Brohm Lake is an awesome area for hiking just north of downtown Squamish.
If you’ve driven between Squamish or Vancouver and Whistler then the chances are you’ve seen the signs for Brohm Lake and even part of the lake itself.
I had driven past Brohm Lake many a time before I finally decided to take myself on a solo hiking trip there one winter. It quickly became one of my favorite winter hikes near Vancouver and the viewpoint of the Tantalus Range from these trails is incredible!
The town of Squamish is home to many beautiful lakes to explore whether you’re after somewhere for swimming, hiking, or paddling. The Brohm Lake trails are perfect for taking a walk around the lake and hiking up to get beautiful views of the Tantalus mountain range.
Right off the highway, this lake is super accessible and makes for a great day hike with family and friends.
Personally, the Tantalus view trail at Brohm Lake is one of my favorite hikes in Squamish!
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Brohm Lake, Lynn Headwaters Regional Park
Driving down the Sea to Sky Highway I noticed a bridge going across a lake and wondered what its purpose was. Turns out it is part of the Brohm Lake Interpretive Forest trails just north of Squamish.
One December morning I took myself on a solo hike through the forest coming across the most beautiful views of the Tantalus Mountain Range (my favorite!).
On my hike, the trails through the forest were the most appealing part of the area as I hiked through the quiet forest crossing small wooden bridges before climbing up to the viewpoint.
In the summer, the lake becomes the main attraction as it’s a great temperature for swimming which makes it a very popular spot.
You’ll need to arrive early if you have plans of chilling out by the lake as the parking lot gets very full early on in the day.
If you’re planning a trip to Brohm Lake, check out this guide.
Brohm Lake hike basics
Know the essential hike details for the Brohm Lake trail up to the Tantalus Lookout Squamish. This works on the basis of doing the Brohm Lake Loop with the additional Tantalus view lookout add-on.
- Difficulty: Easy-Intermediate
- Distance: Varies
- Elevation: Varies, 100m to the viewpoint
- Time: 2+ hour
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.
Brohm Lake Squamish
This trail guide for Brohm Lake takes you up to the viewpoint of the Tantalus mountains and loops across the bridge to the southern end of Brohm Lake and then back to the parking lot.
This loop can be extended or reduced as you wish.
For example, a longer route would take you down the Thompson Trail to Paradise Valley and the salmon hatchery (steep), and a shorter route could just be an out-and-back to the viewpoint and parking lot.
This Brohm Lake trail map will help you see the route as described below.
The parking lot for Brohm Lake gets busy in the summer as the lake is lovely for swimming and this is one of the best hikes in Squamish. Brohm Lake itself is one of the most popular lakes in Squamish.
Tantalus viewpoint loop Brohm Lake
From the parking lot, walk towards the main wooden signboard and go right to a junction where there are pit toilets. Just before you reach the toilets there’s a small trail to the left which you’ll need to take.
It goes slightly uphill and winds its way through the forest and around some rocky areas. Stay on this trail as it goes alongside the lake climbing up some wooden steps and across a couple of wooden bridges.
After one of the wooden bridges, you’ll reach a marker pointing towards the Brohm Creek Trail. Go left at this junction until you come to another junction with the Thompson Trail (this is where you can go to the Paradise Valley area).
To get to the Tantalus view trail at Brohm Lake, stay on the trail you were on, where you’re now heading along the backside of the lake.
The Tantalus Lookout hike continues through the forest and comes to a junction with the Connector Trail. This trail will be on your right and goes steeply up a slope for a short while before meeting with the High Trail.
Go right here for some more uphill and then right again to reach the Tantalus viewpoint.
The Tantalus range lookout is fairly overgrown but does offer some great views of the mountain range in front of you.
Return to the junction with the High Trail and make a right to join the High Trail in the opposite direction to the way you came from.
Continue downhill on this park past some streams and over wooden bridges until you meet up with the Alder Trail on your left.
Take this trail and continue back towards the lake and highway crossing over a long wooden bridge over Brohm Lake (this is the one that can be seen from the highway).
Once you’ve crossed this bridge, head left and walk along the gravel trail next to the highway enjoying the lake before returning to the parking area.
How to get to Brohm Lake
For Brohm Lake directions, Brohm Lake is about 15 km north of downtown Squamish and is easily accessible from the Sea to Sky highway.
From Vancouver, head north on the Sea to Sky highway past Squamish and towards Alice Lake Provincial Park.
On the right, there’s a sign to Cat Lake Recreation Area, and then keep an eye on the left as 1km further north there’s a small parking area just off the highway.
What you should know before hiking to Brohm Lake Squamish
- There is no Brohm Lake camping permitted.
- Always practice leave no trace ethics. Not sure what those are? Get a refresher here.
- Refresh your memory about hiking safety with BC Adventure Smart.
- Brohm Lake cliff jumping: There’s a Brohm Lake rope swing set up not far from the parking lot, and further down the path is a great spot for cliff jumping. Look for a small cove and next to that is a large sheer rock with multiple platforms of around 20 ft – 40 ft high.
- Brohm Lake Parking: There are a couple of relatively small parking lots just off the highway.
What to pack for Brohm Lake and Tantalus Lookout BC?
What to pack for this hike depends on what season you’re hiking in.
- Check out my day hike packing list here.
- If you’re hiking in summer you should pack sunscreen, sunglasses, layers, water and bug spray as well as everything in the 10 essentials for hiking list.
- Here is what to wear hiking in hot weather
- Check out this post on the best leggings for hiking or what to wear hiking in summer for more details and my gear recommendations.
- If you’re hiking in winter after the snow has started falling you’ll need microspikes at the very least. If there is a lot of snow you will probably need snowshoes.
- You should also take plenty of layers including a fleece layer, a puffy insulated jacket and a wind and waterproof outer layer. Hats and gloves are also necessary as well as a good backpack to keep everything in.
- You should also pack water and some snacks too to keep you going as they’re part of the 10 essentials for hiking!
- Planning a hiking date? Check out what to wear on a hiking date but still look cool.
Other great Squamish hikes I recommend
If you’re looking for more hikes in Squamish, below are some others that I really recommend. Or, if you want something to do after you’ve done your hike, be sure to check out this guide of what to do in Squamish.
Some of my other favorite Squamish hikes include Mount Crumpit, which has great views of the Chief, and the Slhanay Peak trails.
Of course, hiking the Chief Trail in Squamish is a classic you must do, and the Sea to Summit trail that takes you to the top of the Squamish Gondola is another hike in Squamish well worth doing.
If you’ve enjoyed these hikes and are looking for more ideas for hikes near Vancouver, be sure to check out all these Vancouver hiking guides.
Last Updated on October 29, 2023 by Hannah
Hannah started That Adventurer after graduating back in 2013 and has documented all of her adventures since then. From backpacking South America to city breaks in Europe, a 3 month road trip across the USA in a self-converted van and 6 years living in Canada, you’ll find posts on all of this.
Hannah specialises in active travel and on That Adventurer you’ll find hiking, walking, biking, skiing and all sorts of active travel guides to allow you to see a destination in an adventurous way.
Now back in Europe, you’ll find new guides as Hannah and her husband spend the next year ‘digital nomading’ from Norway to Portugal, Switzerland to Scotland and places in between.