Squamish sits in the midst of some amazing places to hike. Garibaldi Provincial Park sprawls from Squamish up and beyond Whistler. Tantalus Provincial Park lays across the valley to the west and the beautiful and desolate, by comparison, Callaghan Valley to the north.
GaribaldiProvincialPark
Garibaldi Provincial Park wraps around Squamish and is home to some amazing hiking trails. Garibaldi Lake, Panorama Ridge, Black Tusk and Elfin Lakes are all wonderful hiking destinations is this extraordinary Provincial Park so close to Squamish.
Alice Lake is a great place for camping swimming, fishing and hiking. Alice Lake Provincial Park is comprised of four lakes, Stump, Fawn and Edith Lake as well as the much larger Alice Lake. There is a nice trail, the Four Lakes Trail, that runs past them all. Compared to other Squamish hiking trails, Alice Lake is very easy and relaxing. No serious hiking here, but rather walking, talking and enjoying the beautiful forest and lakes along the trail.
In the midst of summer you will find dozens of families picnicking around the edge of the forest overlooking the lake. There is a large beach area, a pier and dock along with an a huge number of campsites. There are 96 vehicle accessible campsites, 12 walk-in campsites, and 2 group campsites. The campsites are open March 15 to October 31. This place is a hive of activity in the summer due to its beautiful setting and convenient location.
Alice Lake Provincial Park is located just 10 minutes north of Squamish on the Sea to Sky Highway. Driving from Squamish you will see a huge "Alice Lake Provincial Park" sign on the right side of the highway and the park is almost immediately after the turnoff. Fires are allowed near the beach in the fire rings scattered throughout the park. You can bring your own firewood or buy it at the park. Pets must be on a leash in the park at all times. Bears and cougars frequent the area. Though bears are relatively skittish, cougars are potentially very dangerous, especially with regards to small children or other pets. Though encounters are infrequent, they are possible and you will see signs regarding both cougars and bears at Alice Lake.
Biking is quite popular in Alice Lake Provincial Park, although there are several trails including the Four Lakes Trail that prohibit bikes. Fishing is also popular in the park and all four lakes are good for fishing. Rainbow trout, dolly varden and cutthroat trout are found in the park's lakes. Motor boats are not allowed, however canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding are popular. Picnic tables are found near the main beach and there is even a cute little playground for kids just steps from Alice Lake.
Alice Lake Hiking Trails
There are several named hiking trails in Alice Lake Provincial Park and many of them continue beyond the park. Popular trails in the park include the Four Lakes Trail, Mike's Loop, Stump Lake Trail, Alice Lake Loop Trail, Swamp Lantern Interpretive Loop Trail, Bob MacIntosh Memorial Trail, Jacks Trail, DeBeck's Hill Trail and the Tracks from Hell Trail. The Four Lakes Trail is a very nice 6 kilometre circular route that takes you through the forest and past all four of the Alice Lake Park's lakes. Pretty easy and relaxing, the Four Lakes Trail takes less than a couple hours to hike. DeBeck's Hill Trail is considerably more challenging than the Four Lakes Trail. This 3 kilometre(roundtrip) hike takes you up 274 metres to excellent views of Mount Garibaldi and the snowy Tantalus Range. Dogs are not allowed on any of the Alice Lake Provincial Park hiking trails and must stay on a leash in campground.
Getting to Alice Lake
From downtown Squamish at Cleveland Avenue, drive north on the Sea to Sky Highway for 9.8 kilometres and you will see a large Alice Lake Provincial Park sign on your right. Turn right onto Alice Lake Road and follow the signs for the park. Alice Lake Provincial Park is quite large and you will see signs for the campsite, group campsite as well as day parking near Alice Lake. Alice Lake is on the ParkBus route from Vancouver. ParkBus services several BC Parks trailheads and operates during the summer months. Their routes and schedules can be found at on their website here, or at 1800.928.7101.
More Hiking & Camping Near Alice Lake
If Alice Lake is too crowded and chaotic for your liking, Levette Lake is not too far away. Across the highway and just a 15 minute drive up a deteriorating, old gravel road takes you to a very serene, and hidden lake in the mountains. It has gorgeous mountain views and several walk-in campsites in the forest. The lake is very pretty, but there is not much of a beach. Great if you want to escape the crowds of Alice Lake though!
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