I woke up early on a Saturday morning, excited for my hike to Joffre Lakes. 

The drive from Vancouver was about 3 hours, and I packed plenty of water and snacks for the long day ahead. The Joffre Lakes hike is a moderate 4.6-kilometre (2.9 mi) out-and-back trail with an elevation gain of 370 meters (1,216 ft). The trail is 35 kilometres (22 mi) east of Pemberton and features three glacier-fed lakes: Lower, Middle, and Upper Joffre Lakes. It is considered easy to intermediate-level hiking, but that is based on personal preference and whether or not you are a frequent hiker. It took my friends and me a total of 5 hours to complete the entire hike–up and down the mountain, including time for lunch and to soak in the beautiful scenery. 

When I arrived at the trailhead, I was greeted by a beautiful view of the mountains and an abundance of trees. The trail started off easy enough, only going slightly uphill and downhill, without any rocks, but it quickly became more challenging. It surprised me because I definitely thought it would be a relaxing nature walk based on the first 5 minutes but it suddenly turned into a pretty steep uphill climb. There were many stairs and rocks to climb, and the elevation gain was noticeable.

After about 5 minutes of walking on quite level ground, I reached the first lake. The lake was even more stunning than I had imagined, with its turquoise waters and snow-capped mountains in the background. I’ve never seen water so vibrant and blue, so it was definitely a view to absorb. I took a few minutes to relax and enjoy the view, take some pictures, before continuing on my hike.

The next lake, Middle Joffre Lake, was even more beautiful than the first lake. The turquoise waters were even more vibrant, and the mountains were even more imposing. I spent more time at Middle Joffre Lake, taking pictures and enjoying the peace and quiet. We were quite hungry by this point and took a lunch break in the warm sun. Since we were closer to the top, we could feel the breeze coming from the atmosphere and the glaciers. We even dipped our toes into the cool waters to find it absolutely freezing!

There is a waterfall between Middle Joffre Lake and Upper Joffre Lake. The water droplets splashed onto us as we admired the beauty of nature, and it gave a refreshing and relaxing vibe. At this point, it seemed as if the hike's steep incline and elevation gain didn’t matter because of the spectacular views. 

The final lake, Upper Joffre Lake, was the most challenging to reach. The trail was steep and rocky, and it took me about 25 minutes to reach the lake. But the views from the lake were absolutely worth it. Snow-capped mountains surrounded the turquoise waters, and there was even a waterfall cascading down the side of the mountain. If you zoomed in and looked closely enough, you could see the streams of water rushing down from the top of the mountains.

I spent about an hour at Upper Joffre Lake, just taking in the beauty of the scenery. It was the perfect place to relax and reflect on my hike. The trek down was much easier than the journey up, but my knees were definitely feeling it by the end. But it was all worth it once I made it back to the trailhead.

I had a truly amazing experience hiking Joffre Lakes. It was challenging, but it was also incredibly rewarding. I would definitely recommend this hike to anyone looking for a great day in the mountains. Although considered relatively “easy to medium level”, I would not recommend pets to come on this hike, and I did not see pets while I was there. This hike is quite family friendly as I did catch families and even children and the elderly climbing this mountain, which I thought was quite impressive given the elevation gain. 

Here are some tips for hiking Joffre Lakes:

• Start early in the morning to avoid crowds.

• Bring plenty of water and snacks.

• Wear comfortable hiking shoes or shoes that have a bit of grip so you don’t slip while coming down from the top.

• Be prepared for the elevation gain–it is not a nature walk. 

• Take your time and enjoy the scenery and keep yourself hydrated with lots of electrolytes. 

• Be respectful of the wildlife.

• Leave no trace or garbage behind. There are trash cans at the beginning of the trail, so make sure to keep all your trash and throw it out when you come back down.

The address is Squamish-Lillooet, BC V0N 2K0, and once you drive there the parking lot is connected straight to the front desk where they check your day pass (which is free from May to October). I hope you have the opportunity to hike Joffre Lakes someday! It is a truly magical place to experience the beauty of nature in British Columbia.