15 of the Best Lakes in Whistler BC

There are so many beautiful lakes in Whistler to explore. From ones you have to hike to like Wedgemount and Garibaldi Lake to those lakes that are in the village boundaries where you can go swimming, paddleboarding, or kayaking.

Knowing where to find these lakes in Whistler though, can be tricky. You might have seen pictures of the best lakes Whistler has to offer online but not know exactly where they are, how to get to them, or what they’re best for.

Like trust me, you’re not going to want to schlep a paddleboard up the steep trails to Wedgemount Lake, but Alta Lake? Sure, that’s perfect for it!

Below, I’ve shared all of my favorite lakes in Whistler including both a little north and south of this popular BC mountain town.

So, whether you’re looking for somewhere to cool down when the sun is shining, want to explore the scenery from a new perspective on the water, or are looking for a hike with amazing lake views, be sure to check out this guide to the best lakes in Whistler

And, if you want more I’ve got an even bigger guide to the best lakes in Vancouver BC, and nearby too.

The best Whistler Lakes

Map of the best Whistler lakes

Click on the image below to access an interactive Whistler lakes map so you can get your bearings as to where these beautiful lakes near Whistler are.

Alta Lake Whistler BC

Alta Lake in Whistler Village is one of the best lakes in the town and the first one I visited in the village.

It’s a great lake to spend a day relaxing at since there are several parks and one of the best Whistler beaches areas around it as well as facilities including toilets, docks, and showers.

Whistler’s Alat Lake stretches from the Creekside neighborhood in the south to Whistler Village and has absolutely beautiful mountain views. Alta Lake is also the starting point for the River of Golden Dreams float which is a must-do activity in Whistler.

One of the best parks for hanging out by Alta Lake in Whistler is Lakeside Park. Just off Lakeside Road, this park has a great beach area with a sandy beach, swimming docks, and rafts, a children’s play area, picnic tables, barbecue stands and a concession stand offering food and drinks during the summer.

There are also some grassy areas, washrooms, and an outdoor shower.

Rainbow Park is on the western side of Whistler Valley so you’ll be looking towards Whistler Blackcomb. This park has quite a bit of space as well as a sandy beach, picnic table, and beach volleyball courts. There’s also an off-leash dog area here known as Barking Bay where dogs too can run free and splash in the lake.

Note: Rainbow Park is closed until June 2024.

Wayside Park is another option for enjoying Alta Lake. Here you’ll find a concession stand and a dock where you can launch boats (subject to a speed limit of 12 kph) and kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards or even rent one. It’s from here that we rented a kayak during our first trip to Whistler back in 2017!

Alta Lake sometimes freezes enough for ice skating in winter making it one of the best places in Whistler for ice skating.

How to get to Alta Lake Whistler:

Alta Lake parking is limited at all locations. Walk or bike or take the Whistler shuttle buses to get there.

• Lakeside Park: Take the #10, #20, or #25 BC Transit bus south to the Alta Vista stop and walk approximately 5 minutes to the lake.
• Rainbow Park: Walk or bike the valley trail, there’s only a drop-off zone at Rainbow Park.
• Wayside Park: Take the #20 or #21 BC Transit bus south to the Nordic Drive stop and then walk over the overpass to the Valley Trail south.

Alpha Lake

Alpha Lake is at the southern end of the valley in Creekside Whistler and is one of the prettiest lakes in Whistler.

You can get to Alpha Lake Park by using the Valley Trail system and there’s also a small parking lot here too.

Once at Alpha Lake Park, you’ll find a dog park, volleyball court, kids’ playground, and a dock.

Since the park faces southwest you’ll get sun throughout the day, so it’s the perfect spot for hanging out on a summer’s day in Whistler with views of Whistler Mountain and Black Tusk in the distance.

While boating on Alpha Lake is allowed, there are specific regulations you must follow. Only electric motors are permitted, and you must have a life jacket, bailer, whistle, and flashlight.

How to get to Alpha Lake Whistler: Take the #10, #20, or #21 BC Transit bus south to Creekside or Bayshores and then walk for approximately 5-10 minutes along the Valley Trail to reach the lake.

Green Lake Whistler BC

Green Lake is the largest lake in the Whistler area and it really is green! Green Lake is so green because of the sediment and minerals in the rocks which combine with the glacial water to produce a vivid color. It’s pretty cool to see.

Green Lake is at the north of Whistler Village and you’ll have likely driven past it if you’ve taken the road north out of Whistler.

You can do some Green Lake Whistler swimming if you’re brave or it’s really hot, but the water itself is super chilly since it’s fed by glacial mountain water. However, it’s a nice refreshing cold on a hot day in the village.

At Green Lake, you’ll find kayaks to rent and if you’re looking to boat or wakeboard in Whistler this is the lake to go to. There’s still a speed limit in certain sections of the lake, and you’ll have to steer clear of the runway for the seaplanes though!

One downside to Green Lake is that it can be hard to find a spot to hang out by it. While there are a few spots, the boat launch is the easiest to get to and there are some picnic tables around it too.

If you stay here a while, you might even see some of the seaplanes landing and taking off from Green Lake in Whistler!

• How to get to Green Lake, Whistler: Take the #30 or #32 BC Transit bus north to Rainbow Estates or Emerald Estates stops. From there, it is just a short 5-minute walk to reach the lake. There is limited Green Lake Whistler parking. It’s best to park in the village and take transit.

Nita Lake

Nita Lake, a small lake near Creekside, and the stunning Nita Lake Lodge hotel which I highly recommend staying at if you’re looking to treat yourself in Whistler.

Even if you don’t book the Nita Lake Lodge Whistler Hotel for your accommodation, you can book a spa treatment and then enjoy their beautiful outdoor/indoor spa area with mountain and lake views afterward. It’s well worth doing!

Nita Lake itself has a dock where you can enjoy some peace or even go fishing since this lake is stocked with Rainbow Trout for fishing enthusiasts.

There’s a small park next to Nita Lake with some picnic tables and a pebble beach where (if you’re anything like my husband) you might skim stones!

Only electric motors are permitted on the lake to keep it a nice peaceful area.

• How to get to Nita Lake Whistler: Take the #10, #20, or #25 BC Transit bus south to the first stop or third in Creekside, and then proceed to walk approximately 5 minutes on the Valley Trail. This can be done either via the underpass or past Nita Lake Lodge.

Lost Lake

Lost Lake in Lost Lake Park in Whistler Village is the closest lake to the center of the town and so it’s a great lake to visit if you’re only in Whistler for a day, or don’t want to have to travel too far.

It’s one of my favorite lakes in Whistler since you get amazing views and it’s surprisingly peaceful for being so close to the village so you can grab coffee and treats from a great Whistler cafe and relax by the lake.

Lost Lake has a large grassy area as well as picnic tables, BBQ stands, and washrooms. There is a dock out on the lake as well as a swimming pontoon, slackline posts, and a disc golf course.

You’ll also find some hiking trails around Lost Lake which are some of the best trails for easy hikes in Whistler, as well as mountain biking trails.

On weekends and holidays, there is also a bike valet service where you can explore the park on two wheels as well as a food concession stand and food trucks during summer.

In the winter, this is a great option for snowshoe trails in Whistler!

Note: During late July and early August there’s a western toad migration event where some sections of the park are cornered off to help the toads make it to the lake. It’s a pretty cool thing to see (and hear) but does take care not to step on the toads and obey any signage, they’re so small!

You’ll also find an off-leash dog-friendly area at Lost Lake called Canine Cove. Here there’s a sandy beach area where dogs can run free.

• How to get to Lost Lake Whistler: You can either walk or bike the Valley Trail from Parking Lot 4 in Whistler Village which goes through an old-growth forest and past Lost Lake Lodge Whistler. Or you can take the free Lost Lake Shuttle #8, which operates daily from June 17 through Labour Day (September 4) between 11 AM and 6 PM.

AllTrails is my go-to hiking app for finding, planning, and navigating while I’m out on the trails. With offline maps on AllTrails+ you can be confident you’re still on the right track, even without mobile signal.

Russet Lake

Up in the Alpine between Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain sits Russet Lake which is a great place to hike to if you’re looking for a hiking and camping near Whistler.

You can choose to either pay for the gondola and then hike the Musical Bump over to Russet Lake or hike up Singing Pass which means you don’t have to pay for the Whistler gondola summer pass.

Though I have bad memories of Singing Pass having come down it at the end of my backcountry skiing trip on the Spearhead Traverse, I’m sure hiking is lovely!

You’ll walk through the forest on a gentle climb, up through the valley and under the Peak to Peak gondola. Once you come out of the forest you’ll find yourself in the Alpine at the end of the Musical Bumps Trail.

You can either head up and over The Musical Bumps Trail and take the Gondola down. Or, if continue on to Russet Lake, take one final climb up Cowboy Ridge then down to the lake, campground, and Kees and Claire hut.

Russet Lake is surrounded by absolutely stunning mountain ranges including Whirlwind Peak and Fissile Peak. You can either camp by booking through BC Parks or stay at the Kees and Claire Hut for a slightly more comfortable stay.

Singing Pass & Russet Lake

• Distance: 31km
• Duration: 1300m
• Elevation: 10-12 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Trail map

Garibaldi Lake

Garibaldi Lake stands as one of the best well-known lakes around Whistler and personally, it holds a special place in my heart for being the first long hike we did in Canada back in 2017 and for just how pretty it is!

It’s no surprise it’s included in my best hikes near Vancouver post!). Having hiked it multiple times, I can confidently say that it never fails to leave me in awe.

The trail to Garibaldi Lake begins with a series of switchbacks meandering through the enchanting forest. As you ascend, the trail opens up to a breathtaking viewpoint, providing a glimpse of the final stretch leading to the majestic Garibaldi Lake itself. The lake is an absolutely beautiful color but yes, it is cold!

Garibaldi Lake gets busy, especially during the summer months. From June to October, a BC Parks Day Pass is required for access, and park rangers will check for passes as you drive up to the trailhead.

Though getting to this lake near Whistler requires more effort than those near the Village, it’s well worth the hike.

You can hike to Garibaldi Lake as a day trip, or do it as an overnighter (you’ll need to book a camping spot in advance). Opting for an overnight trip is particularly recommended if you intend to extend your hike to Panorama Ridge or Black Tusk which gives you incredible views of Garibaldi Lake as well as the surrounding mountains.

Garibaldi Lake Trail Stats:

• Distance: 18km
• Duration: 5-7 hours
• Elevation: 820m
• Difficulty: Intermediate-Hard
• BC Parks Day Pass or camping reservation needed
• Trail map

Cheakamus Lake

The Cheakamus Lake trail in Whistler is another beautiful lake near Whistler that you can get to by taking an easy hiking trail. Though the hike is long (about 14 km) it has minimal elevation and you reach the lake itself fairly early on.

You can also bike the trail to Cheakamus Lakes, one of the few trails in Garibaldi Provincial Park that allows this.

This lake, as with many in this area and Garibaldi Provincial Park, is stunning!

Since Cheakamus Lake is fed with snowmelt it’s freezing cold as I personally experienced after I dove in. Sure, I didn’t stay in for long, but it was nice and refreshing after biking into Cheakamus.

• Distance: 14 km round trip
• Duration: 2-4 hours
• Elevation: Minimal
• BC Parks day pass or camping reservation needed
• Trail map

Wedgemount Lake

The trail to Wedgemount Lake north of Whistler is widely regarded as one of the hardest well-known trails in Garibaldi Provincial Park.

It’s a long hike and there’s a very steep scramble section before you top out at the lake. It is, however, one of the most beautiful lakes around Whistler.

The color is stunning and very green, and there are glaciers and icebergs in the lake just a bit further up from Wedgemount.

I recommend doing this trail as an overnight trip since it’s quite a hard one as that’ll make it more enjoyable and you get to enjoy the beauty of the lake after other day hikers have gone home.

Wedgemount Lake trail stats

• Distance: 14km
• Duration: 6-8 hours
• Elevation: 1,375m
• Difficulty: Hard
• A camping reservation is needed if doing an overnight.
• Trail map

Loggers Lake Whistler

The Loggers Lake trail in Whistler was a trail I added to the end of my bike ride to Cheakamus Lake one summer while exploring Whistler’s Interpretive Forest.

You access this trail system from the Whistler Interpretive Forest area and it’s a short and easy Whistler hike with just one steep section to climb up to the Lake.

The access road is a gravel road so you’ll want to take your drive quite slow, and there’s limited parking on the side of the road at mini-pullouts.

You’ll also cross over the Whistler Suspension Bridge over Cheakamus River which is pretty cool in itself. And, if you don’t want to climb the hill up to Loggers Lake then you can just wander through the forest and alongside the river.

The Lake itself is quite small and there’s a path the entire way around so you can take a walk around it, find somewhere to r,elax and even take a refreshing swim before heading back to your car.

It’s a nice peaceful spot to enjoy and one of the best hikes in Whistler Canada.

Loggers Lake Trail Stats

• Distance: Under 3km
• Duration: 30 mins – 1 hour
• Elevation: 108m
• Trail map

Rainbow Lake 

Rainbow Lake near Whistler, is a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains that you’ll need to hike to.

The hike starts near Alta Lake Road and you’ll go through beautiful forest before coming out to alpine views and the lake itself.

When timed right in August, the wildflowers around the lake are in full bloom and the views on a clear day are spectacular, with Black Tusk visible in the distance.

You’ll also go past the beautiful Rainbow Falls near the beginning before you start climbing gradually up to this gorgeous Whistler Lake.

There are no facilities here since you’re in the backcountry so make sure you’ve packed your 10 essentials for hiking before heading out on this trip.

This is a popular lake in Whistler for hiking, camping, and snowshoeing or backcountry skiing in the winter. You’ll likely see other people around but remember to be bear-aware and pack your bear spray as this is also bear country.

Rainbow Lake trail stats

• Distance: 15.5 km
• Duration: 4-6 hours
• Elevation: 870 m
• Trail map

Iceberg Lake Whistler

Iceberg Lake near Whistler is one of the more remote lakes in the area and involves a challenging hike to get to it.

The journey to Iceberg Lake takes hikers high into the alpine, following a scenic forested trail along 19 Mile Creek before passing by a picturesque meadow where you’ll be able to see the Rainbow Glacier.

You’ll then have to navigate your way over a boulder field before you get to Iceberg Lake itself. The lake is so-called since you’ll usually see chunks of ice from the glacier floating in the lake like little icebergs!

If you do this trail via 19 Mile Creek, you’ll also get glimpses of Green Lake down below you which glints in the sunshine and becomes even prettier.

Whistler Ice Berg Lake trail stats

• Distance: 21 km
• Duration: 6-8 hours
• Elevation: 1 100 m
• Trail map

Lillooet Lake

Lillooet Lake outside of Pemberton about an hour north of Whistler is one of the most popular lakes near Whistler for camping.

The lake is beautiful flanked by forests and mountains and is the perfect spot for a weekend of camping with friends (as long as you get there early since it gets very busy!).

One thing to note though is that Lillooet gets extremely bad mosquitoes so be sure to pack plenty of bug spray and whatever other devices you have to keep them away. Otherwise, prepare to get out on the lake where they both you a lot less.

• How to get to Lillooet Lake: Drive north on the Sea to Sky Highway (Hwy 99) and then follow signs to Lillooet Lake.

Joffre Lakes

Commonly mistaken as being in Whistler, Joffre Lake is around an hour further north of Whistler. Getting from Whistler to Jofre Lake is pretty easy as you just follow Highway 99 north of Whistler.

Joffre Lake is also actually three lakes, Joffre Lakes, with the upper two being the most impressive but requiring a hike to get to. You can also visit Lower Joffre Lakes if you’re just looking for somewhere to stretch your legs as you drive north of Whistler since this is an easier lake to get to (but you’ll still need a day pass!).

Though many people describe this as an easy hike, there’s still some elevation and you do still need proper hiking gear. Don’t go trying this in shoes that aren’t suitable for hikes.

When hiking Joffre lakes in early November one year, we saw people in sneakers attempting to navigate over snow and I,ce and let’s just say, it wasn’t going too well for them. You’ll have a lot more fun if you know what to pack for hiking and plan according to the conditions.

Joffre Lake hike stats:

• Distance: 10 km
• Duration: 3-4 hours
• Elevation: 37 0m
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• NOTE: You need a BC Parks day pass or camping reservation needed

Duffey Lake

Duffey Lake is another beautiful lake that lies north of Whister and is one of the most stunning lakes in the area.

To get to this lake, you’ll drive along Duffey Lake Road, ‘The Duffey’ as it’s known by locals. Though the lake is in what feels like quite a remote area, it’s not too far off the highway so it’s relatively easy to get to from Whistler too.

You’ll not only get views of a stunning lake but beautiful mountain views, wildflowers, and wildlife. If you have a fishing license you can enjoy fishing in Duffey Lake, find a spot alongside the lake to hang out with, a book or perhaps launch your paddleboard or kayak to see the beautiful surroundings from a different perspective.

• How to get to Duffey Lake from Whistler: Drive north out of Whistler on Hwy 99 for about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

FAQS on the best lakes in Whistler

Final thoughts on the best Whistler BC lakes

There are so many beautiful lakes near Whistler whether you’re looking for one where you can just chill out for a day, or a lake to hike to in Whistler.

My favorites are Alta Lake and Lost Lake in Whistler Village and Wedgemount Lake and Garibaldi Lake as lakes near Whistler to hike to.

And, if you want more beautiful hiking and swimming lakes in BC, be sure to check out my guide to the best lakes near Vancouver.

If you’re heading over to Alberta as part of your trip to Canada, then these Banff, Alberta Lakes are arguably even more beautiful than those in BC!