Hike to Joffre Lakes
Details
Distance
6.2 miles
Elevation Gain
1200 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Added by Emily Haggar
Easy access to some of the most spectacular scenery in the Coast Mountains. 10km round trip to Upper Joffre Lake, 400m elevation gain (1200' gain). A great hike in summer, and a fun snowshoe in winter. Three beautiful turquoise lakes, a blue glacier, waterfalls and old growth forest. Duration: just a few minutes walk to the first lake, or a half day/full day to explore the whole area.
Joffre Lakes is a well loved destination, and for good reason: it is absolutely stunning. Not only is it located on one of the most scenic drives you could ever hope to find (Duffy Lake Road) , but it's possible to enjoy this area no matter how much time you have, or how much hiking you want to do.
There are three bright turquoise lakes in the Joffre chain, the first being just a few minutes from the parking area. From Lower Joffre Lake, the views are stunning, and as you continue up the trail, it just gets better and better. The Parks Service is working on trail upgrades, and now a new section of the upper trail takes you past a gorgeous waterfall just under Upper Joffre Lake. The trail is steep in places and requires proper footwear and intermediate hiking ability.
From the top of the trail, you can continue on to the camping area (24 sites/$5 a person) and another huge waterfall, plus you'll get a closer look at the blue icefalls of the Matier Glacier directly above you. On a sunny day these lakes sparkle with little diamonds, below clear deep blue skies. On cloudy days, the lakes turn a brighter turquoise. Upper Joffre Lake has some epic camping spots, and serves as a good access point to the surrounding mountains for ski touring and mountaineering.
With easy access and beautiful scenery, this area gets very busy. To have some alone time with Joffre Lakes, you'll need to go very early in the morning or late in the day in summer months. To reach the parking area, head north on HWY 99 from Whistler or Pemberton, and follow the Duffy Lake Rd until you see the well marked Park signs on your right. There's a large parking area here (plowed only intermittently in winter!) that sill manages to spill over onto the highway on summer weekends.
Unfortunately, dogs are no longer allowed at Joffre Lakes Provincial Park.
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Reviews
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Early morning hike
Went around 6:30am and it was absolutely incredible - only saw 3 people on the way up
5.0
Sadly no longer dog-friendly in 2018
One of my favorite hikes - and my first alpine glacial lake hike with my dog, I have done twice when in Whistler. Sadly, was looking forward to coming back this year and learned that dogs are no longer allowed. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/joffre-lakes-hike-dogs-1.4646944
4.0
Beautiful Hike; too many people
This is a pretty easy hike, so if you are in the area I would recommend spending a couple of hours here. If you are planning on doing this hike I STRONGLY recommend starting early. We started at about 8:00am and there were already a dozen or so people on the trail, on our way down we passed countless groups and the parking lot was insane. There were at least 30 people in line for the restroom when we got done. A beautiful trio of lakes, but again start early if you want some peace
4.0
Way too busy
I've done Joffre a couple years ago, but when I went up recently I was shocked to see an overflowing parking lot. The trail made the SeaWall in Vancouver look slow. The views are stunning, but the crowds for so thick, and the endless "hammock" instagramers kinda got on my nerves. As someone who goes on hikes for the piece and quite and authenticity I wasn't keen on this area. I'm glad so many others derive so much joy from it though. I'd happily sacrifice this spot to the crowds to save the many other locations nearby.
3.0
Nice and easy
Make sure to start early, it could get pretty busy around midday! It was a beautiful and easy hike, although we weren't able to see Upper Joffre Lake due to the fog.
5.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on.
