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!

Located in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, Rice Lake is an easy, 2km loop that takes under…read morean hour to complete. Anyone can do the Rice Lake loop -- it's actually wheelchair accessible! There are benches scattered around the lake, as well as an outhouse. You can access it from Dempsey and Lynn Valley Road (by The End of the Line General Store), near the entrance of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, or from the park itself. Because it's a short, easy walk, I sometimes add it on after I hike Lynn Loop to make it a longer hike. [Yelp collections: Hiking]

Really nice lake in the Lynn Valley area…read more Parking is available in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve lot. Not sure if there is any closer parking. The lake itself is surrounded by trails. Nice and easy to walk around. There is also a dock that cuts across a section of the lake. Great for fishing. Apparently there are trout in here. Great place for photos too. I didn't see any rice here. Maybe it's named after some guy or a nearby sushi restaurant.

Gorgeous and peaceful lake. The perimeter around the lake has a 3.5 hour easier moderate trail that…read moreis mostly shaded. Toilets at the start (main beach/waterside area) and at the midway point (outhouse at small beach). Thr main beach area has an enclosed off leash area for dogs, ehoch also has a waterside section. There is a doggie washing station, which is very convenient. The good and bad part about this place is the required reserved parking. The good part is that you know that you will have a parking spot. The bad part is that it's required and they won't let you into the area without it. It was free but had a time restriction.

Review from May 29, 2021…read more The parks open 8am to 8pm. I got there around 8:10am on Sunny Saturday and parking was half filled. Some people will leave around 1 pm. I saw empty parking spots. A group of police officers and BC hydro team are patrolling the beach area constantly. Pls don't make a big party more than 10. Behave nice please.

I can't believe we have such an amazingly beautiful spot like this in Greater Vancouver's backyard!…read moreIt's so peaceful, so gorgeous. Lots of benches to sit and talk or meditate. Amazing for photos.

Pitt Lake is truly a beautiful place only an hours drive from downtown Vancouver. I was moved by…read morethe mountain vista, the vast wetlands, and the gorgeous lake. In addition, in our short time up there we saw two swans, six herons, four falcons, two eagles, and many other feathered creatures I have no idea what their names are. This place is for the birds and bird lovers. As Louise G. said you can rent canoes here, but be careful of the currents in the narrows. If you do rent a boat make sure to ask the very helpful Katzie Development Corporation staff members how to get to the waterfalls and more private beaches. They will also have information on how to rent the cute little cabins you can see from the boat launch. There is a really well maintained dyke with a trail which cross the south side of the lake. So bring your walking shoes or a bike and start exploring.

Absolutely in love with this place. So serene!!!! Sasamat Lake has some of the most peaceful views…read more Loved the easy hike around the lake as well as the bridge on the water. Pretty shady for most of the trail and there are also some stairs. Super nice beach at the beginning of the trail head near the parking lot too! Cannot wait to come back, definitely worth visiting.

I was so happy and excited to find this hidden gem spot. My only regret was I didn't bring a…read morebathing suits. At 8:30am, the first parking was full. But please be patient. Other parkings might have spots and better than street parking. Or after 3pm, you can find parking spots easily. No life guard is working. No motor sports neither. But paddle boat is ok to use. Two beaches with clear water which is very warm. A concession store opens maybe around 10am and they serves hot food like fish and chips and burgers. That's very convenient for swimmers or cyclists. My impression for those beaches were for family or a group. If you walked into the trail, you will find a small groud(beach) for 1-3 people. I preferred to stay there for chil...

Had a surprisingly early finish for work today, decided to explore this beach…read more One thing that bugs me is an overcrowded beach with moronic people that have decided to bring their full camping gear to the beach. Those that not only has setup their 20 people Julius Caesar tents but also invited an army of people to their intimate loud music playing party. FYI, others may not enjoy your brand of metal rap. Or those that bring their Canadian Tire little power boats and pumps. For reasons unbeknownst to me, does being on beach equal to doing whatever you want? Social etiquette is shed with the clothes. So, simply reviewing this, may adulterate this pristine little sandy beach and lake into that monstrosity. It is a good kept secret. Beautiful clean water and beach. Not a lot of nutters yet.

My first time coming to this beach and it is quite peaceful. The lake is not huge but the water is…read morestill and great for SUP, canoeing, kayaking, and other inflatable rafts. There isn't any waves at all from speedboats. There is a small sand and grass area for picnics. Bathrooms and a concession stand is nearby too. This place is great for families and big gatherings. Parking is nearby, but it is paid.

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.

Fairly easy trail. Takes 1-2 hours for in and out. Fresh water along the way to cool down doggo…read more The only thing is you need to get a day pass in advance!

Maple ridge beautiful lake park. A beauty that must be experienced in all seasons. Blue Color lake…read moreis mesmerizing and the wooded forest for hike is brainstorming. Plenty of people come here and book designated picnic tables to celebrate special occasions as many of them have bbq option. Else just the lake side view for any celebration is enough. I have taken many hikes around this beautiful lake and seen breathtaking views so you must go as well. The whole park is huge and I must say I could not explore in just one visit. So you got to come back to it again and again. Enjoy hikes with beautiful lake view but be careful around here as it is pretty wild and some of the trails are not for first timers.

A short hike from Whistler Village. Try the many trails. Lovely. Perfect summer day. Bring your…read moresunscreen

Beautiful park in Whistler with lots of traffic but plenty of space to spread out. Beach area is…read morewell maintained and lawn space is also always in good condition. So many great biking trails surrounding the area as well. Definitely one of our favorite spots to visit in the summer up at Whistler!