Thanks for taking a look at my blog post! During my recent trip to Joffre Lakes, I had a major struggle trying to get there as I haven’t driven in so long (more about my most recent experience here). While I had looked up public transport options, I arrived in Pemberton to be told my locals that there was no public transport to Joffre Lakes.
A few people in the town told me that it’s very common to hitchhike here and even the locals do it. In this blog post, I’ll explain how to hitchhike from Pemberton to Joffre Lakes and back. In addition, I’ll also share about my experience to Joffre Lakes as well.
Before You Go Anywhere
Before you even go to Joffre Lakes, it is important that you apply for a permit in advance. Click here to book yours. Luckily, I was able to get mine a few days in advance but I think the sooner you can reserve, the better. Also, I made a sign with the back of a Coca-Cola pack which I got from a local shop in Pemberton and a Sharpie which they let me use.
In addition, bring some water with you and a packed lunch if you’re planning to have a picnic while you’re there. There’s nowhere available on the trail to buy anything and of course, whatever you take with you, you take home as well.
The Journey from Pemberton to Joffre Lakes
To start off my morning, I initially had planned to leave at around 7am as I had been told that there would be plenty of cars heading on Route 99 in the direction of Joffre Lakes just after the roundabout besides McDonald’s.
The fact that it was pretty dark at the time didn’t sit too well with me so I waited. Another part of me was wondering if it would be worth it due to the heavy cloud in the morning and the weather forecast I had checked online. That being said, I took my handmade sign along with my chances and headed off. After a quick breakfast at Blackbird Bakery, I left my bag at the hotel reception and went on my way.
Many locals were doing the school run or commuting to work at this time so there was a lot of coming and going. 25 minutes later, a local school worker picked me up who was on her way back to Mount Currie. She also told me that hitchhiking was very common around here but more so with locals as opposed to tourists. Apparently, it’s more common for tourists to visit the lakes from Whistler. Personally, I was glad that I spent the night in Pemberton as it was nice to get a feel for a local Canadian town.
After I was dropped off in Mount Currie, I found a bus stop to wait at. Mount Currie and this junction were very quiet and there was a lot less vehicles here. About 3/4 cars drove past me before I was picked up 5-10 minutes later. Thanks to some Norwegians living in Whistler, I made it to the entrance for just before 10am.
Arrival at Joffre Lakes
When I arrived at the car park, there was a toilet if you need to use it. I presented my permit to the park ranger and I was on my way. Within minutes, I arrived at the first lake! Known as the Lower Lake, this is ideal for someone looking for instant satisfaction. The turquoise water and massive, glacier-fed, imposing mountains were an incredible introduction to Joffre Lakes.
There were a few people walking on the trail. One group in particular were from The Philippines who saw me hitchhiking. You can stay here for a few minutes and take in the incredible scenery and fresh mountain air.
From the Lower Lake to the Middle Lake is where if you’ve purchased some good hiking boots (I didn’t), they’ll prove their worth. There is a fair bit more of an incline as you hike on an upward path. I read online that there is a 1500m elevation gain in total. My fitness level is pretty decent but I did have to resist a few moments of wanting to stop. There are some people with kids on their back and fair play to them! I would recommend taking a towel and a spare t-shirt if you sweat a lot.
Just under one hour later, I made it to the next lake. This one is even bigger than the first one and it was even more beautiful. Here is also where you’ll see a lot of birds flying about the place. If you want them to come down and take some food from your hand, it’s possible.
To be honest, this wasn’t even on my radar as something to do. However, another tourist put a small bit of food into the palm of my hand and told me to wait. Do not move! They’ll fly down to you. In fact, you can just keep your hand out and they’ll come down if you can make it look like you’re hiding food on your hand. There are some nice areas to sit along here and admire the lake. I can imagine that during the high season, this place would be absolutely mobbed.
The famous log where people get their photograph taken is on this lake. If you’re travelling solo, you’ll need to ask someone to take a photo for you. This is one of those moments that you’ll want to remember so don’t be afraid to ask!
15 minutes later, I moved on in search of the third and final lake. There are some waterfalls here where you can take a nice photo but watch your steps. Also, I wouldn’t recommend going into the centre of these unless someone is nearby to give you a hand. This part of the hike is fairly easygoing with a few paths and small bridges along the way.
I made it to the Upper Lake just after 11:30am. In the morning, I wasn’t expecting blue skies at all but luckily there were. It made a major difference on the trip and I feel that good weather could make or break this experience.
There are plenty of rocks which you can sit out on to appreciate the surrounding mountains. If you’d like to pitch a tent, you’ll need to go a little bit further onwards. As I was just here on a day trip, I opted against this and I headed back down. I spent just under an hour at the Upper Lake in total which felt like just the right amount of time to rest and appreciate the scenery.
I started to walk back down at 12:25pm and I was back at the car park 50 minutes later. Of course, this would have been shorter if I decided to take less pictures. Also, I think I must point out that even in day to day life, I’m a very fast walker. Some friends comment that they feel like they are running next to me!
Honestly, I thought that it would be a bit of a battle to get a lift back to Pemberton. To my surprise, I only needed to wait 15 minutes before another tourist this time an Indian guy living in the U.S.A. picked me up and I was back in Pemberton half an hour later to get the bus back to Whistler to take the trip back to Vancouver.
I left Pemberton at 5:30pm and took the bus to Whistler before boarding the bus back to Vancouver. Later that evening, I was able to check into my accommodation at HI Hostel Jericho Beach.
Final Thoughts
This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip and while there was some element of risk involved due to hitchhiking and this is where local knowledge was vital. In addition, it’s important to be wary of bears in this area, too. There were plenty of people of all ages, shapes and sizes getting some fresh air. Yes, parts of the hike are tiring. That being said, I wouldn’t let it stop you from visiting. If would definitely recommend Joffre Lakes and I would love to come back if given the opportunity.
Thanks for Reading!
Thanks for reading my blog post! If you’re looking for the most up to date information about Joffre Lakes, you’ll find it here on the BC Parks official website.
Finally, if you liked this post, you may enjoy some more blog posts I have written about Canada.
PLACES TO EAT IN WHISTLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA. | CANADA
PLACES TO EAT IN VANCOUVER | CANADA
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA | CANADA
PLACES TO EAT IN PEMBERTON, BC. | CANADA
HOW TO TRAVEL FROM VANCOUVER TO WHISTLER BY BUS
CHEAKAMUS LAKE HIKE | WHAT TO EXPECT
TRAIN WRECK HIKE IN WHISTLER | WHAT TO EXPECT
HOW TO GO FROM WHISTLER TO PEMBERTON BY BUS
