Canadian Rockies

The Canadian Rockies offer lots of wheelchair accessible experiences. My favorite places to visit were Mount Revelstoke and Yoho National Parks. The parks are listed in the order I visited them. I marked my favorite campgrounds and activities with an asterisk. Updated November 2025.

Reason to Visit:

Stunning views of Mount Robson, the Canadian Rockies’ most prominent peak.

Where to Camp:

Robson River Campground*
Campsites are good for tents and trailers with a terrain of well-packed gravel. Sites are divided by brush and trees, allowing for a fair amount of privacy. Fire pits and a picnic table included. A single-occupant accessible family washroom/shower is located between sites #7 and #21. Due to the tree cover, site #21 is the only one with a direct view of Mount Robson. Site #7 is labelled as wheelchair accessible, but almost all, if not all, of the sites (including #21, #22, #24) are accessible too.

Things to Do:

Mount Robson Visitor Information Centre – Small museum, gift shop, café, nature trail, and a picturesque view of Mount Robson. Chat with ranger for access to museum downstairs.
Berg Lake Trail* – Packed dirt and rock, accessible by wheelchair for a km or so. Great view of the mountain and the Robson river at the trailhead.
Rearguard Falls Trail – Incredibly steep (assistance likely needed), but even cross-grade and compact. Gets you to an awesome view of the falls. There is a boardwalk at the end with several steps (>30) that get’s down to river level.

Reason to Visit:

Glaciers, wildlife, waterfalls, and ski towns.

Where to Camp:

Johnston Canyon Campground (Banff NP)
Located thirty minutes from Banff and across the road from the incredibly popular Johnston Canyon trail. Campsite #22 was packed soil; comfortable when dry, muddy when rainy, and lots of mosquitos. Accessible single-occupant washroom/shower. Firewood provided by the park was often wet.

* Due to the 2024 wildfires, we weren’t able to scout out the camping situation in Jasper.

Things to Do:

Reason to Visit:

Alpine lakes, railroad history, and a towering waterfall.

Things to Do:

Yoho National Park quickly became my favorite place in the Canadian Rockies. I visited for the day and did not camp in Yoho.

Emerald Lake* – A beautiful alpine lake with a restaurant. Trail is packed dirt and accessible for a little ways. With an accessible parking placard you can park in the parking lot rather than along the road. Can’t miss the loons and views here, but arrive early! It gets busy.
Natural Bridge – Accessible view of the natural bridge right off the parking lot.
Takakkaw Falls* – 1km paved roll to the base of Canada’s second-tallest falls. A bit of an incline at the end of the trail, but great views from several points.
Spiral Tunnels – Several spots to see the Canadian Pacific Railway weave in and out of the mountain at the spiral tunnels. Learn more at the Visitor Centre!
Yoho National Park Visitor Centre* – Great visitor centre with information, history, and local crafts.

Reason to Visit:

Hot springs, cold springs, and riversides.

Where to Camp:

Redstreak Campground – The accessible campsites in Loop F are paved but don’t offer privacy from other sites/the campground road. The single-occupant washrooms/shower are very accessible. Wheelchair access to the amphitheatre from Loop G. The accessible campsite in Loop G was very mosquito-y, unpaved, and not very level due to rain runoff.

Things to Do:

Painted Pots Trail* – The bridge over the Kootenay River is not wheelchair accessible—there are 10 steps on either side. Getting down to the river (<800m) is steep, but the cross-grade is level, the dirt path is well packed, and it brings you right down to the beach. If you have a FreeWheel or similar device, it’s easy to roll over the pebbled riverside. Nice place for a picnic and rock skipping.
Olive Lake Trail – Short but wheelchair accessible packed-dirt trail to a natural springs and picnic area.
Radium Hot Springs* – Step-free access to the hot springs for a fee. Accessible parking spots located in the lot closest to the facility, and there are two wheelchair accessible changing rooms/showers. There is also an aquatic wheelchair available on request. Cool off with some Screamers ice cream in town.

Reason to Visit:

Wildflowers, high-altitude panoramas, and local art and music.

Where to Camp:

Snowforest Campground* – Site B12 is packed gravel and is tucked back from the campground road so it’s nice and private. Short roll to the washroom building, which has several single-occupant accessible toilets and showers.

Things to Do:

Meadows in the Sky Parkway* – This is a gorgeous drive up Mount Revelstoke with several viewpoints of the valley. In early August the wildflowers are in full bloom at the peak. With an accessible parking placard you can drive all the way up to the top-most parking lot. Here are several paved and/or well-packed trails. Areas of the trails can be steep but the wildflowers and views are wonderful. Such a unique, beautiful experience.
Hemlock Grove Boardwalk* – Located in Glacier NP, the Hemlock Grove Boardwalk is a short nature walk elevated over the forest floor. Learn about the local flora and fauna while rolling through the trees.
Downtown Revelstoke* – Local music daily, lots of food options, and cool crafts at the Local Art Co-op.
Revelation Gondola – The gondola at Revelstoke Mountain Resort is wheelchair accessible, though there is a bit of loose gravel to navigate. Take it all the way to the top of the mountain for a stunning view. If you can navigate eight steps, you can have a burger and beverage at The Outpost too.
Revelstoke Dam – Great tour and museum at this Columbia River hydroelectric dam.

* favorite activities and campgrounds