Last updated on January 5th, 2024 at 02:10 am
When it comes to getting the best bang for your buck, backpacking to Hermit Meadows is right up there and for that reason alone it should be on your backpacking bucketlist. One of the most amazing campsites I’ve ever stayed at will greet you after hiking a short but insanely steep hike! This trail is popular as a day hike but I have to say, if you have the gear, nothing beats watching the sunset from camp and having the best view of the stars I’ve ever enjoyed.
Backpacking to Hermit Meadows certainly had some quirks though, if you’ve been there, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about, from a lack of any type of shade…the joys of camping in the alpine and then of course the less than private bathroom situation. None of this takes away from this incredible spot though.
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Where is the Hermit Meadows Trailhead
The Hermit Meadows trailhead is easy to find as it is clearly signposted and right off Highway 1. It is approximately 80 kilometers from Golden, BC or 70 kilometers from Revelstoke BC.
The parking area can be seen from the highway, so you really can’t miss it. It is really close to Rogers Pass where there is a seasonal visitor centre.
Backpacking To Hermit Meadows
Distance: 3km
Elevation: 800m
When we went backpacking to Hermit Meadows it was hot, like really hot! Due to the main highway being closed we were late hitting the trail, this turned out to be ideal as we got to hike during dusk, which was considerably cooler, however we did need our head torches by the end.
The trail starts fairly steadily, through the trees as you gain elevation, the trail gets steeper, with switchbacks through the forest. Views here are almost non-existent but it is peaceful.
As the trees thin out, views start to open up looking down to the valley where you started. This is a great spot to stop and have a break. There is an area with some flat(ish) rock bands in an opening in the forest, leaving plenty of space for other hikers to pass once you sit and put your packs down.
After this section the trail gets a bit more technical, with more rocky terrain to navigate, nothing too technical but you definitely need to keep your eyes on the trail. There has been some pretty incredible trail work carried out along this section with rock steps in some of the steeper sections.
Near the end of the trail, there is one steep rock band which has a rope to help you get up it. If you don’t want to use the rope then you’ll likely need to do some hands down manoeuvres as it is quite steep but relatively short.
Once past this, there are lots of rock steps to follow and before you know it, you are at the campground. The campsite is spaced out, so check the map at the entrance to get your bearings.
For us, arriving in the dark, it was difficult to find a tent pad and I’m not sure we ever would have found the toilet, had a nice camper not approached us and told us how to get to it!
The Hermit Meadows Campground
The Hermit Meadow campground is small, with raised wooden tent pads dotted around, some have more privacy than others, but none of them have any great amount of shade! There is one, across the creek and up a steep embankment, this tent pad is probably the nicest since it is away from most of the others. But all the tent pads offer incredible views.
I’ll also say some of the tent pads are in a bit of disrepair, with the wood falling apart, rotting or missing planks completely. Ultimately they all work but if you have a larger tent, I’d be picky about the tent pad you choose.
When backpacking to Hermit Meadows, the tent pads at the campground are all raised so no need for pegs to secure your tent, but bring extra rope since there are nails on the side of the tent pads to attach your ropes too.
There is a creek to draw water from which runs right through the campground before turning into a waterfall, you’ll need a water filter or purification tablets still though. There is a small metal walkway which crosses the creek to get to the technical end of the trail, which is signed.
One of the most questionable aspects of backpacking to Hermit Meadows is, in my opinion, the bathroom! It is a small green toilet perched high up above the campground. Where it was located when we went, it didn’t feel very secure but did the job. As well as this there is zero privacy, you can literally see hikers arriving at camp from above while doing your business. So be prepared for minimal privacy.
There is also a cooking area, there wasn’t any real infrastructure here, mostly just wood planks on piles of rocks, absolutely serving its purpose though. There are also bear lockers to store your food and any other fragranced items you might have.
You need a backcountry reservation to camp at Hermit Meadows, this can be booked through the Parks Canada Reservation site, bookings for summer 2024 open on Friday 19th January. However it is often possible to find cancellations for the campground later in the season.
What To Do At Hermit Meadows
While backpacking to Hermit Meadows, most people choose to spend one night here, there aren’t any maintained trails from the end of the Hermit Meadows trail. However you can see that the trail does continue on through the meadow below. If you follow this trail, you’ll soon reach a very steep downhill section, head down here and check out the waterfall, you can even get under the waterfall, just be careful as it is slippery!
Another option for something to do from the campground is to hike up over the moraine to get views of the glacier behind. It isn’t visible from the campground but apparently you can hike all the way to it, this isn’t something we did since it was so incredibly hot.
Other Options In Glacier National Park
On our way out from backpacking to Hermit Meadows, we bumped into a couple heading up the trail who suggested that a stay at the Asulkan Hut on the other side of the valley was a worthwhile overnight option, with numerous hiking opportunities at high elevation. Hopefully we can check this out in the upcoming summer!
What You’ll Need For Backpacking To Hermit Meadows
As I mentioned earlier, there isn’t a lot of shade at Hermit Meadows, so on top of what I typically pack I would also recommend a few extras.
Sun hoody or fishing shirt, I found this so necessary to escape from the sun without having to lather up on sunscreen.
Lightweight hiking pants, after hours in shorts I needed to cover my skin with pants. It was so much easier to cover my skin from the unrelenting sun.
We also took some wine to enjoy while watching the sunset, it was easy to carry in a soft sided carafe and two plastic wine glasses. This was a real treat and I can’t recommend it enough.
Thank you for sharing this interesting post.
As I remember, there is a sign at the trailhead that the minimum group size is expected to be 4; otherwise, you might be fined. This is because of grizzly bears in the area. There are a few signs like that one at some trailheads in the Rockies… Me and my husband hesitated to go ahead if we saw the sign….What do you think of this?
Thanks for the comment. I did not see a sign regarding any rules about hiking in groups of four, like you see at the Lake Minnewanka trailhead in Banff for instance. Potentially they have removed this rule for this trail as I couldn’t find any information about this being a rule on the Parks Canada website either. We encountered many couples and individual hikers on the trail. We carried bear spray and made noise while we hiked. If you encounter a trail that requires a minimum group size of four, then this should obviously be followed, I just didn’t see any signs of this being the case on the Hermit Meadows trail.