Mount Revelstoke National Park
Park Mountain park with old-growth forests and alpine meadows
A British Columbia park known for the Meadows in the Sky Parkway, alpine meadows, backcountry hiking and heli-skiing; accessible from Revelstoke town.
Mount Revelstoke National Park is a protected area in British Columbia established in the early 20th century to conserve the mountain and forest landscapes near Revelstoke. The park protects a sequence of low-elevation rainforest, subalpine meadows, and alpine ridgelines on the eastern edge of the Columbia Mountains.
Visitors use a scenic ascent road to reach high-elevation viewpoints and short hiking trails that cross open meadows and ridgelines, with wildflowers in summer and vivid colours in autumn. The park also contains accessible old-growth cedar groves reached by boardwalks and short trails.
The park was created to protect the local mountain environment and has since been managed for both conservation and day-use recreation. Facilities are focused around the main access road and a few maintained trailheads and picnic areas.
Geographically, the park sits immediately west of the city of Revelstoke and occupies slopes rising from the Columbia River valley into the Columbia Mountains, offering direct access from the Trans-Canada corridor.
- Establishment: One of Canada's older national parks, it was established to protect the mountain landscapes and forest ecosystems around the Revelstoke area.
- Best season: Alpine meadows bloom in summer and provide the park's signature high-elevation scenery; the Parkway is the primary seasonal access route to those meadows.
What to See #
- Meadows in the Sky Parkway: A scenic road that climbs from near the park entrance into subalpine meadows and provides access to short trails and panoramic viewpoints at higher elevation.
- Giant Cedars boardwalk: A short boardwalk through an inland old-growth cedar stand that showcases large, ancient trees and is accessible from a low-elevation trailhead.
How to Get to Mount Revelstoke National Park #
Mount Revelstoke National Park is reached from the town of Revelstoke via the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). The park entrance and the start of the Meadows in the Sky Parkway are a few kilometres east of downtown Revelstoke, a short 5-10 minute drive from the town centre.
There is no frequent intercity rail directly into the park; most visitors arrive by car on Highway 1 from Revelstoke or by driving from nearby communities and then follow park signage to trailheads and viewpoints.
Tips for Visiting Mount Revelstoke National Park #
- Drive the Meadows in the Sky Parkway early in the morning (road is seasonal) to reach the alpine meadows and viewpoints before tour vehicles and RVs arrive - the summit-area parking gives access to short alpine trails that many day-trippers skip.
- Enter via Revelstoke (Trans‑Canada Highway) and stop first at the park's visitor centre for current trail and road conditions; trailheads off the Parkway lead to quieter alpine loops, so plan to do one short hike rather than just the viewpoint.
- If the Parkway is closed for the season, focus on lower-elevation trails near the highway and check for recent avalanche-mitigation or road‑maintenance notices - services and access are concentrated around Revelstoke so time your visit to daylight hours.
Best Time to Visit Mount Revelstoke National Park #
Summer (July-August) offers the most reliable access and hiking conditions in Mount Revelstoke National Park, with late spring and early autumn also excellent.
Weather & Climate near Mount Revelstoke National Park #
Mount Revelstoke National Park's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -8°C to 23°C. Abundant rainfall (1238 mm/year), wettest in January.
January
January is the coldest month with highs of -4°C and lows of -8°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (159 mm).
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February
February is freezing with highs of 0°C and lows of -6°C. Significant rainfall (103 mm).
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March
March is cold with highs of 4°C and lows of -4°C. Regular rainfall (89 mm).
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April
April is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of 0°C. Moderate rainfall (67 mm).
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May
May is cold with highs of 16°C and lows of 4°C. Moderate rainfall (70 mm).
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June
June is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 8°C. Regular rainfall (88 mm).
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July
July is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 10°C. Regular rainfall (85 mm).
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August
August is cool with highs of 23°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (76 mm).
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September
September is cool with highs of 16°C and lows of 5°C. Regular rainfall (80 mm).
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October
October is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of 1°C. Significant rainfall (113 mm).
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November
November is freezing with highs of 1°C and lows of -3°C. Significant rainfall (154 mm).
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December
December is freezing with highs of -3°C and lows of -7°C. Significant rainfall (154 mm).