Tonquin Valley

Route Description for Tonquin Valley

The Tonquin Valley backpacking trip can be completed in three days, but many prefer to stay longer, allowing time for day trips to the Eremite Valley and Moat Lake.

The Tonquin Valley is also unique as there are three options to do backpack in the Tonquin Valley without a tent. You can also stay in the ACC Wates-Gibson Hut or one of the more luxurious, full-service lodges: Tonquin Valley Backcountry lodge, or Tonquin Valley Adventures Lodge. If you want to tent, you need to book your campsite with Parks Canada, and do so when reservations open in January each year.

There are two points of access to the Tonquin Valley; the Astoria Trailhead, located next to the Mt Edith Cavell Wilderness Hostel, and the Portal Trailhead. We suggest having a car at either end and doing this as a one-way trip.

You can do this trip either way, but we prefer (and describe the route) starting at the Astoria trailhead. This trail leads along the Astoria River, reaching a junction, which heads directly into the Tonquin Valley, or into the Eremite Valley where you will find the Wates-Gibson Hut, operated by the Alpine Club of Canada. From the Portal Trailhead, located on the Marmot Basin Road, hikers will travel along Portal Creek to Maccarib Pass. It is a slightly longer approach with more elevation gain. You can complete the full horseshoe “loop” by leaving a car at either trailhead.

Day 1

Starting at the Astoria Trailhead, you will travel 19.0 km, over 6-8 hours to Surprise Point Campground. The trail will gain roughly 500 m and descend 250 m along the way.

The trail starts by descending to a bridge over the outlet of Cavell Lake with a stunning view of the 3,363 m Mt Edith Cavell. The next 8.2 km are an easy, and relatively flat walk on a wide, smooth path along the Astoria River. At 6.8 km you pass the Astoria campground.

In another 1.4 km you will reach a junction. You can go right and continue on the north side of the river, taking a series of steep switchbacks gaining 400 m towards Switchback campground.

We prefer going left and crossing over to the south side of the Astoria River and following the trail that goes towards the Wates-Gibson Hut. This trail is narrow, muddy, and rooty, crossing streams and boulder fields. This will take longer than the north side. You will reach Chrome Lake roughly 6.5 km from the bridge.

Take a short break at Chrome Lake before continuing on the trail as it leaves the lake and comes to a junction. You can go left for a 1.0 km hike to the ACC Wates-Gibson hut or go right for the 1.7 km ascent to Surprise Point Campground.

Once at the Surprise Point Campground, take the short trail past the tent pads to the southern tip of Amethyst Lakes for stunning views of the Ramparts. The wet meadows around Amethyst Lakes are prime habitat for caribou, grizzly bears and moose, so keep your senses alert.

Day 2

Day 2 is a much easier day, going from Surprise Point Campground to Maccarib Campground, covering only 9.0 km and 100 m of elevation. Allow 3- 4 hours to take a lot of time to soak in the views and relax along the route.

Follow the trail leading north away from the picnic tables of Surprise Point Campground, crossing a large, wet meadow. Tall metal markers point the way, used more by ski tourers in the winter. The trail passes the Parks Canada Warden Cabin and shortly thereafter, the Clitheroe Campground, roughly 2.3 km from the Surprise Point Campground. The Clitheroe Campground is also just before your highest point of the day.

The trail descends back down to the wet meadows in front of Amethyst Lakes, while the next few kilometres are flat, glorious hiking with The Ramparts looming over your left side. Across the lake you can see six different glaciers adorning the peaks in view.

The trail branches left to the Tonquin Valley Adventures Lodge, and then in another 1.1 km reaches Amethyst Campground. The Amethyst Campground is perhaps the most central to use as a base for day hikes, and tends to be the most fully booked. Amethyst Campground is also pretty much the midpoint for the route, and people who want to do the trip in 2-days will aim to get a night at Amethyst, as it’s 20.4 km from the Cavell Trailhead and 22.9 km to the Portal Trailhead.

Comments in the Parks Canada visitor book indicates that herds of caribou are a common sight in the early morning around Amethyst Lake and the campground. On a recent trip we saw two male caribou practicing their battle skills less than 100 m from our trail. If you don’t manage to spot these elusive animals, watch for their large, round, two toed tracks in the muddy sections of trail.

Continue for 2.5 km past Amethyst, where you reach the Moat Lake junction. The trail to the left takes you to Tonquin Valley Adventures Lodge and the Twin Passes of Moat and Tonquin, straddling the Alberta-BC border. You can take a 1.5 km trail to go and see this lodge, and there is a trail that is roughly 2.0 km to Moat Lake as well. This is a good daytrip on a short-day.

If you don’t go explore the lodge or Moat Lake, then continue straight at the Moat Lake Junction and hike another 1.0 km, where you cross the bridge over Maccarib Creek. Many braided trails lead down from the campground to the creek, the easiest is to follow the creek until you see a bear hang.

Maccarib Campground has another, more distant but no less spectacular view of the Ramparts. Just north of the campground is the grave of park warden Percy Goodair, who died just outside the door of a warden cabin here in the 1920’s. Maccarib is the Quinnipiac word for “caribou”.

Day 3

Return to the bridge across Maccarib Creek and turn left, heading up the Maccarib Valley. The third day is the longest, 19.1 km with 408 m total elevation gain, and 943 m elevation loss. Allow 6 – 8 hours for this section.

The trail winds along the valley bottom, crossing the gravelly, shifting creek bed several times. Frequent horse traffic has meant the trail has been realigned and rehabilitated several times. To your right is Mount Clitheroe and Mount Maccarib, to the left is the much higher peak of Majestic Mountain.

The route gently ascends 200 m to Maccarib Pass over 7.1 km from the campground. The pass itself is comprised of 2.0 km of tundra between Maccarib Creek and Portal Creek, an excellent spot for wildflowers in mid-summer. Continue down the steep, switch-backing trail (carefully in wet weather, when the mud is slick) to Portal Campground.

At your halfway point for the day, the trail ascends up the left side of the valley through a wide avalanche path. It then traverses the flank of Pevril Peak, allowing for spectacular views in both directions. Endangered white bark pines are common here – you may see marking tape or even bags over some branches, designed to catch and protect the seeds. The rest of the hike is a steady downhill, descending back into the trees alongside Portal Creek.

When you finally cross the bridge from the north side of the creek to the south, the end of your hike is only a few hundred meters away.

Make sure you have a car at the Portal Trailhead, or have arranged transportation, as very few cars are descending the Marmot Basin Road late in the day.

Congratulations, you’ve hiked 47.2 km and climbed over 1,000 m in 3 days!

Sample Itinerary:

Note: Total GPS distance varies from each days distance due to side trips and slight route variations each day.

Day 1: Astoria Trailhead to Surprise Point Campground (19.0 km / 495 m)

Day2: Surprise Point Campground to Maccarib Campground (9.0 km, 100 m)

Day 3 : Maccarib Campground to Portal Creek Trailhead (19.1 km, 408 m)

Insider Hints for Tonquin Valley

• This area has a high amount of discrepancies in trail distance & elevations between various maps, guide books and official Parks Canada resources. In particular, the trail marker signs are very inaccurate (Maccarib Pass sign indicated its elevation to be 2,057 m, while a Gem Trek map and our GPS both indicated it to be 2,210 m) Take this into account when planning your days.
• There are also many fairly well-established trails not indicated on Gem Trek maps (usually the most accurate and commonly available for the Rockies). Research side trips well beforehand.
• If starting from the Astoria Trailhead, the Mt Edith Cavell Wilderness Hostel makes an excellent staging area a few steps from the start of your hike. Arrive a few hours early the night before, and drive up to the Mt Edith Cavell viewpoint. The Path of the Glacier Trail is a short interpretive walk to an excellent viewpoint of the mountain, Angel Glacier and the floating icebergs of Cavell Pond. If you have extra time, the Cavell Meadows hike is a short but steep 9.0 km loop through gorgeous wildflower meadows.
• Bring bugspray, this route can get really buggy at certain times of the year.
• If you are going to splurge, stay in Tonquin Valley Backcountry lodge, or Tonquin Valley Adventures Lodge for a wonderful, full-catered stay.
• This route is best done with two cars, allowing you to park one car at each trailhead. The Portal Trailhead is just below Marmot Basin Ski Area.