This summer I got the opportunity to stay at a cabin just outside the Mount Robson Provincial Park area in British Columbia. This beautiful mountain park is just west of Jasper, Alberta, and gets it’s name from the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies which towers over the surrounding valley. The park is also known for it’s famous Berg Lake backpacking trail which passes along the west side of Mount Robson. I have not yet hiked this trail, but hope to do it in the future.
Our stay in the Mount Robson area included mountain biking, small town museums, lakes, and waterfalls. If you’re interested in travelling outsode of the Banff/Jasper/Kootenay/Yoho area for your next summer adventure, I’d definitely recommend adding Mount Robson to the running.
Breakfast in Edson
We drove into Mount Robson from Edmonton, which takes around 5 hours, although we stopped a few times along the way. The route from Calgary follows the Icefields Parkway and takes at least 5.5 hours.
Our first stop along the way was in Edson. We stopped for coffee at Shekinah Coffee, a local Mom & Pop shop offering breakfast and lunch fare along with snacks and sweet treats. When we walked in, we were immediately welcomed with samples of their homemade gelato. I got a London Fog and a blueberry muffin, while my friends ordered a breakfast wrap, cheese melt sandwich, and their daily soup. All the food was delicious and with generous portions. They also offered us fresh donut holes which were excellent. I would definitely recommend stopping here if you’re driving through Edson.
Miette Hot Springs in Jasper
After our breakfast stop, we continued along the Yellowhead highway to Miette Hot Springs in Jasper. They’re tucked about 17 km off the main highway, through a narrow and winding road between Ashlar Ridge and Roche Miette. The hot springs were similar to many I’ve visited in other national parks like Banff and Radium, but a little less busy. They had four pools, two larger hot pools and two smaller cold plunges. Each pool had a different temperature ranging from the coldest at 16°C to the hottest at 40°C.
After the pools, we had lunch and got ice cream at the nearby restaurant. Then we continued on for the final leg of the journey. As we drove through Jasper we passed through a herd of around 30 bighorn sheep on the road. Remember to drive with caution on these winding mountain roads.
Cabin in the Woods
We arrived in Mount Robson just after 4:30 pm. Once arriving at the cabin, we took a short walk to the creek that feeds into the Fraser River. We were staying at a cabin owned by friends, but close to the Mountain River Lodge cabins just outside the west gates of the Provincial Park. The stars out here were incredible both nights, clear enough for us to see the Milky Way.
Valemount: Bikes and Trains
The next morning, we drove to Valemount. A few of our friends are enthusiastic mountain bikers, and this small BC town offers an impressive bike park with extensive trails down the slopes northeast of the town. After shuttling their car to the base of the park, we went for a coffee at Vale Coffee and then spent around an hour at the Valemount & Area Museum.
This museum includes the Annex, the caboose, and the old train station. It includes artifacts donated by residents, as well as information about the town’s history and the First Nations (Secwépemc Peoples) who lived here originally. The train station building itself was moved twice and was an instrumental piece in the development of the town of Valemount.
After exploring the museum and browsing the library’s used book sale, we ate lunch at the adjacent picnic tables and made our way to Yellowhead Lake for the afternoon.
Yellowhead Lake
Yellowhead Lake sits below Lucerne Peak, a mountain which divides Alberta and BC along its peak. We stopped at the Mount Fitzwilliam trailhead parking where there’s a boat launch area and some sandy beaches. We waded in the lake and took out a few paddleboards and floaties. This is a great lake for paddling as it was quite calm and very quiet. We didn’t see many others out on the lake (we were here on Thursday). There is also a campground, Lucerne, on the west side of the lake where you can stay.
We spent about 2 hours at the lake, enjoying the water and some snacks. This would also be a nice spot for a picnic, had we left for the lake earlier in the day. It began raining as we were packing up, and we drove home to make a late dinner around 7:30. We spent the evening at the cabin and had a campfire under the stars.
Mount Robson
In the morning, we packed up the cabin and headed for the Welcome Centre. This is a great spot to get photos of Mount Robson. There is also a gift shop and cafe in this area and the road that leads to the Berg Lake trailhead. The weather was very hot while we were here, so we didn’t do much hiking, but I’d love to come back when we have more time and do either Berg Lake itself or some of the shorter trails in the area.
After stopping at the visitors’ centre, we pulled off the highway again for a short trail to Overlander Falls. This waterfall sits along the Fraser River and holds and impressive rush of water which slips over the falls and speeds past visitors. The trail took us a little under 30 minutes round trip and was doable in sandals.
Lunch in Jasper
During our drive back to Edmonton, we stopped for lunch in Jasper. We wanted to see the town and support some of the businesses after the wildfires last year. While the fires damaged sections of the town and the evidence of burned trees and missing neighbourhoods is haunting, the main street, Connaught Drive, was very much alive and bustling. The patios were full and the shops were in full summer mode.
We bought a few things and settled for lunch at the Whistle Stop Pub. When we finished eating, we had to run through the rain for a few blocks back to our car. On our drive out of Jasper, we saw more bighorn sheep, a mountain goat, and a black bear which dashed across the road behind us. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, whether or not you’re driving. From there, we continued our journey back to Edmonton with a quick stop at Tim’s for some caffeine.
