Heather Trail

Heather Trail is a multi-day hiking route in E.C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia. It’s commonly done as a one-way backpack from the upper Blackwall Road area down to Nicomen Lake, then returned by the same route (about 21–22 km one way).

The corridor climbs from a high starting point and spends long stretches traveling through alpine meadows and open slopes, with multiple camps along the way. Typical stopovers mentioned for the overnight itinerary include Buckhorn Campground and Kicking Horse Campground before the final approach to Nicomen Lake.

A common “day 2” target is the distance between the Kicking Horse area and Nicomen Lake, with the last descent into Nicomen Lake described as sharper than earlier sections. Nicomen Lake functions as the end point for the standard out-and-back trip.

For hikers planning more than one night, the route is set up around backcountry camping at designated sites such as Buckhorn, Kicking Horse, and Nicomen Lake, with the need for backcountry reservations through the BC Parks reservation system (reservations typically available about 4 months ahead).

As a thru-hike alternative, the standard Nicomen Lake ending can be extended by connecting into the Grainger Creek and Hope Pass trails, continuing toward Cayuse Flats rather than reversing the Heather Trail back to the start. This turns the overall trip into a longer loop-style through-hike using the Heather route as the opener.

Season-wise, the route is best in mid to late summer (roughly late July through August), when alpine wildflowers are in bloom; in many years the access road is open only from early July until late September or early October.

More information: The Heather Trail, Manning Park: Complete Hiking Guide |, Juan de Fuca Trail | The Road Goes Ever On, Hiking the Nenana River and Oxbow Trail in Denali National Park – Top L...