Kootenay Lake

Pulpit Rock

RDCK (Pulpit Rock Access Regional Trail) / Friends of Pulpit Rock manages Pulpit Rock, near Nelson. The trail's own source states 3.76 km and 342 m of elevation gain.

Distance, elevation and time

Pulpit Rock at a glance
Distance3.76 km
Elevation gain342 m
DifficultyEasy
Only the figures the trail's own source states; a blank row is left out rather than estimated.

Trailhead and how to get there

The trailhead sits at 49.5006, -117.3013, near Nelson. This site has no separate turn-by-turn directions field for this trail beyond that point — see the map below for its exact placement, and the source linked at the bottom of this page for the manager’s own directions.

What the trail is like

A short, steep climb on Nelson's north shore above the West Arm, switchbacking up through forest to a rock bluff overlooking the city and the lake. The RDCK's regional trail from the Johnstone Road trailhead is the only legal approach to the wider Pulpit Rock trail network.

Season and advisories

This trail is not inside a BC Park, so this site has no live conditions feed for it. Its own source states no season restriction either.

Source

Managed by RDCK (Pulpit Rock Access Regional Trail) / Friends of Pulpit Rock. pulpitrock.ca/trail-info. Verified 2026-09-22.

Map loads after the page

Common questions

How long is Pulpit Rock?

Pulpit Rock's own source states a distance of 3.76 km, with 342 m of elevation gain. The same source rates the trail Easy.

Where does Pulpit Rock start?

Pulpit Rock is not inside a BC Park; it is managed by RDCK (Pulpit Rock Access Regional Trail) / Friends of Pulpit Rock. Its trailhead sits at 49.5006, -117.3013, near Nelson.

When is Pulpit Rock open?

Pulpit Rock's own source states no season restriction or opening dates. This site has no other season or opening-hours data for Pulpit Rock beyond what its own source states.

kootenaylake.org is an independent guide published by Delcaro Media in Kitchener, BC. It is not affiliated with Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism, the Kootenay Lake Chamber of Commerce, the BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit, Western Pacific Marine, BC Parks or any business listed on it.