Thanks for taking the time to check out my post! Canada has been on my list for a very long time and beautiful British Columbia has always been high on it. In this blog post, I’ll go through everything that I got up to on my hike to Cheakamus Lake. As usual, I didn’t plan out a whole lot until I landed in Canada and I’m very glad that I did.
Starting Off in the Morning.
Firstly, I set off from HI Hostel in Bayly Park outside of Whistler at 8:40am. This is the closest accommodation I could find to Cheakamus Lake. Before you go, make sure to get bear spray and tell someone where you are going. I didn’t think too much of this initially but I’m so glad that I did! Bears are very common in Canada but I had never encountered them!
Once you leave, the trail is just off of the main road (take a left as you leave the hostel). Cross over the bridge and take a right. Don’t underestimate the elevation on this trail in the first 2/3 km. I do a lot of distance running and I found the first part in particular more challenging than expected. That said, once you’re on the trail, you’re on the way to Cheakamus Lake!
The Bears, Again.
As previously mentioned, be prepared in case you see bears. I didn’t think too much of this until I heard one grunting on the bushes. I definitely was close to setting off my mental panic button as nobody was around but in my case it was fine. There have been reports of bears causing issues around Cheakamus Lake in the past.
Cars and bikes will pass up and down along the trail to and from Cheakamus Lake as you can drive up further to the car park. I was offered a lift by a couple which I declined. I was happy enough to enjoy the fresh air, blue skies and nature all around. Then, I made it to Garabaldi Provincial Lakes car park at about 10am. You don’t need a pass if you are hiking but you do for vehicles.
The Cheakamus Lake Hike Trail.
The Cheakamus Lake Trail is phenomenal from start to finish. There is soft soil for hiking, beautiful trees all around you as well as clear blue water and skies (depending on the weather). It is very clearly sign-posted and there are options for more challenging hikes if you want. It was my first hike in Canada so I didn’t go off of the main path.
In addition, there was a mixture of all ages and groups on the trail. I mainly noticed families camping and older walking groups of 3/4 people. There were several groups of older people families on dirt bikes as well. Basically, Cheakamus Lake is appealing for everyone!
Cheakamus Lake was about 1 hour 10 minutes from the parking lot. Once you reach the main part of the lake, there is a camping area and rocks to sit out on. There are no cafes, restaurants, etc. so you need to take food and drink with you if you’re planning to eat there. Also, make sure it’s all well sealed and hidden because of bears. You’ll see a lot of campers hanging up their food as you walk along.
Singing Creek.
There is another trail called Singing Creek which was about 1 hour 50 minutes away (I arrived just after midday). Similar to Cheakamus Lake, there is a spot to camp and some large flat rocks to fish on and relax.
Furthermore, it’s the best spot to get photos of the lake in all its glory. It started to get busier as I walked back. I walked back non-stop and made it back to the hostel about 3 hours later. In total I did about 35,000 steps on the hike according to my phone!
Overall Thoughts
It’s a great hike and I would certainly recommend it, especially if the weather is nice. If you go earlier, you’ll still have time to go back to the hostel or into the village and explore. Here are some more photos of the Cheakamus Lake Trail which you might enjoy.
Thanks for reading! If you liked this post, you may enjoy some more blog posts I have written about Canada.
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