The hike to Garibaldi Lake! This was a difficult one for me, maybe one of the tougher ones I've…read moreaccomplished and I'm saying that because I'm not the most patient of hikers. I'm more of a speed hiker that likes to get in and get out! But to access Garibaldi Lake, (the obvious main event to the park), you must take the Rubble Creek Trail. It's an 18 kilometer out and back hike (or as us Americans would say - "roundtrip")...that is a length of 11.5 miles long. And with that 11.5 miles, the path is all uphill! Everything about it is uphill until you eventually arrive at...Garibaldi Lake! So...for the folks out there who maybe don't hike often, I'd just suggest preparing for the long haul. The hike will be strenuous, but pace yourself, take breaks when necessary and before long...the reward will be worth the grind! And then, you'll be coming back for more! Another thing, I'm always motivated to capture undisturbed pictures in nature. And it's this inspiration that I use to discover what's out there. I want to reflect back on the experience and know I afforded myself ample time during the day to accomplish the sights and sceneries that make for memorable stories. Lol, it's this type of internal mentality that pushes me to strive for greater heights, so to speak, hehehe. Okay so this Rubble Creek Trail to Garibaldi Lake! You must make a reservation 2 days in advance prior to visiting. Just go to bcparks.ca and sign up for a pass. I also used this website for accessing Joffre Lakes Provincial Park situated in Mount Currie, BC. And btw, this Garibaldi Lake is located just north of Whistler, BC. One side note...the parks, lakes and hikes here in Lower British Columbia are simply fantastic! There's a laundry list of things to do. And especially when you speak to locals and they recommend hidden, under the radar places that the public eye doesn't know much about. I thought the Canadian Rockies in Alberta were stunning, but British Columbia nature is really, really scenic! Before arriving at Garibaldi Lake, I suggest taking a short side trek to Barrier Viewpoint for some quick panoramic looks. Also, along the trail you'll pass over a short bridge looking up at a waterfall. It's worthy of a photo. Finally arriving at Garibaldi Lake, at first it may not be so picturesque (even when the sun is out!) but give it a chance. Walk around and explore and you'll find colorful instances where you'll connect with those green and turquoise blue waters. Especially when you're looking back towards the entrance area of the lake, the return hike back down had some of my most fulfilling pictures of the day. It's weird, it's like the angle of the sun can play tricks on you. Be patient and hopefully magical moments will evolve! I tried to walk around the perimeter of Garibaldi Lake, but that wasn't possible. So...I had to relax a little and take my foot off the gas pedal, lol. In fact, some of my best views were simply looking out at the snowcapped mountain peaks. There's a glacier set in the distance as well. A lot of visitors brought their bathing suits with them. And although the lake is glacially fed and freezing, people were still swimming! I even joined in on the fun and took my clothes down to my underwear and hopped in the waters, lol. Granted, it was only briefly, but still, I wanted to leave no stone unturned while here! I'd also point out that since the lake is not navigable 360 degrees around, it sort of took the pressure off me to find the best picture angles. Instead, I really tried to embrace the setting and live in the moment! There's camping allowed here, but again you must make reservations for it. Btw, it's free to book your entry pass to the lake. Parking is free too. One last thing, remember...when you head back towards the entrance of Garibaldi Lake, you'll be pleasantly surprised with the lake colors illuminating from the tree line pathway. I left the lake around 3pm and suddenly, light greens and blues were evident! There are vault toilets at the lake. Interestingly, they ask you to bring your own toilet paper. Never seen that before. Overall, Garibaldi Lake was a wonderful way to enjoy a summer day in the great outdoors. I can't believe I hiked 18 kilometers. And the path through the forest makes for a quiet atmosphere in the woods. I would still rank Joffre Lakes as my favorite BC landmark, but this Garibaldi Lake has its value and major popularity among hikers. Thank you for taking time to read this.

All I have to say is be prepared.. As this is about an 18km hike, I recommend leaving early in the…read moremorning and staying over night in Whistler so you don't feel rushed. This time around when we went, due to the pandemic, we had to book a time slot the day of as they were limiting the amount of hikers. Driving there isn't the problem nor is the parking, it's the length of time but the reward at the end is worth it. I recommend bringing a small bag for liquids, snacks, bug spray, hat and towel as you could swim there but keep in mind you can't throw away your garbage at the site due to bears even though there's a camp site there. The hike isn't super steep and you won't have to climb anything (at least I didn't), you just have to be ready to walk a lot. The path is well marked so you can't get lost. I would say the average round trip if you aren't including staying at the destination to eat and take photos is roughly 4-5 hours round trip at a steady pace. Hike's are always calming and it helps clear your mind from stress and clutter. This is probably one of the best local hikes I've done so far and I would definitely recommend it to anything looking for a challenge and beautiful view. And if you want to be more adventurous, you can also extend your trip to panoramic ridge and black tusk!

This hike has quite the incline at times and you got to keep an eye out for roots. Overall it was…read moreenjoyable. The hike is probably better suited for medium to larger sized dogs, but our little (gymnast) Morkie was able to make it through. I recommend stopping at each viewpoint as the view is quite beautiful.

What a fantastic hike! It is decently signed although we did get lost at one point. But that…read morecould've just been us. The trees and moss are beautiful. We hiked up to the Lookout point and the view was stunning. Worth the uphill hike. It is rocky terrain and lots of stairs so if you were not good with those things I would not suggest this hike. I would highly suggest some snacks to sit at the top of lookout and enjoy while you look at the stunning view.

Alice Lake gets super busy during the summer, especially on weekends. However, we got their at 5pm…read moreon a Saturday so it was not as crowded and we were easily able to find a space by the water to lay our picnic mats and chairs. We also found parking immediately! The lake is pretty clear and wasn't too cold!! We were able to get into the water without freezing.. of course this is only during peak summer. We took our boats and paddle board, it was so serene! The lake itself wasn't too crowded to we were able to relax in the water while playing our music for hours. We had enough privacy. Only complaint I have is their bathrooms... I'm not sure if this was only because it was a crowded weekend, but the women's bathroom was pretty dirty. The changing rooms did not have any doors either. I wasn't too upset because it is expected at a campsite but I wish they were cleaned more regularly. They also have camping grounds but it was pretty packed during the weekend.

Alice Lake is a super busy and popular camp ground for locals and tourists. It is also a popular…read morespot for hiking, camping, kyaking, swimming etc. To book a spot on the camp ground, the wait list is about 6 months out. It also has over 100 camp sites. At the gate, there is a gate keeper who keeps tracks of who is coming in and out of the camp ground. I like how the camping table/benches are all treated and finshed. The camp site was kept very clean when we were there. Unfortunately, when we went (June 2023), there was a ban on fire. So no cooking over fire. You could bring your own propane tank and start bbq from there. The camp ground is being patrolled several times through out the day. There is a outhouse. I have noticed many people prefered to rent an RV or bring their RV here camping. There is some spotty internet reception on the camp ground. I realized I was still able to make phone calls in and out which was quite nice. So you are not completely disconnected from the world. Definitely a nice place to go camping.

Look, I'm not really a camper. I went on this trip because my girlfriend loves it and was dying to…read morego, so I was happy to make the best of it. We brought a few of our best friends, and the group vibes were high the whole weekend. What was also high was the slant the campsite was on. The hike in is a horrendous trek that feels like it lasts several business days, and to get to Site 8 you have to navigate down a steep, treacherous hill that I'm shocked didn't claim my life. The entire campsite is on such a severe slant that flat ground simply does not exist. Two of us almost met our timely end out there. On night one, a dropped JBL speaker took a tragic rolling tumble down the mountain and sacrificed itself to the lake... could have easily been a camper. On night two, my friend was just sitting in her chair when gravity won, tipping her out of her seat so she could slam her head directly onto the metal fire pit, leaving her with a massive goose egg. Still cute, still spunky, but concussed. Then there was the camp ranger, who was very clearly drinking on the job. A drunken dictator if you will. Also, his name is Mark. MARK, the equivalent to a male Karen. I took a walk around the lake and he approached me with the energy of a cranky chihuahua. He came in way too fucking hot, barking at me about whether we paid for Site 8 and sneering at me to "pay up." Later on, he decided to drunkenly stagger directly into our campsite to check our payment status. Your one job as ranger is to walk up to the wooden post and check the paper slip that proves we paid. That's literally it. But he was probably so smashed he couldn't even locate the post, so he just wandered around our area looking completely lost and embarrassing himself. To top off his flawless performance, I walked to the washrooms later that night and saw multiple sites burning rather large campfires despite a strict fire ban. I'm no lumberjack, but I'm pretty sure letting people burn the forest down while you nurse a day-buzz isn't in the official job description..otherwise I'd take his job. Bottom Line: Cat Lake really is beyond beautiful. Our group had a great time together despite the constant threat of falling off the campsite, and I'd actually go back for the lake itself. The terrain is a complete public hazard though, and as for that ranger, he can eat my shorts.

Came here to do some "winter" camping after we tried going to our usual Squamish Riverside Rec site…read moreand our sedans bottomed out :D There were a few cars in the lot when we arrived from day-use hikers but due to the cold weather and impending cold snap we were the only group (crazy enough) to stay overnight in our tents. The road up has lots of potholes as mentioned, but the worst dip right before the hill appears to have been filled and it was no issue for our cars to make it up. Beautiful lake, outhouses were clean and not too smelly, likely due to lack of use in the winter. Tons of fallen trees and branches from the windstorm a few months ago that needed to be cleared from paths, but still very manageable. We used the bear caches but saw no signs of wildlife. It was extremely windy and chilly mid morning and with more trees swaying and branches snapping we decided to leave shortly afterwards. The dock nearest the parking lot is partially sunken and someone has placed a wooden plank down so you can still access. Two wheelbarrows at the parking lot Family Day weekend, not sure if there are usually more than that. It's such a beautiful site, it's a shame that it gets taken over by rowdy party groups in the summer (based on the other reviews). I would definitely come back to visit!

Second stop on our drive up to Whistler…read more This was a super nice spot for a quick stroll. There was a waterfall at the first stop which was about a 5 minute walk from the parking lot. Even the trees were majestic. The clean, crispy air was so revealing. What caught my eye was the bear alert sign. We turned back after the loop.

So glad we stopped here. Shannon Falls in Squamish is a beautiful place to slow down and breathe in…read morenature. At 335 metres tall, it's the third-highest waterfall in British Columbia, and so impressive to see in person. Especially with the soothing sounds of cascading water. The trails were well maintained. We took a short trail toward the base of the waterfall, then another down to the mountain stream below. That was my favorite part. So peaceful and serene. It's the kind of place where you could sit by the water all day, unplug from your device , and let the calming sound of the mountain stream clear your mind. There are bathrooms in the front and a cute little souvenir shop towards the trails. Happy Travels!

I've just had one of the best hiking days of my life…read more Reasons: ~A gorgeous drive up the Sea To Sky past Squamish to the Cheakamus trail head. ~The best group of hiking friends I could ever imagine. ~The trail has amazingly beautiful views of mountain peaks, Starvation Lake and the rushing river with a pebble beach where people fly-fish. I felt like I was watching a fishing show only it was live! I half expected to see bear hunting there. ~A gradual elevation with gravel and well compacted stone on some parts while other parts were carpeted in perfect Autumn coloured leaves. The hike is only a few hours long and about 9k, but you feel you want to stretch it out a bit and enjoying the real wilderness feeling to be had out there. Bring a snack, there's a couple of spots to sit on a Moss carpet with incredible views of snowy peaks. Not only does this easy hike have incredible views of the mountains, but also offers some real beauties for rail-fans. This trail is an in and out, not a loop, and includes a few surprises like the makeshift 'suspension bridge' above the train tracks where there the trail fell away. It's more like a fence laid flat and supported with chain link and re-bar. Safe but a bit freaky! I felt super brave and went first of the 7 of us. One of the best hikes I've had in BC. and anyone could do this one. This has got to be on the best of BC hikes list.

Had a fantastic experience during a semi-private lesson with Squamish Watersports…read more Originally we were scheduled for another day, but the weather forecast was not promising for kiteboarding. The office reached out and asked if we were able to schedule a few days later to best allow for a great lesson. A couple days later we had a fantastic kiteboarding lesson with Tom. He was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and walked us through the fundamentals, and we had a blast. He even got the beginner in our group up on the board on the first day! Thanks Tom and Squamish Watersports!

Memorable experience exploring Howe sound and its islands on a boat tour. Our guide Angelo was…read morefantastic and showed us all of the scenic landmarks and spots. You won't be disappointed if you go with this company!

A must experience…read more Our group of 4 stopped here for a few hours to get our steps in. It was the 3rd stop on our drive up to Whistler. While we were in line at the box office to get our tickets, my friend was on their site and realized purchasing online got us a small discount so I left the line and got the tickets online instead. Since there was 4 of us, we got the cart all to ourselves. The ride up seemed to take forever, but the views made up for it. You can get food and bevs at the top. The pimms from the bar was 10/10. We took some time to walk to where we ended up having an amazing view. The guide by the signage was super helpful and did not steer us wrong with the places he told us to stop at. I loved the views we got to see Big thanks to the guy at the top who climbed down to get my friend's water canister that I accidentally dropped. You're the real MVP! This is the kind of place i I would keep coming back to.

What an amazing ride, and one the longest gondola rides I've ever been on, 10-15 minutes, just kept…read moregoing and going. Awesome views, and very picturesque. When visiting Vancouver put this on your list.

You don't have many options for a campground with amenities like this. It's truly a wonderful…read morecampground with friendly staff and clean facilities. If you need any supplies, the host has an office with all kinds of goodies including ice cream! An excellent place to bring the family and enjoy the outdoors. Every campsite looked equally wonderful.

Do not stay at Paradise Valley Campground near Whistler/Squamish. We don't travel with reservations…read moreand having been in Alaska and on the Cassier Hwy. we didn't have internet service. We arrived at this park and were thankful they could get us in to their overflow lot. My husband paid for 3 nights at $63 per night. After paying, asked about generator hours. He was told no generator use allowed. We should have asked for our money back then. But, we have a good solar set up and $1000 worth of batteries. So he said ok. After one night, we knew it wouldn't work because of thick tree coverage. Long story short the manager Francine would not refund 2 nights. We never received anything in writing nor were we told that they didn't do refunds. Very poor policy and never explained Bad customer service!

Had a guided mountain bike ride for my teenage boys and myself. Guide was great, their Norco…read morebikes worked great and we saw several outstanding trails. Our guide took us on trails with some climbing, Single track, 20+ bridges , lots of jumps, wooden skill stuff and overall a great ride in a beautiful area. Had a great time, a bit sore this morning...... Boys wanted another ride!! Would recommend it!!

Okay everybody this is British Columbia,Squamish BC to be exact. There is a famous slogan, "Do as…read morethey do in Rome". So when in BC get up and and let your inner ruggidness out and enjoy the fury of the wild. That said I am so glad I did not spend time in Vancouver all day. Since I am an AAA member and they do have an account with Viator, I looked at various activities I could possibly do in BC like fishing, rafting etc. However, I remember that waves can be very strong in September in this area around this time, and if you want to go fishing I have to call and pay for a British Columbia fishing permit. So I decided to do a kayaking trip and I had such a blast. Now I could have gone to Whistler, but choose Squamish as my destination because it was closer to Vancouver (65km north of Vancouver). Upon my arrival I met two professional and highly adept representatives of "Sea To Sky Adventure". The first woman I met was Elise ( Sorry if I got the name wrong). Elise was a very kind and capable driver. Second woman was my instructor and tour guide Amy. Elise drove us across town to Howe Sound. Once we got to Howe Sound I learned I was the only person in this tour so I had a lot of time. This was when Amy took over. Amy thoroughly instructed me on maneuvering the kayak on to Howe Sound and let me tell you it was gonna be the beginning of a memorable trip. As we proceeded into the water, we kayaked all around the bay. Amy did a great job in making sure that I am safe. She not only instructed me on getting around in the Kayak, but also guided be around Squamish. She showed me "The Chief" a significant granular structure, Shannon Falls, the import ships, the gondola that goes up the mountain and the estuary. We also saw a Harbor Seal popping its head above the water as well I just had such a blast the weather was calm. It was early in the morning and the place was placate and serene. As I learned from Amy morning times are the best time for kayaking because waves are much more subtle and therefore easier on the arms. That whole morning was like an escape from the real world of pressure, Type A personalities, and malicious cadiness of our 9-5 lives. Thank you Sea To Sky and most of all thank you Amy for being an outstanding Kayak instructor and tour guide and Elise for being a great driver as well.