North Boundary Trail
North Boundary Trail is a remote, long-distance backpacking route through the northern Rockies, mapped in Jasper National Park (Alberta) and continuing into Mount Robson Provincial Park (British Columbia). It is designed for experienced backcountry hikers and is commonly completed in about 7–10 days, with a one-way distance that varies by exact routing.
The route is mainly wilderness hiking with limited infrastructure, and it involves major river travel—some rivers are not bridged and crossings can include dangerous or impassable fords depending on conditions and water level. Plan for significant route-finding where the trail may be overgrown or difficult to follow.
On the Jasper side, the route starts at Rock Lake, with an initial stretch that follows an old road. Early on, it reaches Willow Creek and then runs through the Snake Indian River Valley, including a short side trip to see Welbourne Falls from the Little Heaven junction to the Blue Creek junction.
The high points come via Snake Indian Pass and then the route follows downstream water corridors: from the alpine meadows of the pass the trail descends to Twintree Lake, then connects to the Smoky River further down. After that, it climbs along the Smoky River to Adolphus Lake and continues on to Robson Pass.
Robson Pass marks the boundary between Jasper National Park and Mt. Robson Provincial Park. From there, the final approach follows the Berg Lake trail line for about 23 km toward the Berg Lake area, which is popular and often busy compared with the earlier stretch.
Management and logistics are a core part of the trip: a backcountry camping permit is mandatory for overnight travel in Jasper, and camping in Mount Robson Provincial Park requires a BC Parks reservation. Bear-proof food storage is recommended, fires are limited to approved fire pits, and seasonal caribou conservation closures apply from November 1 to May 15 for the Rock Creek and North Boundary trail areas.
More information: Visitor information, Visitor information, The North Boundary Wilderness Experience - Tourism Jasper