A day by the lake is undoubtedly in the cards for most—if not all—British Columbians this summer, but wouldn’t it be nice to avoid the noise, bustle, and “SORRY, WE’RE FULL” parking lots… while still enjoying the beauty of BC’s waters?
Pack up that picnic basket, throw the friends in the car, and head on over to one of these secluded lakes for a stunning summer day trip.
You might even get a solid Instagram post out of it, but you’ll definitely have a great time.
PS. Don’t forget your hiking shoes. You’ll need them for a few of these—They’re secluded lakes for a reason.
Deeks Lake, Squamish
A great day hike only a short drive north of Vancouver, Deeks lake offers some amazing views, crystal clear water, and a 930 metre elevation gain. Make sure you’re not planning leg day anytime soon after visiting this lake.
Muncho Lake, Northern BC
This northern BC lake is the place to get that reflected mountain shot against its jade green waters. Being so far north on the Alaska Highway makes it a hard spot to get to from the Lower Mainland, but that only counts as reassurance that it will be all yours once you do arrive, right?
Petgill Lake, Squamish
This one is even closer to Vancouver, sitting in the mountains above Britannia Beach. A little further along the trail and you’ll find a great view of Howe Sound, though to get there it’ll take an 11 km round trip. Like we said: pack those hiking boots!
Gambier Lake, Gambier Island
This lake sits in the middle of Gambier Island (across from Lion’s Bay) and it takes quite the effort to get there. Once you’ve made it onto the island, it is a three hour hike before you find yourself in front of Gambier Lake’s waters—based on the pictures, it looks well worth the trip.
Garibaldi Lake, Whistler
While this may not be the most secluded lake in the province, we couldn’t help but throw it in for its turquoise waters and mountainous crown. While the lake itself may be reasonably easy to get to, the best shots can only be achieved by making the 6 hour, 18 kilometre round trip hike.
Watersprite Lake, Squamish
A short drive out of the city in beautiful Squamish, Watersprite Lake may not be the biggest body of water you’ve ever seen, but it sure offers some great views. The 7 hour, 17 kilometre round trip hike to get there will make the waters all the more enjoyable, and you can be sure that the area will only be occupied by the most determined hikers.
Atlin Lake, Atlin
When we say this lake is in north western BC, we mean it. The very tip of the lake actually touches into Alaska, though its massive size assures that you’ll make it to the lake long before having to worry about running into Sarah Palin.
Wahleach (Jones) Lake, Hope
No, you won’t be basking completely alone in serenity and quiet at this lake—as there is a recreation area and some camping grounds surrounding the water—but we can guarantee that it won’t be nearly as busy as Buntzen or White Pine. For a destination that sits so close to the Lower Mainland, we’d call that a win.
Levette Lake, Squamish
Be sure to bring a 4×4 vehicle if you’re looking to get to this one, as even the trail entrance is a challenge to get to. Once there it’s just a quick five hour round trip through the Evans Lake Forest before you begin to see the blue lake through the trees. Best part: dogs are welcome along the trail and at the lake. They don’t call it Paradise Valley for nothing!
Follow Channels and Categories