When you imagine those picture perfect blue turquoise lakes, you’re probably imagining Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in the Rockies, however Joffre Lakes deserves a place in the frame. They are absolutely stunning, and if you’re visiting Whistler make sure you visit these lakes, you won’t regret it (even if you might be a little stiff the next day).
What are the Joffre Lakes?
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is home to Joffre Lakes, three stunning glacial lakes. Joffre Lakes is about 1 hour from Whistler so it’s perfect for a day trip. Hiking Joffre Lakes was one of my favourite hikes of our road trip through the Rockies. The views are just unbelievable. As you climb from one lake to next, the views just get better. Each lake is beautifully unique in it’s own way!
Due it’s close proximity to Whistler, the Joffre Lakes are very popular! Bear this in mind and try to get here early so you manage to find a parking space. You may need to wait for a bit and circle round to try and find a spot. We visited the Lakes in Summer and I would definitely recommend this. I can imagine the trail being very slippery during winter so be sure to check the Provincial Parks website for guidance on whether it is open. This was our first experience of turquoise blue lakes in Canada. I must say it set the bar very high, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the lakes, and for me each lake was even more mesmerising than the previous. We visited Joffre Lakes as part of our road trip through the Rockies which you can read more about here.
What do I need to know for the hike?
There are 3 lakes, Lower, Middle and Upper. The hike is a 10km round trip with a 370m elevation gain. It will probably take around 4-5 hours but you may spend longer admiring the amazing views and taking thousands of photographs. The board at the car park says that it takes 3.5 hours one way! Don’t let this put you off as it took us about 3.5 hours in total. This included sitting down for lunch for about 20 minutes. This sign really put my dad off and he was not looking forward to the hike! There is quite a steep incline to reach the Middle & Upper Lakes, but the views are absolutely worth it, so take your time and go at your own pace.
After starting at the trailhead, within about 10 minutes you’ll reach the first lake. It is beautiful. Many people make the mistake of turning back to car park here, but keep going. The Lower lake doesn’t even compare to the Middle and Upper lakes in my opinion.
Once you’ve taken a snap, rejoin the path and continue walking through the woods. As you make your way out of the trees you’ll be treated to an amazing view of the valley below, from here the trail continues to incline. After what seems likes a long time walking uphill, the trail will begin to flatten. Through the trees you’ll see a glimpse of Middle Joffre Lake, it’s so strikingly blue!
Every time you walk forward a few metres you’ll want to take a picture until you eventually arrive. You won’t believe your eyes, thinking to yourself ‘the water can’t be that blue’, well, believe it because it is! Once we arrived here, we sat down and ate our packed lunch, as were a lot of the other visitors. This was the best lunch spot of the holiday!
When you’re ready to get going again, continue walking past Middle Joffre Lake and follow the path. Along the way you’ll see the famous log in the water, you may even see some daredevils walking along it. We saw one person fall in! You’ll also walk past a pretty cool waterfall. Then you’ll notice the path gets a little bit steep again. It may feel tough but keep going. It’s a short walk to Upper Joffre Lakes. When you get here you’ll notice you’ll need to climb down and across big rocks to reach the lakeshore. Again spend some time here, admiring the lake and the scenery. I think Upper Joffre Lake is my favourite of the three lakes, the backdrop of the mountain and glacier is just amazing.
When you’re ready follow the path and head back down the trail to get back to the car park, passing the Middle and Lower lakes again.
Tips:
- Try and get here relatively early to avoid large crowds, this is a very popular trail!
- If you’re struggling to find parking but think you could park somewhere without blocking someone else then do it (if you don’t, someone else will – I’m saying this from experience)
- Hiking boots are a must! There are some quite steep sections so it’s important to wear supportive shoes
- Bring snacks & water with you, we even brought a small picnic lunch – you can’t deny it’s an unreal spot to have lunch
- For more information take a look at the Joffre Lakes website
If you’re looking more hikes in Rockies why not have a look at the Sulphur Skyline or the Bald Hills trails!
