Garibaldi Lake Hike Near Whistler

Garibaldi Lake is a stunning, glacier-fed turquoise lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains, glaciers, volcanic structures and alpine meadows, which makes it one of the most scenic, iconic and popular hiking destinations in British Columbia.

Garibaldi Lake is a great hiking day trip from Vancouver or Whistler, but camping is also possible (with a permit) which provides additional hiking options as well.

You can hike in both summer and fall, or even winter if you’re experienced and have proper winter gear. I hiked Garibaldi Lake on a hot summer day in August and again on a very cold day in November.

THE STATS

Difficulty – Intermediate

Time – 5-6+ hours

Round-trip – 18km

Elevation Gain – 820m

Summit altitude – 1484m

Season – July to October

Camping – Yes

From Vancouver – 1:45 hours

From Whistler – 30 mins

Dog Friendly – No

Shuttle Service – Parkbus

Trail type – Out and back

THE HIKE

From the Rubble Creek parking lot, the first 6km of the trail to Garibaldi Lake is a gradual, uphill, shaded hike of switchbacks, which seems like it will go on forever, but it levels out for the last 3km.

Shortly after the 6km mark, you can choose to go left or right. You can also check out a nice viewpoint at the end of a short trail on the far right.

A viewpoint on the way to Garibaldi Lake (November)

Going right will take you directly to Garibaldi Lake, which is the best option for those who may be short on time or prefer a shorter hike. Then you’ll reach a stunning turquoise lake oasis and think it’s Garibaldi and that the last 2.5km went by really quickly, but this small lake and the lake behind it are only two small turquoise lakes that Garibaldi drains into. However, the last 2.5km really does go quickly because the trail levels out and seeing the two small turquoise lakes inspires you to walk faster.

Going left will add a few extra kilometres onto your hike by passing through Taylor Meadows, a beautiful alpine meadow with colorful alpine flowers in the summer, and colorful autumn colors in early fall.

The hike to Garibaldi Lake, without the addition of Taylor Meadows, is 18km roundtrip, with an 820m elevation gain. Expect to hike for around 5-6+ hours roundtrip, depending on your fitness level and whether or not you’re carrying heavy camping gear.

You’ll want a decent amount of time at the lake to admire the beautiful scenery, picnic, hang out and maybe even swim. I hiked with 4 friends in August and just the hiking took around 5 hours roundtrip and then we spent a fair amount of time at the beautiful lake.

NEED TO KNOW

Garibaldi Lake is an extremely popular hike, so it can get very crowded unless you go outside of July and August (which is the best and warmest time to go). If possible, it’s best to visit on a weekday in the summer, as weekends get extremely busy and the parking lot gets full very early in the morning. But if the weekend is your only option, make sure you get there very early. I went on a very hot and sunny Tuesday in August and arrived in the late morning and it wasn’t too busy at all.

Even on a hot day, the lake itself will always be very cold, as it’s glacier fed.

Garibaldi is also where you can continue longer, overnight hikes to Black Tusk and Panorama Ridge.

There is an outhouse at the parking lot and also at the lake.

There are 50 campsites at Garibaldi Lake, but you need to book a permit in advance. You can make a reservation here.

WHAT YOU NEED

Wear and bring sunscreen
Stretch before and after
More food and water than you think you’ll need
Bug spray
Jacket/layers. At 1484m, Garibaldi Lake can get chilly. It ended up being quite hot at the lake when I was there in August, but it’s always necessary to come prepared, just in case.
Take your garbage with you
Bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer

HOW TO GET THERE

Garibaldi Provincial Park is located between Squamish and Whistler. The trailhead to Garibaldi Lake starts from the Rubble Creek parking lot, which is a few kilometres from the highway.

From Whistler, the drive is 28km, heading south toward Squamish.

From Vancouver, the drive is 100km and 1.5 hours on the Sea to Sky highway. After Squamish, it’s another 34km. Watch for Garibaldi Provincial Park signs on your right. The turnoff is a small, paved road on the right of the highway that’s easy to miss.

Happy hiking!