Located not far from Whistler, Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is a beautiful place with three lakes, a popular hiking trail and wilderness camping.
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is located one hour north of Whistler, and about 35 kilometres outside of Pemberton. Coming from Vancouver, the place is about a three-hour drive away.
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is comprised of three lakes – the Lower, Middle and Upper Lakes. All three are a vibrant turquoise blue colour due to the glacial silt that is contained within the water that reflects sunlight.
The park is very popular for hiking and wilderness camping.
Hiking Joffre Lakes
The main hiking trail at Joffre Lakes winds past all three of the glacier-fed lakes. The trail is about 10 kilometres long, round-trip, and has about 370 metres in elevation gain. This is a long and difficult hike, so it is not recommended for the novice hiker. The first bit isn’t overly challenging and lots of people do it. Doing the full trek, however, makes for serious hike.
Just a few minutes from the parking lot, the trail connects with Lower Joffre Lakes. There’s a scenic viewpoint that overlooks the lake and the Matier Glacier in the distance.
The second section of trail, going from the Lower to Middle Lake, is the most tricky and technically challenging. Work has been done recently to make the trail more well-groomed (i.e. putting in stairs across the boulder field), but it is still a challenge.
Continuing on to the last section of trail towards Upper Joffre Lakes, visitors will find this section is slightly shorter and easier. After a scramble over some boulders and roots, the trail takes folk up to the third and final lake. Folk can stop here, or continue on towards the campsites at the far end of the lake.
It is technically possible to climb further over the boulders to get closer to Matier Glacier but it is not recommended. Large chunks of ice may fall off at any time and can be dangerous.
NOTE: Dogs and other pets are not permitted at Joffre Lakes Provincial Park.
Camping at Joffre Lakes
For adventurous folk, there are 26 campground spots located at Upper Joffre Lake. The place is quite challenging to get to, so folk are advised to come prepared.
Campers are also asked to practice “leave no trace” camping. This means visitors are required to pack out what they pack in, and leave no mess behind. This is in order to preserve the natural beauty of BC’s parks and wilderness.
All campsites require a prior online reservation. In addition, folk must also purchase a BC Parks Backcountry Camping Permit before camping at Joffre Lakes.
Due to avalanche risk, backcountry camping is not permitted during the months of November through April.
Parking at Joffre Lakes
The Joffre Lakes hike is very popular and, as a result, the parking lot fills quite quickly (especially on weekends and holidays). Often on a nice sunny day the lots are filled by even 9 am!
There are two parking lots located near Joffre Lakes. The trailhead parking lot is the main parking area and is the closest to the start of the trail. There is also a secondary lot about 250 metres south of the main lot.
Tips and Advice
Below are some suggestions and extra bits of information to help you make the most out of your visit to Joffre Lakes.
TIP #1: There is no cell coverage at the lake, so make any important calls or texts before you go. However, this also makes the park a great place to connect with nature without any technological distractions!
TIP #2: Dogs and other domestic pets are prohibited at Joffre Lakes.
TIP #3: Bring mosquito and bug repellant. The mosquitoes and black flies can get quite annoying, especially during the warmer months.
TIP #4: This is a popular hike, and the parking lot fills very quickly (especially on weekends). Plan to be there early as there is no parking permitted on the side of the highway.
TIP #5: Campers must have a reservation to be able to stay in the park. The campsites used to be assigned on a first-come first-serve basis, but not anymore. Reservations must be made online in advance, and can be made up to four months before your visit.
Other Information
For more information about Joffre Lakes, visit the official BC Parks website.
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