The last camping trip of the summer is always the hardest. As it wraps up and you put out your campfire, your heart is heavy with the knowledge that it will be many months until you return. You clean and pack away your gear, way way back in the closet since it will be several seasons until you need it again. We chose our last trip to be at Mount Robson Provincial Park because we hadn’t done a mountain trip this year, and we wanted to get one in before the season was over.
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We chose to stay in Robson Meadows campground, just south of the Mount Robson Provincial Park’s visitor’s centre. We stayed in site 85, which was close to the flush toilets and somewhat private. The site was treed and quite large. We just had our tent, but it could easily fit a large RV or trailer. The flush toilets at Mount Robson Provincial Park were clean-ish but very wet. The park staff were power washing the bathroom floors daily, which was loud and wet. It took hours for the floors to dry so every time you go into the bathroom your feet get wet (if you’re wearing flip flops like me.) The showers were small. However, they WERE cleaned daily and always had plenty of TP so I can’t complain too much.
We left Edmonton around 10:30am and got there around 3:30pm. You have to drive into the park quite a ways before you get to the main campground, Robson Meadows. It is right across the highway from the visitor’s centre. There is a controlled crossing there to improve the safety of crossing a busy mountain highway. Firewood was $10 for a bucket, and was very dry.
There are a lot of really beautiful places to see inside Mount Robson Provincial Park. We were hiking with kids so the trails we chose were simple and easy for lazy teens. Our first stop was to view the gorgeous Fraser River just steps away from the campground. There is a trail that leads there from within the campground, and it’s only 10 – 15 minutes until you get to the river.
Click Here for a map book of Mount Robson Trails!
The river is moving briskly, and swimming isn’t really appropriate for weak swimmers like myself. I dipped my toes into the chilly water and enjoyed the feeling of ice cold water running between my toes. The trail that runs along this part of the river leads to the amphitheater and group camping.
On our second day we drove to the Overlander Falls trail head. The walk down was brief, maybe 15 minutes, and the trail was easy to follow. However, it was steep in some sections. At the bottom of the trail was Overlander Falls, a gorgeous break in the flow of the river.
On our third day we drove into Jasper, Alberta for some provisions and to check out the damage caused by 2024’s wildfire season.
On our last day we went to Rearguard Falls. These falls were steps away from the parking lot, and there was a boardwalk that leads you right up to the falls themselves. We were REALLY lucky, because we got there at the same time the salmon spawn was beginning. We saw brilliant red salmon jumping the falls, often 3 or 4 times before they finally made it up. The salmon travel all the way from the BC coast, they swim hundreds of kilometers to their spawning grounds here in the Rockies.
Check out this salmon lifecycle model for kids!
My overall impression of Mount Robson Provincial Park is that it is a beautiful place to visit when you want the serenity of the mountains without the bustle of the National parks. The Fraser River offers a refreshing place to dip your feet into after a long day of hiking. If you decide to visit this gorgeous park, please be respectful of the environment and don’t feed the bears!!