Whyte Lake. Photo: Taryn Eyton/HappiestOutdoors.ca
If you’ve still got the Olympics on your brain, challenge yourself to the ultimate Vancouver duathlon: a hike with swimming. With nature all around the city, there are lots of trails to nearby lakes where you can take a dip to cool down.
Lake Hiking Tips
Hiking is a fun and rejuvenating activity. But you need to be prepared. AdventureSmart recommends bringing a backpack with essential safety and first aid gear on every hike. Leave a trip plan so someone knows where you are going and when you will be back. You’ll be sharing the trails with wildlife since this is their home. Learn how to be wildlife aware.
Check the forecast and pack extra clothing for the weather. In hot temperatures, bring lots of water to stay hydrated. Don’t forget your bathing suit and a quick-dry towel. Small mountain lakes have fragile ecosystems. Respect these special places by wiping off sunscreen or bug spray before you get in. They contain chemicals that can harm fish, salamanders, and plants.
The lakes in this post do not have lifeguards on duty, so use your common sense. Never swim alone. Look before you dive in – there can be underwater hazards. Even in the summer, the water can be chilly and hypothermia is possible. If you start to feel cold, get out of the water and back into dry clothing to warm up.
Check out our tips for safe summer hiking in Vancouver for more advice.
Whyte Lake, West Vancouver
The hike to West Vancouver’s Whyte Lake is a great option for a hot day because the entire trail is in a well-shaded old-growth forest. The path climbs uphill beside a creek and levels off as you reach the lake. If you want to swim, you can jump off the floating dock. There is also a tiny beach on the north side of the lake. The easy hike takes about 2 hours, plus more time for swimming.
Buntzen Lake, Port Coquitlam
A day trip to Buntzen Lake is a Vancouver tradition. But instead of spreading out your towel at South Beach next to the parking lot, go on a hike instead. The 10 km loop trail around the lake takes 3.5 to 4 hours and includes sections of gorgeous rainforest with moss and ferns and a suspension bridge. Pack your swimsuit to jump in the water halfway through the hike at hiker-only North Beach. This is a popular spot, so make parking reservations at 7 a.m. the day before your trip
Photo: Ben Waardenburg/Unsplash
Mystery Lake, Mount Seymour Provincial Park
The short hike to Mystery Lake in Mount Seymour Provincial Park heads uphill through shady forests and patches of blueberry bushes. The berries are a great treat for hikers, but make lots of noise – the bears like them too. The south side of the lake has lots of granite outcrops to swim from. And if you want to make a splash, jumping off the big rock in the middle of the lake is lots of fun. Allow 60 to 90 minutes round-trip for the hike.
Four Lakes Trail, Alice Lake Provincial Park
The 6-kilometre Four Lakes Loop Trail at Alice Lake Provincial Park in Squamish takes about 2 hours. Just like the name promises, there are four lakes along the way: Alice, Stump, Fawn, and Edith. The hike takes you past lakeshores and through gorgeous mossy forest. Fawn Lake has a little beach that is a great place for a lunch spot, but it doesn’t have great swimming since it is too muddy and shallow. Instead, save the swim for Alice Lake at the end of the hike. There are two swimming areas, a floating dock to jump off, and paddleboard rentals.
Alice Lake. Photo: Taryn Eyton/HappiestOutdoors.ca
Cabin Lake, Cypress Provincial Park
The hike up to Cabin Lake in Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver is steep, but thankfully it only takes about an hour each way. The trail works its way up steep gravel switchbacks and stairs beside the ski hill before arriving on an undulating plateau near the peak of Black Mountain. Take the fork to the right to head to Cabin Lake, which has smooth rocks that make it easy to get into the lake. If you want to hike further, you can continue along the trail for another hour to Eagle Bluffs, which has an incredible view of Vancouver.
Elfin Lakes, Garibaldi Provincial Park
It takes about six hours to do the 22-kilometre round-trip hike to Elfin Lakes in Garibaldi Provincial Park, but the views are worth it. The second half of the trail is along an open ridge with towering glacier peaks all around you. Your hike ends at Elfin Lakes, a pair of tiny lakes. You can swim in the first lake you reach (South Elfin Lake) but stay out of the other lake because it provides drinking water for backcountry campers. The parking lot is small, so you need to book a day pass for the Diamond Head trailhead at 7 a.m. two days before your hike.
Elfin Lakes in Garibaldi Provincial Park. Photo: Pranav Prashar/Unsplash
