Stunning Greenbelt Trail in downtown Revelstoke

Last Updated February 24, 2024||Canada · Hiking · Travel Blog

Everything in Revelstoke seems like it’s walking distance away from where you live. Which is amazing for people like Jo and me who love walking everywhere. Going for groceries, coffee, and even beautiful nature walks like the Illecillewaet Greenbelt Path are accessible by foot from almost anywhere in town.

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About the Greenbelt Path in Revelstoke

The Greenbelt is one of the few local walking trails around the city. It give you beautiful views of the valley, mountains, wildlife, and the peacefulness the small town of Revelstoke brings.

It’s a little different than the Big Eddy Bluff Trail or Begbie Falls.

The Greenbelt has almost no elevation to it and is simply just a nice peaceful walk. Sometimes that’s all you need, and the fact that you can have such a beautiful walking trail in town is something we just have to share with you.

Basically the whole way you will be walking along the Columbia River Gorge. You also have mountains like Mt Cartier and Big Eddy all around you – so the views are simply magical.

There’s a reason the path is so busy, but there are a few other trails in town that connect to the Greenbelt which we will dive into and share later in the post…

Practical information about the Greenbelt Path

Distance: 3.9 km return / 2.42 miles return
Elevation: 20 meters / 65 ft. elevation gain
Type: Out and back
Length: 1 hour return (not including breaks)
Difficulty: Easy – moderate
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Why the Greenbelt Path is a great trail for exploring the town of Revelstoke

The beauty of the Greenbelt is that there are multiple entry points where you can start the walk. We would usually start on the very east end of the path because we lived on that side of the city.

But most people usually drive or walk down to Centennial Park in Revelstoke and start from there. Basically right where the Saturday market starts. But if you have never been there here is the spot where you can start from Centennial Park.

It’s a great place to enjoy some peace and quiet especially with the river flowing parallel to the path almost the whole trail.

Jo and I would go often for morning runs or on a nice day we would actually just take the path from the very east end and take it all the way to town. It’s a much more scenic route than taking the main roads to town. If you’re lucky you’ll even see some amazing wildlife.

I’ve seen a few deer myself and there have been pictures of bears being spotted on the trail before too. It is rare but Revelstoke is still just a small little mountain town so you have to be prepared for almost anything.

One day, we also saw three snakes – at first we freaked out a little bit but we realized they were small and harmless so it turned out okay 😉

The views aren’t going to be as breathtaking as the Big Eddy Bluff trail which is a hike only a few minutes from Revelstoke. But you will still get the feel of being out in nature surrounded by mountains and fresh air. You can’t beat that!

That’s just one of the many reasons we loved living in Revelstoke. From the minute you step your foot outside, you feel the fresh air and the small town mountain vibe. Plus all the excellent hiking in Revelstoke is an adventures dream.

Here’s a map of the beginning of the trail

Like we mentioned earlier, there are multiple entry points to access the Greenbelt Trail in Revelstoke but the easiest one would be at Centennial Park. That way you can drive there and leave your car. Or you can walk from downtown if you’re already there.

We would also recommend downloading Trailforks which is an amazing (free) app that shows all the trails in the area. Once you get the app you can search Revelstoke Greenbelt and you will see exactly where the path goes.

You may even find that depending on where you’re coming from, it might be easier to park somewhere else and just walk to the trail.

Since we lived on the other side of town we would actually always get on the trail from this spot. So it’s totally up to you on how you decide to walk the trail and how far you want to go.

Greenbelt and more

If you open up the Trailforks app you can see there are a few more paths connected to the Greenbelt. We would definitely recommend going over the old bridge and heading down Airport Link. It’s not hard to find because you cross the only bridge in the area over to the south side where Airport Link begins.

Once you’re on Airport Link you can walk as far as you like. It’s about 4.5 kilometers to the airport once you cross the bridge.

Do the math and walking the Greenbelt and part of the Airport and you can easily do +10 km which makes for a beautiful day in Revelstoke. This is one of the many reasons we think Revelstoke is one of the most beautiful outdoor towns in Canada.

And this is just hiking and walking in town… Once you get out of town it’s a whole other story! But honestly enjoy the trails around Revelstoke, they’re stunning and it gives you an appreciation of just how beautiful this little town is. You may even see some wildlife if you’re lucky!

Before you walk the Greenbelt Trail

It doesn’t hurt to check if there has by chance been any bear warnings in the last few hours or days in the area. Since the area is so busy with walkers and bikers you should be ok but better safe than sorry. To be safe you can check out this site here for bear sightings in the area.

Revelstoke is known for having bears wandering around the city and the local parks so it’s worth keeping a lookout for them and bringing a bear spray. Not one to believe in Murphy’s law but you know how it goes… But if you come prepared and you bring bear spray you should be good.

This trail is rather short and easy so there isn’t really anything else you need to worry about. Make sure to remember your camera or phone to take some awesome pictures of Mt Cartier, Mt Begbie, The Columbia River, and many other stunning views that can be seen from the trail.

Hiking Tip: Look up the trail on AllTrails before starting your hike 🗺️. You can find important trail information such as recent wildlife sights and trail closures. Check out the free version here or get a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+ here.

Leave no trace

When you go hiking (and do other outdoor adventure activities), always remember to follow the 7 principles of leaving no trace.

This means:

Plan ahead and prepare.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
Dispose of waste properly.
Leave what you find.
Minimize campfire impacts.
Respect wildlife.
Be considerate of others.

What to bring on the Greenbelt Trail

Since it is a shorter hike you don’t need to bring too much with you. You can probably leave most of your things at home or in the car but it wouldn’t hurt to bring a water bottle or a little snack.

When we go, we usually stop at our favorite coffee shop Dose Coffee, and grab a cappuccino to go for the trail and go enjoy the beauty we’re surrounded by.

Ideas of what to bring:

Water!
A few snacks (trail mix for the win).
Bear spray (Especially here in Grizzly territory)
A music player (to keep bears and other wildlife away, and for jammin’).
Trail shoes or runners. Hiking shoes can also work. Running shoes should do the job though on this one.

Enjoy exploring this beautiful town in B.C. We were fortunate to call this place home for two months. We did so much exploring and hiking it really felt like we experienced so much in such a short time.