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About this place
Located 90 minutes north of Vancouver, off of the Sea to Sky Highway, Elfin Lakes offer amazing vistas, along the 11 km it takes to get there and an incredible reward once you get to the lakes. One of them is off limit because it is a water reserve and the second one is there for hiker's pleasure, if you don't mind swimming in cold water.
To access the trail head you will have to drive a few kilometres up a pretty beat up service road, so SUV's and 4x4 are a must but it can be done in a regular car if you take it easy. Lots of pot holes and loose rocks.
The hike to Elfin Lakes might be 11km each way, but it is not very steep and is quite scenic, so it doesn't feel like work at all. The trail is wide, and you are surrounded by big mountains all the way to the lakes.
If you enjoy trail running, Elfin Lakes is a must, because you can cover a lot of terrain with not a lot of effort. And the reward once you reach the lakes is pretty incredible.
You can either camp at the cabin up there, that is equipped with bunk beds and firewood furnaces, or camp outside on the wooden platforms overlooking the mountains. The view from the tent is sensational!
If you enjoy a nice cold dip in the lake, you won't be disappointed. The water is a bit cold, but is very clean and transparent. On a sunny day you will enjoy floating around while looking at the massive mountains facing you.
11km up, means that you have 11km back to the car, but these are downhill, so effortless if you have brought enough food and water, that is.
If you are around Squamish, make sure to check the lakes out, you won't regret it.
Leave No Trace
