Last updated August 26, 2023

At this time, Joffre Lakes Provincial Park remains closed to the public following an announcement by the Líl̓wat and N’Quatqua First Nations that they were “shutting down” public access to the park until the end of September to support Indigenous celebrations, including harvesting food and ceremonial activities.

Overview:

Visiting Joffre Lakes to see the stunning blue lakes, waterfalls and views of the glacier is likely the most popular day hike in British Columbia.  As a result of numerous articles on the Daily Hive and photos on Instagram, the popularity to visit the park exceeded its capacity. As a result, visitors must now obtain a day pass via the BC Parks website to enter the park. In this post, we share tips about obtaining a day pass and completing the hike.  

How to Reserve a Day Pass:

BC Parks requires that park users reserve a day-use pass during the summer and winter periods at select parks to help manage visitation levels at popular day use areas, like Joffre Lakes.

Here is information about the Day Pass system, as posted on the BC Parks website.

• Passes can be booked starting at 7:00am, two days in advance of your planned visit.
• Passes will remain available until capacity is met — any cancelled passes are added back into the system, so ensure you frequently check back.
• Passes cannot be transferred to another date, time, or location and your pass cannot be shared beyond the group reserved.
• Trail passes must be booked for each individual person per day. A maximum of 4 passes may be booked per transaction. Children 18 and under who are accompanied by an adult do not require a pass.

It took us a few weeks of trying to get passes until we were lucky enough to get them! From stalking the website, it appears that weekdays are less busy and it is easier to get passes but most days are always sold out/full. On a Thursday morning, we were both on our laptops at 06:58 and kept refreshing until 07:00 hit: one of us was successful in getting 2 passes for Saturday and the other was not…the hike was sold out before the clock struck 07:01!!!!

Despite the limits on the number of passes per transaction, the hike was full of large groups, including a group of about 30 that appeared to have chartered a bus? Either some tour operators have access to some passes or there are groups of people obtaining passes for groups, which makes it even more difficult for people to get passes. It is also not possible to find out how many passes are available each day. Is there a black market for passes???

The passes in QR code format will be emailed to you and you can save a screenshot for scanning at the trail entrance. They don’t have a list of names so you need to have the QR code. There isn’t any cell phone coverage in the park so make sure to have the QR code available before arriving. Two people tried to sneak in with us and the park ranger was quick to note our pass was for 2, not 4. We had no idea those people were standing so close to us for that intention, it was awkward!

When to Arrive:

It takes about 2.5 hours to drive to the trail parking from Vancouver and about 1 hour from Whistler. We arrived at 09:15 and there was ample space in the overflow lot but the main lot was full. Unfortunately, getting a pass is the first part of the battle as it only grants you entry to the park. Parking is first come first served and if the parking lot is full, you are not allowed to park on the road: you need to wait until a parking space becomes free. By the time we left at 12:00, there were a few parking spots available in the main lot and the overflow lot.

Based on how busy it was, would regret not starting by 08:00 as we would have had more time to enjoy the trail and lakes before the crowds arrive. As we were coming down the trail around 11:00, it was getting busier.

What to Pack:

The Joffre Lake hike is considered moderate and most websites say it takes about 4 hours return: it’s a 10 km journey with an elevation gain of 370 meters/1,200 feet if you go to the upper lake. Some people only visit the lower lake, which is a 5 minute walk from the trail entrance and the majority go to the middle Joffre Lake. From general observation, only 25% continue to the upper lake. On the trail, you will see the full spectrum of people: some that are poorly equipped to the do the hike, some that have way too much gear, and the more experienced hiker who is adequately prepared and practices good trail etiquette. Everyone has their comfort level but a small day pack with about 1.5 liters of water per person is sufficient. You can also do the hike very comfortably in running shoes, hiking boots are not necessary. Having a small first aid kit packed, a towel and water shoes for swimming, and some snacks is about all you need. While there are outhouses in the parking lot and at the middle lake, having your own supply of toilet paper is always a good idea.

Please note that dogs are not allowed on this trail!

Overall Experience:

We can understand why Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is so popular and a pass system was implemented and why people flock here like it’s an amusement park or mall. The scenery that you can witness on a relatively easy hike is incredible and unparalleled compared to other hikes in the region: 3 glacier lakes, waterfalls and stunning mountain vistas all around! We consider ourselves very fortunate to have had the opportunity get a pass and complete the hike because it was a beautiful trail with spectacular scenery.

We do think that the popularity of the hike and social media, most notably from Instagram Influencers and media outlets like the Daily Hive have contributed to over tourism of the hike and attracting people who don’t have trail etiquette or respect for nature. It is common to see dozens of people line up to take a photo at some of the spots and to have people film content using drones or play loud music. Can’t you just turn down the music and listen to the glaciers melt and the waterfalls for a little while? It’s nature, not a club! The hike is listed as “moderate” and nature should be accessible to all but some people insist on blocking the trail and stopping every 2 seconds to catch their breath, don’t follow the single file system on this narrow trail, and even have their lunch in the middle of the trail, blocking everyone. People are also feeding wildlife which makes them dependent on human food and somewhat aggressive (…the birds will swoop in and grab people’s food and the squirrels will come up to you for food). Outdoor recreation draws in 15 billion $ in economic benefits to the province and as more people come to enjoy the outdoors, the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC is starting to work on a new strategy and we hope, that including education about trail etiquette is part of that.

Our Day:

We spent 2.5 hours at the park in total. It took us 35 minutes to get to the middle lake and another 15 to get to the upper lake. In total, we hiked about 2 hours. We would have stayed longer but felt like it was time to go due to the overall vibe. After the hike, we visited Pemberton to visit some of the farm stands, and stopped at The Beer Farmers for a beer and some food from their food truck. We highly recommend adding The Beer Farmers to your list! And, we also stopped at Sunny Chiba’s in Squamish to get some takeout chicken for dinner!

Have you done the Joffre Lake hike? If yes, what did you think? Was it hard to get a pass?