Rainbow Range Trail Hike, British Columbia
Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in the West Chilcotin area of British Columbia is the home of the Rainbow Range Trail. It’s in an area not many have visited or even know about.
The Rainbow Range hike in this park is just about as close to hiking nirvana as you’re going to get. I’d call the Rainbow Range hike in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park one of the best one day hikes of my life. And that’s saying something considering how many I’ve done over the decades.
It offers amazing wildflowers, beautiful tarns, rainbow coloured mountains, silence and a sense that you have this part of the world to yourself. You can do it as a day hike or backpack and camp in the backcountry.
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Rainbow Range Trail hike summary
Distance: 8 km (5 miles) one way though once you’re in the vicinity of the Rainbow Range you could hike for days.
Elevation gain: 300 m or 964 feet – quite civilized to get a hike of this quality. The elevation gain is greater if you continue past the last of the cairns.
Time needed: Allow at least five hours so you have time to sit and ponder the beauty of the Rainbow Range over your lunch.
Level of difficulty: Easy if you’re a regular hiker. There is nothing technical and no exposure unless you hike one of the mountains in the Rainbow Range.
Be safe: This is truly an off the beaten path hike. You may not see another soul so be prepared to be self-sufficient in an emergency. Consider taking a Garmin InReach Mini.
Backcountry camping: There are obvious campsites situated by a small lake on the trail with a bear proof box provided for your food. You might also consider taking a bear cannister to give you more flexibility in where you want to camp.
Don’t forget: Let someone know where you are going, practice Leave No Trace principles and pack the 10 hiking essentials.
Trail markings: The Rainbow Range trail is very well marked with cairns.
Bears: This is black and grizzly bear country. Bring easily accessible bear spray in a bear spray holster and read my tips on how to stay safe in bear country.
Rainbow Range Trail hike description
I can only describe the Rainbow Range trail hike in superlative terms and hope my photos give you some sense of just how awesome it really is.
I first heard about the Rainbow Range after reading British Columbia’s Magazine 50th anniversary issue in 2009 – Top 50 things to do in BC Before You Die.
The photo of the Rainbow Range captured my imagination then – and I’d have to say that the area’s beauty exceeded my expectations.
You spend the first 45 minutes on the Rainbow Range Trail walking through an old burn that occurred in 2009. I think it’s made this section of the trail very beautiful.
Wildflowers have proliferated so there are now great swaths of pink fireweed, yellow arnica and a white flower I’m not familiar with. And they’re all set off against a black background so there’s a lot of drama.
Once you’ve hike through the burn then it’s only about 15 more minutes of walking to reach the high alpine and the start of a series of outstanding mountain views. Interestingly horses are allowed on the trail but in no time we lost sight of them in the expanse of the wilderness.
Be prepared for jaw-dropping views on the Rainbow Range hike
Ninety minutes of hiking provides you with jaw dropping views of the so called Rainbow Mountains as you look ahead. If your turn around you get equally stunning views of the Coast Mountains.
Throw in an abundance of wildflower-filled meadows and numerous small lakes and tarns with deep blue water. Now you can probably understand why I was in hiking heaven. And there wasn’t any evidence of bear scat which made me very happy.
Getting to the Rainbow Range trailhead
The Rainbow Range hike is accessed shortly after entering Tweedsmuir Provincial Park if you’re driving west. Signage is good. It’s about a 40 minute drive from Anahim Lake.
For more information visit the provincial park website.
Where to stay in the area
In Anahim Lake I highly recommend Eagle’s Nest Resort. We saw a bald eagle scoop a fish from the water on their property.
Atnarko Lodge is accessed via a bit of a drive but it boasts a gorgeous setting on Charlotte Lake. Loved our stay here.
If you’re after a log cabin experience in a waterfront resort I’d recommend Nimpo Lake Resort.
Location map of the Rainbow Range trail
Further reading on what to do in the Chilcotin region
- A Trip to the beautiful Bella Coola Valley
- A Visit to Junction Sheep Range Provincial Park
- 20 Things to Do Along Highway 20 in British Columbia
- A Visit to Hunlen Falls – Canada’s 3rd Highest Waterfall
Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.
so nice photo.
do you have more
@Waleed Just check out some of the recent posts on my blog. Thanks.
too beautiful for words! one day I will visit you, and we will go hiking Leigh:)
And I will visit you and will will eat!!
Amazingly beautiful, Leigh. Just amazing.
I’ll definitely have to check out Tweedsmuir Park and some of the other places you’ve featured.
@Marcia Not many people know about Tweedsmuir but it is a place of great beauty.
The mountains, lakes and dead trees reminded me of a hike I did in Ushuaia, Argentina. Very beautiful. Is there a place in Canada that isn’t beautiful? This country is high on my bucket list.
Hi Ayelet – You’d think that the Canadian Tourism people would love all the work I’ve done promoting Canada but not a peep from them. There’s lots of Canada that’s nothing but trees – which can get a bit boring after a while – but also becomes part of how at least I define myself.
Wow, this is gorgeous. I have done some beautiful day hikes at Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Rockies, but nothing as gorgeous as this.
Well done, Leigh!
Heidy told me about your blog and I’m delighted to see one so well written for the Rainbow Range hike. Aside from running a B&B cabin rental, I also blog about the area. Would you give me permission to use some of your notes in the blog with full credit to you and a link back here? It would be of huge help for marketing the area.
Thank you!
Jane
@Jane I’d be happy to have you do just that and help get the word out about the area. Thanks.
This looks even more gorgeous than other Canadian hikes – didn’t think that was possible! Interesting how a burn can create such beauty in its wake – devastation, then life anew.
Btw, are horses usually not allowed on trails?
@Sophie This whike was really over the top gorgeous!! There are lots of trails where horses aren’t allowed but I don’t know what the rules are. I guess I was surprised to see them out in the middle of nowhere though they sure provide great access to miles and miles of outstanding scenery.
I have worked in South Tweedsmuir Provincial Park for the last 13 summers and the Rainbow Range is part of it. South of the Rainbow Range is Hunlen Falls and the Turner Lake Canoe Chain and Ptarmigan Alpine area.
@George WE’re planning to fly over Hunlen Falls on Friday and before we came up here we had planned to canoe the Turner Lake Chain. That didn’t happen on this trip though I’d still like to do it.
Hiking heaven is right OMG! Gotta get myself to BC!
@Natasha Yes you do have to get to BC – lots of truly magnificent spots.
Wow….I mean really what else do you say to that? Those pictures are so incredible…simply an amazing day.
Another great post highlighting the beauty of British Columbia! Sometimes you just have to get off the beaten track to witness all this gorgeous scenery. These types of rewards make the hiking worth it!
@Debbie I have felt off the beaten track for most of the last two weeks. The feeling kind of grows on you.
Fantastic post and of course the photos are stunning! And now I am heading off to Tim’s site to check out his resort and put both hike and resort in the Chilcotin file. Thanks for another great tip, Leigh.
@Jackie I will have a few more posts about the area in the next few weeks with additional suggestions on where to stay.
I visited BC just for about a week a few years ago and didn’t have enough time to take any of the beautiful hikes. I would love to return for some camping and hiking, and this Rainbow Range hike looks gorgeous. The combination of lakes, mountains and flowers is perfect, and your photos are amazing too! The most beautiful hike I’ve ever done was in Torres del Paine, Chile.
@Mark Thanks fr stopping by. Hiking in Torres del Paine is on my list to do sometime in the next 2 years. The Rainbow Range is well worth doing even if it takes a bit to get there.
I will definitely have to hike in this area, it looks right up my alley. I live in Seattle so it’s not too far of a trip.
Picking a favorite hike would be impossible for me, I have been on so many amazing ones. The Needles district of Canyonlands NP, Utah, Green Lakes, Central Cascades, Oregon, almost all the trails in Olympic National Park, Washington state… and so many more. I keep getting more favorites every year.
@Krista I highly recommend the hike but it’s harder to get to then most.You have done some awesome ones too. I have yet to do a single one in the Olympics. But I love having a long list to put on my hiking bucket list.
Nice article Leigh!
We’re a wilderness lodge located in Tweedsmuir Park, so your post is of particular interest to us. In fact, I’ve linked to it from our Facebook page!
Do you mind if I make a blog post of it, giving you full credit and links back to this page?
Cheers
Tim
tim@bellacoolahelisports.com
Tweedsmuir Park Lodge / Bella Coola Heli Sports
@Tim Happy to have you help with promoting this post and very appreciative!
British Columbia? I like these flowers!
The flowers were over the top beautiful!! And plentiful.
Wonderful how Mother Nature turns the burn areas so beautiful with flowers. Lots of jaw-dropping scenery indeed on your hike, Leigh. I’ve only seen a small portion of British Columbia. Thanks for introducing me to so many treasures in the province like the Rainbow Range Trail.
@Cathy It was a hike where I actually felt excited about what I was going to see around the next corner.
It’s kind of hard to imagine, but Canada really has some beautiful wide open spaces.
@Mette Canada has wide open spaces on the grand scale!
What a gorgeous hike! I love the abundance of wildflowers here, the lakes the mountains. It amazes me how you find the most beautiful places for these one day hikes. I’m not sure about the bears though. I think I need to go to Western Canada to find my beautiful hikes.
@Mary This hike was a total treat from start to finish. If you hike in a group of four or more bears won’t be a problem.
Beautiful photos, and a lovely hike. I must absolutely visit Canada.
The best hike I did? Difficult question, although probably one of my favorite is in Val Ferret. The walk is easy and the view on the glaciers and the Mont-Blanc superb. (if you want to have a look… 🙂 http://www.wild-about-travel.com/2009/06/courmayeur-hiking-montblanc/)
@Simon THe Val Ferret is one I definitely would like to do. I’d like to spend at least a week hiking in the Dolomites.