What is better than a park with great mountain views? A park with majestic lake views! Now imagine the best of both worlds: A park with scenic mountain and lake vistas. The stunning peaks, crisp air, and enchanting blue horizons make you feel like you’re walking through a fairytale. Welcome to Garibaldi Provincial Park, a Canadian gem popular for its panoramic slope views and inviting lake views. Established in 1920, Garibaldi Provincial Park is one of British Columbia’s oldest protected areas. It’s named after Mount Garibaldi, which honours the Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi. Before it became a provincial park, the region was home to the Squamish people, who used the area for fishing, hunting, and gathering.
Located at the heart of British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, the wilderness park spans roughly 1,200 square miles from Squamish all the way to Whistler, offering an ample playground for both nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Dotted with hundreds of hiking trails with varying difficulty, snow-laced summits, and beautiful lakes, it is one of the most beautiful places in Canada to visit. Whether you explore the Panorama Ridge or spend the night camping near Elfin Lakes, the park leaves you in awe.
Garibaldi Provincial Park’s main Diamond Head entrance is about 30 minutes from Squamish, British Columbia. If you’re in Whistler, you can take a taxi or rent a car and drive to the Rubble Creek entrance of the park, which is about 17 miles south. If you’re coming from abroad, the nearest international airport is Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in Richmond. The park is about 70 miles (or a one-and-a-half-hour drive) northeast of the airport.
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The beautiful mountain and lake views
Adventurous White Caucasin Adult Woman Hiking in Garibaldi Lake near Whistler and Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. – Edb3_16/Getty Images
Garibaldi Provincial Park is the perfect playground for hunting down breathtaking panoramas. There are plenty of trails with beautiful landscapes and mountain views. Among them are the Garibaldi Lake Trail and the Elfin Lakes Trails. The former is a moderate-to-challenging 11-mile round-trip hike that rewards you with jaw-dropping alpine beauty. Starting at the Rubble Creek parking lot, the trail has dense forests and steadily climbs through switchbacks before revealing glimpses of distant peaks. As you climb the final elevation of the trail, you can see Garibaldi Lake and the surrounding glacier-topped mountains. The Elfin Lakes Trail gives you a slightly different experience and stunning views. Stretching about 13.5 miles, the trail starts in a forest before transitioning to alpine meadows with panoramic views of Atwell Peak. When you reach Elfin Lakes, you can enjoy the views of the peaks, especially during sunrise or sunset.
If you are looking for a more challenging hike, try the Panorama Ridge Trail. This challenging trail is about 18.6 miles long from the Garibaldi Lake area and ascends to a popular viewpoint in British Columbia. Along the hiking path, you thread through alpine meadows as you soak in the beautiful views of the Coast Mountains. At the summit, you can marvel at the beauty of the lake below, framed by rugged peaks such as Black Tusk. Bear in mind that you require a day pass to access the park. The best part? The passes are free and easily accessible via the BC Parks site, making it a great Canadian destination for adventure seekers on a budget.
Other activities to enjoy nearby
A woman climbs a glaciated peak in Joffre Lakes Provincial Park at sunset – Alex Ratson/Getty Images
To complement your park adventure, take a short drive to Whistler, a mountain resort village about 17 miles north with exciting summer and winter activities. You can hike the Joffre Lakes for beautiful views of the Matier Glacier. Another adventurous hike is the Rainbow Lake Trail, which meanders through Rainbow Falls and dense greenery leading to Rainbow Lake. During winter, Whistler is a skiing and snowboarding destination best known for its downhill skiing on the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. If you want to learn more about the local culture, the Whistler Museum gives you a glimpse into the region’s past and transformation into an exciting destination.
For a charming coastal experience, head 22 miles southwest to Squamish, known for being the outdoor recreation capital of Canada. You’re rewarded with magnificent views of the Stawamus Chief with granite cliffs and the beautiful Squamish River estuary, where fresh water from the Stawamus and Squamish rivers converge with salty seawater. The former is an enormous monolith with hiking trails and Squamish town views, while the latter is awash with different types of wildlife, including bobcats, deer, bears, and beavers. You can also kayak along the waters of Howe Sound to visit the hidden coves and watch seals. With so many activities to enjoy, it’s easy to see why Squamish is among the top reasons why Canada should be on your travel bucket list.
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