, not only because of its nature and easy trails, but for its super fun activities and visitsWe were there for 2 days and we were short of hours, I warn you.

Based on our experience, here is our suggested route to visit Mount Revelstoke National Park:

Day 1: The heart of Mount Revelstoke National Park and Revelstoke village

In the morning I advise you to go early to park above the Meadows in the Sky Parkway to Balsam Lake Parking Lot. From here you can contemplate and enjoy a breakfast at Balsam Lake where there are picnic tables and then walk up the Route 13 to Upper Summit 2 km round trip. If your children are very small and it is high season you can also take the shuttle bus.

Once up there, visit the old fire watchtower (route 14) and then take these three super short but beautiful trails: The trail number 15, the Koo Koo Sint, makes a circular turn of 1 km with good views over the Columbia River through which the history and discoveries of the explorer are discovered David Thompson. The path number 16 is the one that goes along the shore of the Heather Lake. A 400-metre circular route along the lake shore. And finally, the trail number 17, the First Footstemps Trail. A 750-metre circular route cuts and easy where you will walk among information panels and sculptures of the stories of the original tribes of this area, the so-called First Nations, the Secwepemc, Ktunaxa and the Syilx / Okanagan.

After the short walks and eating a picnic in the area, we will go down to get the car again and go to Revelstoke village. 

Here the first thing we suggest is to go visit the Revelstoke Railway Museum which closes at 17pm. If it's hot, the next best thing you can't miss is a visit to the Aquatic Center in Revelstoke, which closes at 19 p.m.

Finally, today for dinner we will go to the center of the town, Downtown. From the Grizzly Plaza We will walk towards its shops and restaurants, also seeing the famous grizzly bear statue in the square and hopefully some market or concert.

Day 2: Revelstoke surroundings

Today our day will start by visiting the Enchanted Forest, a forest full of magic with an adventure park next door.

Then a Bathing at Three Valley Lake Beach If it's hot and we'll end the morning in the Three Valley Ghost Town.

After lunch, it's time for some excitement. We'll go for a ride down the Pipe Coaster at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort, legendary ski resort in the area.

To end the day we will do it in the hot springs de Canyon Hot Springs Resort, where we can have dinner and even stay. Before, on the way, 2 small routes of 1 km on wooden walkways: the Skunk Cabbage, where we will see skunk cabbage and the Giant Cedars, among giant cedars.

So far, an ideal route through this beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park in Canada. Below I will give you more details on all the plans.

What to do and see in Revelstoke and Mount Revelstoke National Park

Below, through our own experience over two days in this national park and its surroundings, we are going to show you those places that we believe are worth a visit on your trip to Mount Revelstoke National Park and Revelstoke village.

To try to help you as much as possible, I'm going to go Listing the places to see in Mount Revelstoke National Park in order of visit, just as we would assemble today Revelstoke route after our experience.

In addition, we will put you coordinates of parking lots and sites to make your route easier for you, in addition to the tracks with Wikiloc of the hiking routes.

We hope to help you, then in the comments we await your opinion, remember.

Giant Cedars Border Walk Trail

Near the Trans-Canada Highway 1, which crosses this National Park, we find a stop parking where there is a walk of less than 1 km through a magical forest of giant cedars and wooden walkways. 

The walk is not easy to get lost, it is a circular path marked on wooden walkways for the most part.

An absolutely necessary stop at the entrance to Revelstoke National Park leaving Glacier National Park of Canada.

Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk

A riverside area with a 1,2 km route where we can observe all the fauna and flora of this area of ​​the river. The parking lot This trail is located on the same road as the previous one and is wide.

The translation of this path is ““skunk cabbage walk” or also called in Spanish skunk cabbage, undoubtedly due to its smell. Skunk cabbage is a plant that grows in wetlands and is native to Canada and the United States. 

In Europe it is declared an invasive species and is a danger, as it exterminates our vegetation. A plant used medicinally for respiratory diseases, rheumatism and nervous disorders, which crosses, is toxic (its root) and burns the mouth (leaves), so it must be dried and then used in soups and stews.

It is a marked, circular, easy and short trail next to a beautiful stream, the Illecillewaet River surrounds it. 

In addition, here you will find an area with picnic tables and public toilets.

Revelstoke Village Downtown

The central population of Mount Revelstoke National Park is Revelstoke village. A population that has a Vibrant historic center, full of life, art galleries, shops and servicesRevelstoke is worth a stroll through its centre, with its colourful wooden houses.

To visit it, enter the center of Revelstoke from its famous Grizzly Plaza, with its grizzly bear statue and its large trees that provide shade. In the setting of this square during the summer, you can also see some of the free concerts that they do almost every day at 19 pm or one of their Street markets.

Revelstoke Village Railway Museum

Next to the center of Revelstoke village, with own parking, we found this museum. The Revelstoke Railway Museum, with 30 years since its inauguration, keeps the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway through the mountains of western Canada, a global engineering masterpiece that transformed Canada into a connected nation.

The museum features everything from old trains and tracks to educational exhibits about railroad construction, as well as virtual tours and a simulator (for a fee).

Opening hours are from 9 a.m. to 17 p.m. and admission is $14 for adults and $4 for children.

Revelstoke Aquatic Centre

If it's a hot day during your visit and you want to cool off, Revelstoke has a great aquatic center, ideal if you're going with kids. As well as swimming pools, it has a climbing wall, a water slide, a water play area and a lazy river - enough to keep any child happy! 

Many Revelstoke accommodations include pool passes, so check with your accommodation to get free entry to the pool, in our case our campsite included it.

It usually opens until 19pm. Location here.

Meadows in the Sky Parkway to Balsam Lake, within Mount Revelstoke National Park

This scenic road of 26 kilometers is one of the great attractions of this national park in Canada. Climb up to the summit of Mount Revelstoke and offers different viewpoints with panoramic views of the mountain and the surrounding mountains full of natural life. 

An impressive road that you can climb near Revelstoke town and which you will reach the top with a Ample parking near Balsam Lake.

When you go up, apart from the incredible views, you will find Balsam Lake, a beautiful viewpoint and many different trails. 

El Balsam Lake It has a circular path around it of only 500 meters round trip. The trail is also very close. Eagle Knoll to another lake a little further from the Balsam but also a very easy solo route 1 km there and back.

Climb Mount Revelstoke Upper Summit, visit Fire Lookout and other mountain trails in Mount Revelstoke National Park

At the very top of the Sky Parkway, which we talked about earlier, we find the path when parking number 13, Upper Summit Trail, which in 2 km (round trip) takes us to the upper slope of the mountain, the summit of Mount Revelstoke where most of the long-distance trails and other short interpretive trails start. All of them are among the most beautiful trails in Revelstoke National Park. In general, be careful with the bears. It is an area with many bears.

Previously you could climb up to Upper Summit in a shuttle bus which used to be at the Balsam Lake parking lot, is now just a stop away, and only properly identified disabled people are allowed on the road.

Once at the Upper Summit, from there the Fire Lookout trail, path number 14, a trail of 500 meters (round trip) to an old fire observation tower. A tower that offers one of the best views of the surrounding mountains and the Columbia River Valley.

Also from the Upper Summit we can access 3 shorter and easier interpretive trails:

• The path number 15, the Koo Koo Sint, makes a circular turn of 1 km with good views over the Columbia River through which the history and discoveries of the explorer are discovered David Thompson.
• The path number 16 is the one that goes along the shore of the Heather Lake. A 400-metre circular route along the lake shore.
• Finally, we found the path number 17, the First Footstemps Trail. A 750-metre circular route cuts and easy that meanders through subalpine meadows and panoramic viewpoints. Here you will walk among information panels and sculptures of the stories of the original tribes of this area, the so-called First Nations, the Secwepemc, Ktunaxa and the Syilx / Okanagan.

Eva Lake

Lake Eva is one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in this national park. There is even a moderate difficulty walk of 14 km round trip a nice mountain route that starts from the Upper Summit.

This route can take of 5 to 7 hours and runs through beautiful alpine meadows. It is an ideal route for those who want a half-day or full-day hike.

Record-breaking bike park and ski jump

Coming down from the Medows in the Sky, just after the campsite, you can access a parking lot where there is a very cool bike parkIf you go with children, they will love it.

From there you can also do a geocaching session and go up to the ski jump slope where a world record was broken. The climb to the top is steep until the jump point, where there is a photocall to take a photo as if you were skiing.

The Pipe Mountain Coaster and Revelstoke Mountain Resort Activities

If you want to enjoy a day like a child, this is one of the plans that you cannot miss. In the Revelstoke Mountain Resort You'll find an aerial adventure park during the summer months, axe-throwing games, a Frisbee golf course and even the famous Pipe Mountain Coaster, a super-fun roller coaster with sleds on rails.

You can access all activities with a Play All Day Pass or purchase the pass for each one separately.

Parking location.

The ghost town of Three Valley Lake

At kilometer 19 of the Trans Canada Highway, we can park here and visit this castle and ghost town. 

El Three Valley Lake Chateau & Ghost Town It is actually a resort hotel now overlooking the beautiful Three Valley Lake and the Monashee Mountains. It offers a unique combination of resort amenities and historic attractions with its own ghost town.

Even if you don't stay at the hotel complex, what you can do is take a tour of its historic ghost town, with 25 historic buildings from the late XNUMXth century, a museum of vintage cars and an old railway site.

Admission to the ghost town is $16 per adult and $8 per child and is open from 9 a.m. until sunset, there is no fixed schedule.

Beach at Three Valley Lake and viewing platform 

Next to the Trans Canada Highway we find another idyllic stop, especially if it is very hot and you fancy a swim.

En This parking lot You will be able to access the Rutherford Beach, of Three Valley Lake, have toilets and a good rest area.

Now, if it's not so hot that you want to stop at a beach not too far away, this other parking lot You can walk 5 minutes to a nice viewpoint of Three Valley Lake.

The Enchanted Forest 

Go back in time in the Enchanted Forest and enter another world, where enchantment is everywhere and dreams come true in a magical forest.

The Enchanted Forest and SkyTrek Adventure Park are “twin” attractions located 32 miles west of Revelstoke, where you can discover the magic of an ancient enchanted forest through 350 hand-crafted fairytale figures and structures.

Here you can climb the tallest and most magnificent tree house in Canada and a giant house made from a cedar stump, a castle and a dragon's nest.

Swimming in hot springs at Albert Canyon Hot Springs

Leaving Mount Revelstoke National Park in Canada, we find some hot springs within a complex where you can camp or rent a cabin, which is ideal for ending a day of hiking through Glacier National Park in Canada.

Is called Albert Canyon Hot Springs, and located here you will find an ideal overnight spot next to thermal pools ideal after the hikes you have decided to do through Glacier National Park in Canada.

Map Mount Revelstoke National Park and Revelstoke what to see

Below is the map we made with everything to see in Mount Revelstoke Nature Park and what to see in Revelstoke town and surrounding areas. I hope you find it useful.

Conclusions about Mount Revelstoke National Park

In fact, this National Park and its surroundings are the place where we have found the most leisure and entertainment activities for our children in Canada.

Not only did we find brutal nature inside the National Park, but we were also able to enjoy very magical visits and precious moments outside the Park.

Clearly We recommend you 1000% to come to this corner of Canada, one of the ones we liked the most on our entire trip due to the variety of visits and activities.

Have a nice trip, family!