Located just north of Vancouver, B.C., locals escape the bustling city for weekend backpacking in beautiful Garibaldi Provincial Park. The main highlight of this natural park remains the pristine glacial lake of Garibaldi itself with its clear turquoise waters and chilling temperatures.
Hiking from the Rubble Creek Trailhead to Garibaldi Lake campground stretches around 11.6 miles (18.7 km) round trip. The distance may not seem that difficult to the average hiker but with heavy packs the ~3,000 foot (~900 m) elevation gain could make even the best hikers break a sweat.
Before beginning the hike we recommend stopping by the restrooms at the trailhead to relieve yourself before you ascend. Unfortunately, there aren’t any more until you arrive at one of the few campgrounds closer to the lake so if you need to go, make sure to follow Leave No Trace principles or wait just a few more miles. Along the trail you’ll come across distance markers to help motivate you on the way up — it always helps us to see exactly how far we’ve come. A few switchbacks, some very small creek crossings, and you’ll happen upon Lesser Garibaldi Lake. Truly the lesser of the two but it gives you a glimpse of what awaits you at the end of the trail. Trudging onward, once you set your eyes on Garibaldi’s ‘Gatorade’ water, first seen through the trees, your feet will forget they were tired at all.
Campground Reservations/Permits
The most important thing you’ll need for backpacking to Garibaldi Lake is a campground reservation which includes a permit when you reserve. Camping overnight isn’t allowed in the park unless you have one. We recommend booking a site at either Garibaldi Lake Campground or Taylor Meadows Campground. Our personal favorite is Garibaldi Lake Campground since most of their campsites are just a few steps away from the shore of the lake. It’s best to book your campground as far in advance as possible because Canada’s campgrounds tend to book up almost as soon as they become available especially for popular hikes like this one. You can reserve a campground and find out more information by going to http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/garibaldi/ .
If you’re planning to day hike this lake, we recommend starting early so you have enough time to hike up, spend some time at the lake, and hike back down. You won’t need a reservation or permit if you’re only hiking for the day. However, we do recommend backpacking to Garibaldi as there are many other hikes from the base of the lake that are more than worth it. We’d also recommend starting early if you’re backpacking just so you can get better parking at the trailhead parking lot as well as a campsite closer to the water.
Most Popular Hike from Garibaldi Lake
Another trek up the Garibaldi Range from your campsite brings you to a few trails but only one stands out from the rest, Panorama Ridge. Conquering another 3-4 hours, this trail brings you to breathtaking bird’s eye views of Garibaldi Lake from atop the surrounding mountains. Both Sentinel and Sphinx Glaciers, which provide the inflow of Garibaldi’s water, can be gazed upon from this viewpoint as well. If the weather permits, this hike reaches peak beauty during sunset’s golden hour and rewards you with panoramic views. Be aware if you decide to hike up for sunset, you will be hiking back down in the dark so we recommend either headlamps or flashlights to assist you on your hike.
