The last open stretch of the Mount Revelstoke parkway will closed Sunday afternoon as winter approaches, Parks Canada has announced.
The 26-kilometre Meadows in the Sky Parkway to the mountain summit has been under reduced motor vehicle access for a week to the lower 12 kilometres, up to the Columbia Viewpoint.
With snow accumulating higher up Mount Revelstoke National Park, the federal agency will now shut the roadway for 2025 from the main gate near the Snowforest Campground at 4 p.m. Oct. 26.
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The parkway was partially open to motor vehicles since May 16, bringing more than five months of easy mountain access and expansive views for drivers.
As of Sunday afternoon, hikers, cyclists, skiers and snowshoers may continue to access the entire parkway through fall, winter and spring. For the second year, the Illecillewaet Greenbelt Society will be routinely grooming the first 12 kilometres for prime cross-country skiing.
Come Dec. 1, the Caribou Cabin — nearly nine kilometres up the mountain via the Summit Trail — will open to parties hoping to book a night or two (or three at most) so they can take to the deep snow and enjoy the upper reaches of Mount Revelstoke.
“Thanks to everyone who made this summer unforgettable,” Parks Canada wrote on Facebook in its announcement Thursday, Oct. 23. “Stay warm and savor the last golden days of fall!”
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While the parkway fully winds down for winter, park staff encourage visitors to pursue lower-elevation hikes in Mount Revelstoke National Park this weekend, including Soren Sorensen and Inspiration Woods.
“These trails take you through stunning autumn colors in dense rainforest where you can find some shelter from the rain,” the federal agency added.
Check the latest trail conditions at parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/revelstoke/activ/randonee-hiking.
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