Garibaldi Lake Hike

The Garibaldi Lake Hike rewards hikers with awe-inspiring vistas of turquoise waters nestled between towering glaciers and snow-capped peaks, iconic of the west coast. And if you get to the Garibaldi Lake with some energy to burn we can continue up Panorama Ridge or Mt. Price for a top-down view of this majestic area.

Nestled in Garibaldi Provincial Park, the Garibaldi Lake hike is a favorite amongst locals and visitors alike. The clean and cool turquoise waters of the lake, which are up to 250m deep, are fed by glacial runoff and ideal for a quick swim after a hot and sweaty hike so be sure to bring a swimsuit! The campground on the West end of the Lake is a popular staging area for hikes deeper into the park (see our Helm Creek Hike) on trails often described as some of the most beautiful in BC. The alpine meadows above the lake are abloom with wildflowers in the late spring and early summer offering an amazing contrast to the glaciated peaks above. From lookouts on Panorama Ridge and Mt. Price you get a great view of the north side Mt. Garibaldi (Nch'kay) a large stratovolcano that towers over the area.

The geology of the Garibaldi Lake area is also quite interesting. The lake is nearly 250m deep and surrounded by mountains except at the outflow where there is The Barrier. The Barrier is a rock wall formation caused by the damming of lava flows following a volcanic eruption from Clinker Peak on Mt. Price about 12,000 years ago. Lava flowed into the Cheakamus River valley and was stopped by the Cordilleran Ice Sheet, resulting in the formation of a lava dam that we now know as the 250 meter high cliff called the Barrier. The Barrier effectively dammed surface water outflow from the surrounding watershed, and created Garibaldi Lake, Lesser Garibaldi Lake, and Barrier Lake. Water from these lakes seeps from beneath the Barrier via a series of springs into Rubble Creek. And despite being 9000 years old, The Barrier is unstable and has the potential to release approximately 1 trillion litres of water into the valley below in the event of an earthquake. More information can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garibaldi_Lake 

Garibaldi Lake Hike Details:

While the Garibaldi Lake Hike is one of the more strenuous day-hikes we offer, it's more than worth the effort. The trail is in great shape providing good footing and it is achievable by anyone in fair shape.

• Trip Length: 6 to 8 hours
• Distance: 19km round trip
• Elevation Gain: 900m
• Best Time: June-September

Looking for other hiking options? Check out all our hiking & trekking offerings here.

Waiver & Risk Management:

As you know, outdoor activities involve numerous hazards including, but not limited to, rockfall, slips and falls, poor weather, etc. And while we do our best to anticipate and mitigate these hazards we cannot completely eliminate them. So, as with anything fun, you will be required to sign our Participant Release to take part in one of our courses or trips.