Stay to the left. Day 2 – Floe Lake to Numa Falls Parking Lot, 17 km, 279 m Elevation Gain, 955 m Elevation Loss, 6 hrs 45 min. I was surprised by the abundance of flowers still in bloom, considering it was August 20. Lockers for food and a couple outhouses. Also, do yourself a favour at helmet, and goto the falls and feel the mist on your face after a hot day of hiking! National Park entry passes are $10/person/day or $20/day for families or groups in the same car. So I was eager to explore more of the Rockwall so had booked this as a relatively easy three day trip good for the beginning of the backpacking season. Many people choose to hike the Rockwall Trail in four days. The bulk of the trail is through recently burned forest, which means it can be hot and exposed on sunny days. ... Floe lake to Numa creek. Down to Floe Lake. Use this as a base camp for day hikes of 4-7+ miles and 1,100+ feet of elevation gain to Numa Pass and beyond. 11-12-2020: Snowbound; Backcountry travel not recommended; Avalanche risk: Complex Class 3 - top 2/3 of trail is highly avalanche prone. DIFFICULT 22.5 mi. If you take 5 days, you also won’t have any crazy long days of hiking. We went clockwise, up through tumbling, which is a tougher up but easier down. We had thought about heading up to Goodsir Pass but didn’t think we would have enough time. Floe Lake from the cooking area. Ever On And On. Approaching Tumbling Pass. Photo: Reid Holmes. If you have an inReach and I would recommend it – … The first kilometre of descent from the pass is gentle, as you amble through meadows and cross a small stream where you can fill up with water. We enjoyed doing it that way for one main reason: To avoid a long and steep climb with heavy backpacks and no shade on the first day. Surprise Falls. Ever On And On. There are incredible views of the Rockwall and the huge Tumbling Glacier. First 3k or so was quite muddy, with some puddles quite deep.. almost to my knee. Thanks for supporting my website. After stopping to enjoy the view, head downhill. loss: 320 m (1,050') to Tumbling Creek The Rockwall Trail (the trail from Floe Lake to Helmet Falls - map) is one of the most scenic and popular sections of the GDT. Lots of trees in your path and you have to cross lots of creeks, do not attempt this without boots. Fireweed along the descent trail from Floe Lake. Amazing scenery, a little bit of everything. On the summit from helmet to tumbling, there is still snow but doable! Difficult start with steep elevation for the first 2km out of Tumbling Creek. I brought a copy of The Rockwall Trail Map by The Adventure Map. And since it’s in a National Park, the trail is well-graded and easy to follow. Floe Lake Backpack Kootenay National Park August 3-5, 2013 In 2012 we completed the northern portion of the Rockwall Trail with our friends Adam & Christina (and their dog Charlie), and Mark. Great summary Taryn – now I want to go hike it all again! Slow start but but some of the best views of the trip. The mountains create their own weather and short rainstorms are common. In next little while I will post separate sections/photos for these legs, for now couple of teaser photos: Attachment 270264 The best guidebook for the trail is Don’t Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies by Kathy and Craig Copeland. In next little while I will post separate sections/photos for these legs, for now couple of teaser photos: Attachment 270264 Distance: 12km | Elevation Gain: 640m | Elevation Loss: 500m | Time: 5-6 hours. Photo: Reid Holmes. All … 6.5km- 1.5h easy rolling hills, mostly down. One by when my father-in-law had a heart attack and the second when we awoke to 18″ of snow at Helmut Falls. Cooking area at Floe Lake – separate from where you pitch tents Me with the Rockwall in the background on Day 2 This was the Park Service’s way of indicating that one was not to enter. trailtrash photos: Tumbling Glacier, Numa Pass, Floe Lake - 7 Trailtrash did the 38K semi-loop in Kootenay Park, starting at 7:45AM and finishing just after 3:00PM...to about 4:30PM as we eventually split into two groups. ), how much it costs to hike and camp on the Rockwall Trail, a detailed day-by-day description of the Rockwall Trail, the number of hikers in your group, plus their full names and emergency contact info, Paint Pots to Helmet Falls (15km, +300m, -50m, 4.5-5.5 hours), Helmet Falls to Tumbling Creek (12km, +640m, -500m, 5-6 hours), Tumbling Creek to Numa Creek (8km, +340m, -700m, 4-5 hours), Numa Creek to Floe Lake (10km, +790m, -300m, 4-5 hours), Floe Lake to Floe Lake Trailhead (10km, +30m, -730m, 3-4 hours), Helmet Falls to Numa Creek (20km, +980m, -1200m, 9-11 hours), Numa Creek to Floe Lake Trailhead (20km, +820m, -1030m, 7-9 hours). Tumbling Creek - 26 km/29 km Numa Creek - 36 km/ 22 km Floe Lake - 47 km/10 km Ranger huts for emergency shelter at: Floe Lake Wolverine Pass (3 km north of Tumbling Creek campsite) There are two junctions to return to Hwy 93 if you need to bail early: Numa Creek 6.4 km to highway Tumbling Creek 10.5 km to highway Day 3 June 28th - Tumbling Creek Campground to Numa Creek Campground. Since the southern half, from Floe Lake to Tumbling Creek, is the most strenuous part, the easiest 3-4-day trip would be a loop that begins at the Paint Pots and ascends Ochre Creek, returning via Tumbling Creek (or the clockwise variant). Wildlife on the Rockwall Trail: This is bear country and both black bears and grizzly bears live in the area. The summer flowers look amazing and your photos are so green, lush, and vivid compared with ours. Be ready to make your reservation right at 8:00 am as popular dates book up in under 5 minutes! I saw three young ladies at Helmet falls with snow shoes and I heard they did the best. My favourite spots were Rockwall Pass and Numa Pass, but there were so many gorgeous areas – it’s easy to see why the Rockwall Trail is on many hiker’s bucket lists. From the Paint Pots trailhead, follow the flat Ochre Creek Trail through the trees to a big bridge across the Vermillion River. This trail goes by Paint Pots, Ochre Spring, Helmet/Ochre Jct. this was the only campsite that allowed campfires. We met in town at 7:30 and headed out to Floe Lake. We were on a long one-way trip to Floe Lake. You’ll hike the Ochre Creek Trail, Helmet Creek Trail, Rockwall Pass Trail, Wolverine Pass Trail, Tumbling Pass Trail, Numa Pass Trail, and Floe Lake Trail. The Rockwall Trail is accessed by one of four creek drainages to the east (Helmet Creek, Tumbling Creek, Numa Creek, or Floe Creek) or by Wolverine Pass from the west. This is a must do! Bridge over the Vermillion River on the Floe Lake Trail. I also made a custom Google map for you to help you plan. I enjoyed the views in this section of the Rockwall Trail the best and in mid-August the wildflower display was unreal. My phone wouldn’t have made it through the last day of tracking, but I recorded 29.3 km from paint pots to tumbling and it was still another 11 km from tumbling back to paint pots.. so 40.3 km. Below, I’ll set out some itinerary options and explain the pros and cons of each. Gave us a super relaxing day to finish off the weekend. This is a moderate one way trail in Kootenay National Park. High difficulty, but the trail is well-maintained and easy to follo… The official trail to Floe Lake ends at Floe Lake Backcountry Campground in Kootenay National Park. -We have a light backpacking tent, but wrapped it tightly in rope to condense in the pack nicer. Usually there is an option to make the Rockwall trail shorter by Numa Creek but this year one bridge is out, so there is no possibility to make the trail shorter. This is where we started to see some snow. print. After crossing a wide and rocky creek, the grade eases as you begin a long descending traverse  high above Floe Creek. You can hike the Rockwall Trail in either direction. Distance: 15km | Elevation Gain: 300m | Elevation Loss: 50m | Time: 4.5-5.5 hours. Day 2 - Helmet Creek to Tumbling Creek (11.9 km) Day 3 - Tumbling Creek to Numa Creek (7.1 km) Day 4 - Numa Creek to Floe Lake (9.7 km) Day 5 - Floe Lake to Floe Lake Trailhead (10.7 km) Trail Description. Crest 2214m-tall Rockwall Pass about 8.5km from camp. 13.1km took us about 6.5hrs. The trail traverses the mountains on the west side of Highway 93. In about a kilometer, the trail came to a bridge crossing over Floe Creek. Trail gains ~800m vertical from Numa Creek "black hole" to Numa Pass, so many people decide to split it in 2 by staying extra night at Numa Creek campground. How many days should you spend on the Rockwall Trail? I did this. The Rockwall Trail is accessed by one of four creek drainages to the east (Helmet Creek, Tumbling Creek, Numa Creek, or Floe Creek) or by Wolverine Pass from the west. The Rockwall is a single, massive cliff, towering almost 3,000 feet above the trail. Track (2020-08-24, 13:38:48) Nice easy graded trail to the lake. One by when my father-in-law had a heart attack and the second when we awoke to 18″ of snow at Helmut Falls. Photo: Reid Holmes, A close-up view of Tumbling Glacier. Hi, I’m Taryn! The others are in deep creek valleys and don’t have the same amazing views. After leaving the pass, the trail heads downhill, switchbacking through open forest and pockets of meadow where wildflowers are abundant. Around 6km from the trailhead, cross Ochre Creek on a bridge and arrive at the Helmet/Ochre Junction Campsite. Picturesque views of Helmet Falls, mountains, alpine meadows, wildflowers, creeks, Floe lake and of course the Rockwall await those who complete the trail. Take 2-3 hours to go check goodsir pass and get a good look at some other chunks of the mountain chain. [1-Floe Lake campground] Floe Lake to Tumbling Creek Trail – difficult – 17.4 km (11 mi) – 8 hours ... (1,860 m) at silt-laden Tumbling Creek where the hiker has to cross over a new aluminium bridge to the campground with 18 sites, pit toilet and a food storage pit. Amazing 4 day/3night trip with breathtaking views every leg of the way. The Tumbling Glacier. We are glad that we were hiking south since the views were in front of us all the way. That rascal made a huge hole in the floor of one of the toilets … This day was going to be longer, 17 km, but after a quick climb to Numa Pass, it was all downhill. Steep descent along Tumbling Creek. You can glimpse the falls through the trees from the campground, but for a close-up view follow a faint trail for about 500m. Helmet Falls to Tumbling Creek (12km, +640m, -500m, 5-6 hours) Tumbling Creek to Numa Creek (8km, +340m, -700m, 4-5 hours) Numa Creek to Floe Lake (10km, +790m, -300m, 4-5 hours) Floe Lake to Floe Lake Trailhead (10km, +30m, -730m, 3-4 hours) 4-Day Rockwall Trail Itinerary. You are now on the Tumbling Pass Trail where you will gain 340m over the next 3km. In July and August, the average high temperature is 21C and the average low is 2C. I also hiked up to Good Sir pass on the first afternoon. Best Time to Hike the Rockwall Trail: The trail is snow-free between late July and mid-September. The hike into helmet falls was nothing special as you hike through the forest but the first views of the falls were worth it. If we did it the other way it would be easy up but tougher down, I think I’m glad we did it clockwise for my knees on day 4 were hurtin pretty good on the steep down sections. Photo: Reid Holmes, Making the final ascent up the scree slope to Numa Pass. Numa Creek Trail: Closed for maintenance. The Rockwall Trail is accessed by one of four creek drainages to the east (Helmet Creek, Tumbling Creek, Numa Creek, or Floe Creek) or by Wolverine Pass from the west. The area closure was enacted on Saturday, August 5, and will likely remain in place as long as hot, dry weather persists. The Rockwall Trail isn’t actually one trail – it’s a series of trails strung together. Cross the creek, then climb a gravel slope and traverse a rocky glacial moraine past a small turquoise pond. Most of the ascent is in the trees so it isn’t too hot. Look for patches of wildflowers and enjoy views of the mountains in this section. Floe Lake to Tumbling Creek Total Distance: 18 km. Photo: Reid Holmes. People cancel and spots do open up. Thanks Andy. You need to make a reservation to hike the Rockwall Trail. A few minutes later, pass the Helmet Warden Cabin. The imposing spire of Foster Peak dominates to the southwest and the Rockwall stretches away from you to the north. Water Falls via Stanley Glacier Trail. We booked this Airbnb in Banff, which was a great price for the area an easy walk to town for dinner. If you choose to hike the Rockwall trail from south to north, you can still use my directions above, but you’ll have to reverse them. Type: out-and-back. The route is … Food cables here instead of lockers, so bring carabiners and dry sacks. Lessons learned: Below are some popular (and beautiful) options: So that’s everything you need to know to hike the Rockwall Trail in Canada’s Kootenay National Park. Day 5 - Numa Creek to Floe Lake Your photos with the larches looked spectacular. If you wish to hike only a portion of the trail, access is available from any of the trailsthat run from Hwy. Floe Lake Backpack Kootenay National Park August 3-5, 2013 In 2012 we completed the northern portion of the Rockwall Trail with our friends Adam & Christina (and their dog Charlie), and Mark. Around the 12.5km mark, cross Helmet Creek on a suspension bridge. My group had two cars, so we left one at each trailhead. Lots of snow between helmet falls and helmet/ochre junction but it has been tracked down enough that it is very passable. The Rockwall Trail parallels the cliff for approximately 34 miles and can be completed in three to five days depending on your pace. Immediate after the junction, cross the bridge over Tumbling Creek. tumbling Creek/helmet & ochre Creeks Circuit.38.3 km Follow the interpretive trail to the Paint Pots. The Start of An Adventure. Reach a large bridge over the Vermillion River, and the parking lot a few minutes later. Tumbling Pass or Wolverine Pass can be visited on a long day trip. Follow the Helmet Creek Trail to the right, continuing through the forest. All of the campgrounds are next to a creek or lake where you can get water. Numa Creek Camp via Numa Pass Track and Floe Lake Track. It's crazy having to crank your head seemingly vertically to capture the view of the wall towering a kilometer above you. What an amazing trail, some of the best views I’ve ever seen and definitely the hardest I’ve ever worked hiking. We did this as our first ever backpacking trip and found it relatively difficult, but anyone with backpacking experience should definitely check it out. What to Bring on the Rockwall Trail: Everything you need to be self-sufficient. The weather was close to perfect for hiking, temperature in the low teens and mixed sun and cloud. -water: we brought a pump filter which worked perfect. Day 4 June 29th - Numa Creek Campground to Floe Lake Trailhead (hiking out). -Pack light, cotton is heavier than you think. Cooking area at Floe Lake – separate from where you pitch tents Me with the Rockwall in the background on Day 2 Peaceful Transition. Some of the links on this blog are affiliate links. You’ll be able to spot the Wolverine Warden Cabin to your left, but it is off-trail so you won’t reach it. Tumbling Creek to Numa Creek to Floe Lake: Download GPS Track: This segment is the most strenuous of the 4. Most versatile views on this day. It includes all the places I mention in this post. I started the trail from the Floe Lake Trail head and finished the 55km at Painted Pots. Tumbling camp was super nice, benches with extraordinary first views of the Rockwall. Admiring the views at Numa Pass. We found the trail quite easy to follow, with the exception of leaving Tumbling Creek. For those doing the entire trail, you will either begin at the Floe Lake Trailhead (for those hiking south to north) or the Paint Pots Trailhead (for those hiking north to south). Hiking near Rockwall Pass. 11-12-2020: Construction work in progress; Trail details: Difficult Floe Lake Trail: Winter conditions. You will need to book each individual campsite when you make your reservation. Favourite campsites: Floe Lake and Og Lake. For those doing the entire trail, you will either begin at the Floe Lake Trailhead (for those hiking south to north) or the Paint Pots Trailhead (for those hiking north to south). 6,240 feet), 4-3/4 miles. Tumbling Creek Trail, access via Paint Pots trailhead ... Floe Creek Trail, access via Floe Lake trailhead; Recommended time of year to hike this trail: Mid-July to early October. We hiked up to Goodsir Pass and would definitely recommend doing that, preferably in the morning. The Tumbling Glacier. My group spent 5 days on the trail. Distance: 8km | Elevation Gain: 340m | Elevation Loss: 700m | Time: 4-5 hours. Did the loop opposite to the way it shows on the app, so our first 2 days were steep, long climbs in comparison to the last 2. However, the trail has numerous ups and downs as you climb over 4 passes. Seven then started up to the lake while three drivers placed two cars at Lake O'Hara. Note: The higher sections of the trail are snowbound until early to mid-July. Floe Lake campground is the first destination. Helmet Ochre Junction Camp via Helmet Falls Trail. You can use this route to return to the Paint Pots 10.5km away, but if you want to stay on the Rockwall Trail, turn right. Descending from Tumbling Pass into a meadow. Stars: Activities: hike Seasons: spring fall summer From: bfcoffey. I’ve heard biking between the two parking lots is not bad since the highway shoulder is wide. The Paint Pots and Floe Lake trailheads are 13km apart. 11-12-2020: Snowbound; Backcountry travel not recommended; Avalanche risk: Complex Class 3 - top 2/3 of trail is highly avalanche prone. Photographs for this short excursion into Numa Falls and the unreachable Numa Creek Trail are captured on Monday, August 8, 2016 in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, Canada. If you purchase through these links I make a small commission at no cost to you. The trail to the Tumbling Creek campsite passes by the picturesque Tumbling Falls, which are close to the campsite (~1.3 kms away). ... Numa Creek Campground to Tumbling Creek : 7.7 km. You could also camp in Banff National Park. The first two kilometres of trail switchback steeply downward. The trail is still very snow covered on the plateau between Helmet falls and Tumbling creek, passable but very exhausting on the soft slushy snow, crampons might help. The shorter distance today will give us some time to explore. About 6.5km from Tumbling Creek Camp the brush lets up, the slope becomes less severe, and the trail begins to wind through the forest again. Carry bear spray, hike in a group, and make noise, especially through brushy sections. Take a break at the pass, then begin the descent. Here is a good place to stop to pitch a tent on the edge of a meadow. The wilderness campgrounds include the Floe Lake, Verdant Creek, Ottertail Pass, Tumbling Creek, Helmut Falls, Tokumm Valley, Kaufmann Lake and Numa Creek. (Adjust the elevation to 1500m or 2000m for more accuracy.). Day 2 – Floe Lake to Numa Falls Parking Lot, 17 km, 279 m Elevation Gain, 955 m Elevation Loss, 6 hrs 45 min. Pass. Last week, August 30 – September 1, I completed the route from Paint Pots – Helmut Falls – Tumbling Creek – Numa Creek – Floe Lake – Out to the highway. Photo: Reid Holmes. We pushed pretty hard cause we wanted to get to camp before dark, probably would have been a more enjoyable second half had we had time to rest a bit more. To reserve, visit the Parks Canada website. Floe Lake is a further 2.7 km south. -Taryn. As the forest closes in, the final 2km to camp is a very steep descent on a switchbacking trail. The best places to check the forecast before your trip are Environment Canada and Mountain-Forecast. Numa Pass. Floe Lake is by far the most beautiful campsite. Wilderness permits for backcountry camping cost $10.02/person/night. Floe Lake is a further 2.7 km south. Our friends (a family of four) did the trail in a four-person tent and it just barely fit on the tent pads. Peering up the valley of Floe Creek, I got my first good look at the Rockwall, a vertical spine in the Vermillion Range that defined the western boundary of Kootenay National Park. Rockwall Trail Cost: About $91 per person, but travelling in a group is cheaper (see Cost section below). Have the following information ready to go when you make your Rockwall Trail reservation: If you didn’t get a reservation, all is not lost. (If you go straight you’ll dead end at Helmet Falls.) About 2km from the pass, the trail enters a tunnel of alder and willow that can be quite overgrown. The elevation gain was a killer- going from Floe Lake to Tumbling Creek took us 9 hours to do 18km. A popular overnight backpack trip should you only have the Floe Lake campsite is the in & and out hike to Floe Lake … Day 2 we climbed right up to the base of the falls. Tumbling Creek - 26 km/29 km Numa Creek - 36 km/ 22 km Floe Lake - 47 km/10 km Ranger huts for emergency shelter at: Floe Lake Wolverine Pass (3 km north of Tumbling Creek campsite) There are two junctions to return to Hwy 93 if you need to bail early: Numa Creek 6.4 km to highway Tumbling Creek 10.5 km to highway So I figured I'd just turn around and come home. From the Paint Pots Trailhead the campsites I recommend booking are: Helmet Falls, Numa Creek and Floe Lake. The first day is a nice warm-up, then the next two days are full-on… but with lots of scenery. Day 2: Tumbling Creek through the Rockwall Pass to Helmet Creek. Tumbling Creek trail junction is at km 3.9, while the junction for the Helmet Creek trail is at 6.2 km. Numa Creek, until it becomes re-established as a route into or out from Rockwall, is a pleasant stop along the highway and a beautiful place to enjoy a picnic lunch. Breaking out of the trees near the top of the ascent to Numa Pass. Continue along the trail for another half kilometre to a junction at Wolverine Pass. Hike 10.7 kms up a steep and unrelenting trail from the parking lot through burned forest. Numerous blowdowns across the trail makes this a log jungle gym with sharp pointy things that grab backpacks and rip skin off of shins and arms. Reach a junction with the currently closed Numa Creek Trail (a key bridge is washed out), and then a few minutes later, arrive at the Numa Creek Campsite. This is a moderate one way trail in Kootenay National Park. One of the friends I hiked with also used the Gaia GPS app on his phone instead of a paper map. 2. We really enjoyed the shorter hike as we had more time to relax at the 3rd camp, which allows fires. We will be back to finish the full leg, it was a trip of a lifetime for sure! 93 up Floe, Numa, Tumbling or Ochre Creeks. Nice easy hike out for the last day. We allowed ourselves a lie-in. Rockwall Loop via Paint Pots is a 36.4 kilometer moderately trafficked loop trail located near East Kootenay G, British Columbia, Canada that features a waterfall and is rated as difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ richardsdmark 18 hours ago . We were pretty sore by day 4 so we were grateful to have an easy day ahead. DIFFICULT 3.0 mi. Town: Banff, AB. Started from Painted Pots trailhead, camped at Helmet Falls, Tumbling Creek and Floe Lake before finishing at Floe Lake trailhead. [1-Floe Lake campground] Floe Lake to Tumbling Creek Trail – difficult – 17.4 km (11 mi) – 8 hours ... (1,860 m) at silt-laden Tumbling Creek where the hiker has to cross over a new aluminium bridge to the campground with 18 sites, pit toilet and a food storage pit. ), Distance: 10km | Elevation Gain: 790m | Elevation Loss: 300m | Time: 4-5 hours. I’d love to help you plan your trip. No firearms. -Bring a magnet or something for your food locker so others don’t have to open your locker looking for an empty one. ... Numa Creek- Floe Lake day … This August, I spent 5 days on the Rockwall Trail and it was insanely beautiful – easily one of the best backpacking trips I’ve ever done (and I’ve done LOTS). From the pass you’ll descend for 3km to Tumbling Creek campground, losing 300m of elevation. The trail steepens about 7.5km from Floe Lake as it makes a long switchback, then heads down to cross Floe Creek on a small bridge near the 8km mark. Amazing hike and gorgeous views every day. At km 1.4 is the junction with a trail leading to Marble Canyon. Camp, Helmet Falls Camp, Tumbling Creek Camp, Numa Creek Camp, and Floe Lake … You will drop 300m from the pass to the campsite at Floe Lake. Descending through the burned forest from Floe Lake. Much smaller camp at helmet/orchard, but super nice. Day 2 June 27th - Helmet Falls Campground to Tumbling Creek Campground. Cross a small creek, then arrive at the Helmet Falls Campground. Most day-trippers stop here so the trail ahead will be much quieter. Weather was great and every campsite but tumbling creek has fire pits. ... Numa Creek to Tumbling Creek (elev. add review. There is no shuttle service between the two trailheads so you’ll need to figure out your own transportation. It was recommended to hike the opposing direction however this was the only availability at the time of booking. 9kms took us 3 hours. The wilderness campgrounds include the Floe Lake, Verdant Creek, Ottertail Pass, Tumbling Creek, Helmut Falls, Tokumm Valley, Kaufmann Lake and Numa Creek. Trail was muddy (not West Coast Trail mud but still mud). I highly recommend the North to south route as tumbling to paint pots was a constant descent on our way out. Still absolutely worth it! Day 3: Helmet creek to Helmet/Orchard Junct. -Leave for the Rockwall pass early for the morning sun to be on it, we got there mid afternoon and it was shaded. Park rules specify that you can only have one tent per pad and that the maximum number of people per pad is four. Hiked and camped at Ochre Junction, Helmet Falls and Tumbling creek. From the campground, follow the Rockwall Pass Trail towards the waterfall. Reservation fees are $11.50 per reservation (and you can reserve for up to 10 people on one reservation). ... Floe Lake and Numa Mountain. -If you do the full Rockwall you’ll want to start at helmet and finish at Flow as you have less elevation and the wall is always in front of you, but if you do the loop, which way you go will depend on if you want your elevation gain to be spread out or steep. 12.1km- 4.5h Length: 12km to Tumbling Creek + 8km to Numa Creek. Hike 10.7 kms up a steep and unrelenting trail from the parking lot through burned forest. (If the Numa Creek Trail reopens, it’s a 6.5km hike to Highway 93 from here. Photo: Reid Holmes. Floe Lake Trailhead to the Floe Lake Campground: 10.7km- you will get to an amazing lake ( first photo) Floe Lake Campground to Numa Creek Campground: 10 km Numa Creek Campground to Tumbling Creek … Photo: Reid Holmes. Hikers a head of us seen bears!