Rockwall Trail

Rockwall Trail (The Rockwall) is a 55 km thru-hike in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, built around three to four alpine passes and a prominent limestone escarpment known as the Rockwall. It’s commonly planned as a 3–5 day multi-day backpacking route.

The route climbs into high country with ~2,600 m of elevation gain across its passes, so expect sustained ups and downs rather than an easy ridge walk. Most itinerary structures put the hardest travel over the alpine segments between camp areas.

Common staging is Paint Pots to Helmet Falls (~15 km, 4.5–5.5 hours) followed by Helmet Falls to Numa Creek (~20 km, 9–11 hours), then Numa Creek to Floe Lake (~10 km, 4–5 hours). A typical exit adds another ~10 km day from Floe Lake to the Floe Lake trailhead (about 3–4 hours).

Day-by-day, the passes that anchor the route include Rockwall Pass and Tumbling Pass, plus Wolverine Pass on the longer central section and Numa Pass on the approach toward Floe Lake.

Camp logistics are built around five backcountry campgrounds along the line of travel, each with tent pads and facilities for overnight use. The commonly referenced sequence is Helmet-Ochre Junction, Helmet Falls, Tumbling Creek, Numa Creek, and Floe Lake.

Seasonality is a big constraint: the trail is generally snow-free from late July to mid-September, and in colder shoulder periods lingering snow can affect the higher portions and access. Timing matters for both pass conditions and the availability of campground reservations.

Route access and transport planning are part of the trip: the two main trailheads used for full-length hiking are Paint Pots and Floe Lake, and there’s no shuttle between them. Many hikers handle this by using two vehicles or arranging a ride before starting.

Because this is a backcountry thru-hike in bear country, it’s treated as wilderness camping with camping reservations and self-sufficient travel. Plan to carry everything you need, with food storage/lockers at camps as part of standard practice.

More information: Wikipedia, The Rockwall trail guide - A walk and a lark, Rockwall Trail Backpacking Guide | The Road Goes Ever On