Robson River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Robson River |
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Robson River above Whitehorn campground
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Robson Lake Mount Robson Provincial Park 5,489 ft (1,673 m) 53°09′16″N 119°07′09″W / 53.15444°N 119.11917°W |
| River mouth | Fraser River Mount Robson Provincial Park 2,637 ft (804 m) 53°01′37″N 119°15′29″W / 53.02694°N 119.25806°W |
The Robson River is a fast-flowing river found in Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. It's not very long, but it has many exciting rapids and waterfalls! The Robson River flows into the Fraser River, which is a much bigger river. It starts near a place called Robson Pass. Along its journey, the river passes through three lakes and tumbles over four amazing waterfalls.
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The Robson River's Journey
The Robson River begins its adventure at Robson Lake. This lake is right at the bottom of the huge Robson Glacier.
From Robson Lake to Berg Lake
After leaving Robson Lake, the river flows first to the northwest, then turns southwest. It then enters Berg Lake. Before it reaches Berg Lake, the river gets wider. It splits into many smaller streams that flow into the northeast part of the lake.
From Berg Lake to Kinney Lake
The river leaves Berg Lake from its southwest end. It flows west for about 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi). Then, it plunges over the incredible Emperor Falls. This waterfall is 46 metres (150 ft) tall!
After Emperor Falls, the river rushes through a 1.6-kilometre (1.0 mi) canyon. Inside this canyon, the water thunders over two more waterfalls. The first is Falls of the Pool, about halfway down the canyon. At the end of the canyon is White Falls. This waterfall has many levels, so you can't see all of it from the main hiking trail. All these falls together are known as the Valley of a Thousand Falls.
The river then continues south from White Falls for another 3.3 kilometres (2.1 mi). It finally enters Kinney Lake. This lake sits right at the base of Mount Robson, which is the mountain the river is named after. Between Berg Lake and Kinney Lake, the river drops 666 metres (2,185 ft) in height. Most of this drop happens in the canyon with Emperor and White Falls. Just like before entering Berg Lake, the river spreads out widely before flowing into Kinney Lake.
From Kinney Lake to the Fraser River
The Robson River leaves Kinney Lake from its south end. It flows southwest for about 7.3 kilometres (4.5 mi). Finally, it joins the Fraser River. This meeting point is about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) below Overlander Falls. It's also about 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) above where Swiftcurrent Creek flows in.
About halfway between Kinney Lake and the Fraser River, you'll find Knowlton Falls. This is the first waterfall you see if you're hiking on the Berg Lake Trail. About 0.6 kilometres (0.4 mi) before it reaches the Fraser River, the Yellowhead Highway crosses over the Robson River.
In total, the Robson River drops 869 metres (2,852 ft) in height from Robson Lake to the Fraser River. A big part of this drop, about three-quarters, happens between Berg Lake and Kinney Lake.
Exploring the River: Hiking Adventures
The main hiking path in this area is called the Berg Lake Trail. It starts near the Yellowhead Highway, close to where the Robson River meets the Fraser River. This trail goes all the way to Berg Lake. Once you reach Berg Lake, the trail splits into even more paths.
Reaching Berg Lake
Hiking to Berg Lake usually takes more than one day. Most people plan an overnight trip. However, some very fit hikers can complete the trip in a single day.
Visiting Kinney Lake
Not everyone goes all the way to Berg Lake. Many people choose a shorter, but still fun, trip to Kinney Lake. You can ride bikes all the way up to Kinney Lake and even a bit beyond. There's a special place by the lake shore to lock up your bike. From there, if you want to go further up the river, you have to walk.
Seeing the Waterfalls
The Berg Lake trail also gives hikers amazing views of the Robson River's waterfalls. You can see Knowlton Falls about halfway between the start of the trail and Kinney Lake. As the trail climbs towards Berg Lake, hikers can look down into the canyon to see White Falls and Falls of the Pool.
