Valemount & Mount Robson / Full trip pack
Kinney Lake day hike
- Round trip
- 10 km
- Elevation gain
- 131 m Published route measurement
- Walking time
- See time notes YORA estimates 2–2½ hours return; allow for stops and individual pace
- Difficulty
- Moderate Out and back
return to lake viewpoint; not Kinney campground farther along the lake
Access and trail reports
Robson watercraft and wading equipment restriction
From May 4, 2026, BC Parks prohibits watercraft and wading equipment throughout Mount Robson Park waters to limit aquatic disease spread. This includes powered and unpowered craft, inflatables, wading clothing and boots. The hiking trails are not closed by this notice.
Reported date not supplied · checked 2026-10-17 · BC Parks
Reports describe the cited dates. An expected reopening date does not establish reopened access.
First portion of Berg Lake corridor to lakeside destination.
1. Getting there and parking
From Highway 16, turn into the signed Mount Robson park entrance near the Welcome Centre and follow Kinney Lake Road about 2.3 km to the road-end Berg Lake Trail parking. This is the vehicle access for the whole Berg Lake corridor. The waterfall and upper-basin destinations have no separate road approach.
Road and vehicle: The local guide does not call for a high-clearance 4WD vehicle for this approach.
Drive from Prince George: 290.7 km · approximately 240 minutes. Estimate; allow for road conditions and stops.
Modeled one-way driving time from Prince George City Hall, using mapped road speeds. Forest-road sections can take substantially longer: surface, clearance, radio procedures, gates, washouts, plowing, and legal access are not verified by the router. No live traffic or invented forest-road multiplier is included. Allow extra time and check the dated access notes.
2. Walking the route
Start on the broad Berg Lake Trail and follow the Robson River upstream through cedar-hemlock forest. The maintained approach still has rolling climbs, protruding rocks and several steeper sections. After a river bridge near the first lake views, signed paths offer a short shoreline approach or a forest alternative. Stop at the lake viewpoint for the ordinary day outing, then return to the same parking lot. Continuing farther along the lakeshore to Kinney campground makes a longer hike; the campground is around 6.5 km from the trailhead in the 2025 route account. The selected 10 km return figure refers to the local hiking guide’s lake outing, not a guarantee that every picnic or campground stop is the same distance.
3. Route map
Mapped named trail
© OpenStreetMap contributors. Route geometry is available under the Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0. · Line source · Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 · Source-line database: https://hikingprincegeorge.com/data/osm-route-lines.geojson
Partial elevation profile
Partial elevation profile
This chart covers only part of the route. It does not establish the full hike or a return journey.
4.23 km along source section 1 of 1, in its mapped direction.
Approximate 90 m terrain model along this mapped section. Separate sections are not joined. This chart does not measure total trail ascent or establish current access; use the guide’s published outing measurements.
Copernicus GLO-90 terrain elevations via Open-Meteo (CC BY4.0); linework: Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0
Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 via Open-Meteo. Linework source: https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/6035635. Sampled and rounded for display.
Source: https://open-meteo.com/en/licence
Licence: CC BY4.0 elevation data; Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 linework · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Profile source checked: 2026-10-18
Published locations
Numbered points match the map. Use the role beside each point. A summit or park reference point is not a parking location.
| Place and role | Coordinates | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kinney Lake day hike trailhead | 53.050849 -119.214408 | source-published; not field-verified https://hikevalemount.com/kinney-lake/ |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Camping and tenting
Kinney Lake campground lies beyond the first lake viewpoint. Overnight stays require the appropriate Berg Lake Trail booking during the peak season and must use designated sites. Day-use picnic space is not an unreserved tenting area. Treat drinking water and use a stove; the Berg Lake corridor prohibits campfires.
Toilets
Outhouses are listed at the parking lot and at Kinney Lake.
Season and access
The local trail guide recommends spring through autumn for ordinary hiking. Winter snowshoeing and ski touring occur, but parts of the approach have avalanche exposure. Check the current park advisory and snow conditions before choosing a winter outing.
Dogs
Dogs must be leashed and are allowed on day hikes only; they cannot accompany an overnight Berg Lake Trail trip.
Accessibility
YORA reports slopes as steep as roughly 25%; this route is not described as wheelchair accessible.
Mobile service
The local guide reports no cell service.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
More maps & trail files
Longer Kinney Lake outing on AllTrails
The hosted map shows about 13.3 km return to the farther lakeside campground area. This is longer than stopping at the lake outlet. Follow current BC Parks access and dog rules.
AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/kinney-lake
Comparison checked 2026-10-18.
These links open files and maps maintained by their publishers. They require an internet connection and are not included in this saved guide.
Your trip notes
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