Wedgemount Lake in British Columbia is one of the best backpacking trips I’ve ever done. I was positively blown away by the sparkly turquoise alpine lake framed by jagged peaks, cascading waterfalls, and glacial sheets.
But getting there is a grind! Involving a grueling ascent and rugged scrambles, the hike to the lake will most certainly test your limits as a backpacker.
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about hiking and camping at Wedgemount Lake in British Columbia, including info on permits, packing lists, campsite options, and exactly what to expect on the trail from start to finish.
Whether you choose to day hike or backpack to Wedgemount Lake, let me help you plan your adventure to one of Canada’s most beautiful lakes.
Guide to Hiking & Camping at Wedgemount Lake
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Key Things to Know Before You Go
- Bring a high-clearance vehicle. The forest service road to the trailhead is filled with large potholes.
- Overnight backcountry permits are required to camp. Permits are released four months in advance on BC Parks’ website.
- The hike is extremely difficult and not for beginners. The hike to the upper campground from the trailhead is about 2.8 miles / 4.5 kilometers with 4,200 feet / 1,280 meters of elevation gain.
- Facilities are primitive. Pit toilets are located at the parking lot and campground, but there is no toilet paper. Also, a backcountry hut is available at the upper campground for emergencies.
- Practice proper bear safety. Bears and cougars are active in this area, so I advise you to bring bear spray. If you’re camping, properly store your food in either a bear canister or the provided bear locker or bags.
- Dogs are not allowed. Help protect the fragile vegetation by leaving your furbabies at home.
- Leave No Trace. Pack out your trash, stay on the trail, practice proper backcountry bathroom etiquette, and don’t approach wildlife.
Wedgemount Lake Permit System: Backcountry & Day Pass Info
The best way to experience the Wedgemount Lake Trail is by backpacking it. Day hiking to the lake is certainly possible, but this would be brutal because you wouldn’t have time to recover before heading back down.
Anyone wanting to camp at Wedgemount Lake must secure a backcountry permit up to four months in advance.
At exactly 7 AM Pacific Time, four months before the start date, backpacking permits go live. I recommend creating a BC Parks account ahead of time and logging in early, as permits tend to sell out quickly.
Those who want to day hike to Wedgemount Lake do not currently need a day pass. However, as this trail becomes increasingly more popular, it is certainly likely in the future. Check the BC Parks website for current info on day passes.
When to Hike to Wedgemount Lake
The best time to hike to Wedgemount Lake is in the summer.
If you hike in the winter, or even the spring or fall, prepare for snow by bringing microspikes, or even snowshoes or crampons.
What to Bring to Wedgemount Lake
Going backpacking to Wedgemount Lake? Here’s a brief overview of what to pack below:
Backpacking gear-wise, you’ll want a 40-60 liter backpack, tent, footprint, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, pillow, bear spray, and trekking poles.
For food and kitchen gear, you’ll want meals, plenty of snacks, coffee and tea supplies, electrolytes, two 1L water bottles for regular water and electrolytes, water filter, stove, cook pot, fuel, lighter, spork, mug, bear canister, trash bag, and paper towels.
For hygiene and health-related gear, you’ll want a toothbrush, toothpaste tabs, face/body wipes, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, SPF lip balm, Kula Cloth, toilet paper, feminine products, a quick-dry pack towel, and vitamins and medications.
Clothing-wise, you’ll want hiking boots/shoes, camp sandals, wool socks (extra pair for sleeping), underwear, sports bra, sun hoodie, shorts or leggings, swimsuit, baselayers, fleece, wind/rain jacket, sun hat, sunglasses, and cold weather gear.
Emergency items-wise, you’ll want a headlamp, downloaded maps, satellite messenger, first aid kit, knife or a multi-tool, and repair kits.
Don’t forget other important items like your phone, photo ID, backcountry permits, and portable power bank.
Last but not least, here are some optional things to carry to the lake: dry bag, solar lantern, camp chair, collapsible bowl, lotion, hairbrush, deodorant, GoPro and camera gear, e-reader, and playing cards.
Going day hiking to Wedgemount Lake? Here’s what to bring:
- Snacks
- Two 1L Water Bottles
- Emergency Blanket
- Rain Jacket
- Puffy
- First Aid Kit
- Knife
- Firestarter
- Downloaded Map
- Headlamp
- Sun Protection
- ID
- Boots
- Backpack + Rain Cover
- Trekking Poles
- Bear Spray
- Electrolytes
- Bathroom Kit
- Water Filter
- Extra Pair of Socks
Directions to Wedgemount Lake Trailhead
Wedgemount Lake has its own trailhead. Click here for Google Maps directions.
From Whistler, travel north on the Sea to Sky Highway. Turn right onto Gravel Pit Road, then veer left and then right, following the signs for the trailhead. Continue on the pothole-ridden service road for about 1.2 miles / 2 kilometers. The trailhead is located at the end of the road, off the upper parking lot.
NOTE: The forest service road to the trailhead is rough and filled with potholes. I’d recommend driving a high-clearance vehicle.
Parking at Wedgemount Lake Trailhead
Parking is available anywhere in the two large lots at the end of the forest service road.
There is a vault toilet at the trailhead, so I’d recommend using it before beginning your hike!
Hiking the Wedgemount Lake Trail
- Length: 6.4 miles / 10.2 kilometers
- Elevation Gain: 4,200 feet / 1280 meters
- Type of Trail: Out & back
- Difficulty: Strenuous
The trailhead is located off the upper parking lot. Cross the bridge over the river and walk down the fire trail. Soon, you’ll see the official trail sign; this is where the trail narrows and starts to climb.
The climb is gentle at first, but not for long. It quickly turns steep.
A majority of the trail is forested, steep, and filled with roots. You’ll be glad you have your trekking poles because the incline is brutal!
To combat the rapid elevation gain, keep sugary snacks in your hip belt that you can easily access, guzzle electrolytes to stay hydrated, and stop for plenty of snack breaks.
One thing we noticed is that the path can be difficult to decipher at times. There appeared to be many intertwining social paths. But we found that many of them were connected, so as long as you keep going up, you’ll be fine!
Psssst: We downloaded maps with AllTrails to avoid getting lost. Use my code alexysabroad30 to get 30% off your membership!
Once you come out of the forest, you’ll pass a massive boulder field to your left. Don’t worry; you’re not ascending this one!
Walk along the bottom of the boulder field and dip back into the forest.
Shortly after the boulder field, you’ll start to hear water. Look straight ahead and slightly to the right of the trail to see the jaw-dropping 984-foot-tall Wedgemount Falls. This waterfall was such a nice surprise!
Once you come out of the forest again, you’ll see another steep boulder field in the distance. This is the one you’ll be climbing. I’m not going to lie, it looks (and it is) intimidating!
The final half-mile stretch to the campground is quite literally a scramble up the boulder field.
Luckily, a small path has been cut into the boulder field (I heard this did not use to be there), so it’s slightly safer now.
But it’s still very steep and dangerous! And since it was raining on our hike, the boulders were slippery.
Make sure to take a moment to look behind you on the boulder scramble. The views of the mountains are insane from such a high vantage point!
Also, watch out for wildlife. We saw about a half-dozen marmots sunning on the boulders in this area. They were so cute!
Once you summit the top of the boulder field, the lake, glacier, and jagged peaks will come into view. You’ve almost made it to the campground! The finish line is a sight for sore eyes (and sore legs), let me tell ya!
The trail meanders past the pit toilet, the emergency hut, and some of the upper campsites before continuing down to the sites beside the lake.
The distance from top to bottom of the campground is around a half-mile, so be prepared to do some extra hiking if you’re staying (or swimming) at the lake.
Also, the portion from the top to the bottom of the campground is quite steep, rocky, and scrambly, as well! But getting to scramble down instead of up was much appreciated at this point.
If you’re interested in venturing to Tupper Lake, walk down to the lakeside campsites and follow the path to the left of the lake and up the slope.
If you’re backpacking, make sure to snag a campsite and drop your heavy backpacks before venturing to Tupper!
Camping at Wedgemount Lake
Reserving a Campsite
Anyone wanting to camp at Wedgemount Lake must secure a backcountry permit up to four months in advance.
At exactly 7 AM Pacific Time, four months before the start date, backpacking permits go live. I recommend creating a BC Parks account ahead of time and logging in early, as permits tend to sell out quickly.
While this is not the most popular backcountry campground in Garibaldi Provincial Park, permits are still difficult to snag due to the limited number of tent pads.
Picking a Campsite
Camping is only allowed in the 20 designated campsites: 10 at the upper campground and 10 at the lower campground.
Since you can’t reserve specific campsites ahead of time, you’ll have to pick one upon arrival!
The upper campsites have wooden platforms, a nearby bear hang system, and a year-round pit toilet. They are closer to the emergency hut and the trailhead.
The lower campsites have gravel sites, a nearby bear locker, and a seasonal pit toilet. They are closer to the lakes and streams for filtering and swimming, and further from the trailhead. No camping at the lower sites in the winter due to avalanches.
We chose to camp at the lower campsites to have proximity to the water (for filtering and swimming). Plus, the sounds of the waterfalls and streams were the perfect white noise for falling asleep!
Storing Food
Since this campground is in bear and cougar country, proper food storage is required at Wedgemount.
Conveniently, there is a bear hang system at the upper campground and a bear locker at the lower campground.
If you store your food in the bear hang at the upper campground, make sure you keep your food in a dry bag as the provided bear bags aren’t waterproof.
We chose to bring a bear canister so that we didn’t have to walk far away to get our food from the locker! If you choose to do this too, just make sure to store your bear canister at least 200 feet (60 meters) from your campsite before going to bed.
Filtering Water
While there is no potable water at Wedgemount, and you should never drink directly from the lake or streams, you can filter water at the campground.
I’d recommend filtering your water at one of the many glacial streams that flow into the lake. I wouldn’t advise filtering from the lake because the sediment could clog your water filter.
NOTE: There were one or two spots to filter water along the trail, but I wouldn’t rely on them, just in case the streams are dried up. Bring at least 2 liters of water per person for the hike up. And whether you’re camping or day hiking, you can filter water at the campground.
Facilites
Even though you’ll be deep in the backcountry, you’ll find a few primitive facilities at the campground! Cool, right?
There are two pit toilets at the campground (a year-round one at the upper and a seasonal one at the lower). Both pit toilets have no toilet paper, so make sure to bring your own.
There is also an emergency hut at the upper campground. You are not allowed to camp inside the hut anymore; it is to be used for emergencies only.
No garbage facilities are available, so you must pack everything out. Never leave anything on the trail or at the campground.
Wildlife
Grizzlies, black bears, and cougars are known to roam around this part of Garabaldi Provincial Park, though we didn’t see any of those on our hike.
What you are more likely to see on the Wedgemount Lake Trail and campground are marmots, squirrels, chipmunks, and deer. We saw probably a dozen marmots sunning on the boulder field at the end!
FAQs About Wedgemount Lake
Are dogs allowed at Wedgemount Lake?
No, dogs are not allowed anywhere in Garibaldi Provincial Park, including Wedgemount Lake.
Do I need a day pass to hike to Wedgmeount Lake?
Those who are day hiking to Wedgemount Lake do not currently need a day pass. However, as this trail becomes increasingly more popular, it is certainly likely in the future. Check the BC Parks website for current info on day passes.
How much are backpacking permits for Wedgemount Lake?
Currently, backpacking permits for Wedgemount Lake cost $10 CAD / $7.23 USD per person plus $6 CAD /$4.34 USD per tent pad.
Is it hard to get backpacking permits for Wedgemount Lake?
While Wedgemount Lake backpacking permits are competitive, they are easier to get than many of the others in Garibaldi Provincial Park, like Garabladi Lake and Taylor Meadows.
How Hard is the Hike to Wedgemount Lake?
Extremely hard! This is one of the most difficult trails I’ve ever hiked. One of the girls in our group had a watch that clocked 2.8 miles with 4,200 feet of elevation gain from the trailhead to the upper campground. (That’s 4.5 kilometers with 1,280 meters of elevation gain).
How Long Does It Take to Hike to Wedgemount Lake?
It took our group about 5.5 hours to hike up and 3 hours to hike down.
The reason it took so long for us to hike up is that we sheltered under trees for about an hour while a thunderstorm rolled through, and stopped for another hour for various snack/lunch/rest breaks.
How Long Is the Wedgemount Lake Trail?
The hike to Wedgemount Lake’s Upper Campground is about 2.8 miles / 4.5 kilometers one way. The hike to Wedgemount Lake’s Lower (lakeside) Campground is about 3.2 miles / 5.1 kilometers, one way.
Can You Camp at Wedgemount Lake?
Yes, with a valid backcountry permit, you can camp at any of the 20 designated campsites at Wedgemount Lake.
10 of the campsites are above the lake, near the emergency hut. These all have wooden platforms.
The other 10 campsites are down by the lake. These all have flat, gravel rings.
Where Are the Best Campsites at Wedgemount Lake?
We walked through the entire campground and scouted out most of the campsites before we selected ours. I’d recommend you do this as well!
But here’s a brief overview of what you can expect at the different campsites:
Upper Campsites – Wooden platforms, closer to the emergency hut and trailhead, nearby bear hang system, year-round pit toilet.
Lower Campsites – Gravel sites, closer to the water, nearby bear locker, seasonal pit toilet, further from the trailhead, closer to streams for filtering water. No camping at the lower campsites in the winter due to avalanches.
We chose to camp at the lower campsites to have proximity to the water (for filtering and swimming). Plus, the sounds of the waterfalls and streams were the perfect white noise for falling asleep!
Can You Swim in Wedgemount Lake?
Yes! Since it’s a glacial lake, prepare for freezing cold water!
Conditions were drizzly and chilly when we arrived at camp, so many of us opted not to swim. But it was sure tempting!
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
- Mount Rainier National Park
- North Cascades National Park
- Olympic National Park
- Crater Lake National Park
- Columbia River Gorge
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