Approximately 130 KM (81 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. Hiking time round trip- 6 to 7 hrs. Round trip roughly 16 KM (10 miles), elevation gain-825 meters (2,698 feet). Best time is usually July to October.
Directions: From Vancouver drive north on highway 99. Using the traffic lights at Cleveland Avenue on highway 97 in Squamish as 0KM drive north 53KM (32.9 miles) towards Whistler. Look for Alta Lake Road and turn left (west) onto it. The road crosses the CNR tracks and runs along the west side of the valley for roughly 7KM (4.4 miles). Just after the cemetery where the road crosses Twentyone Mile Creek there is a parking area. The trail is found on the west side of the road following a creek heading upstream.
The trail was well marked and easy to follow. After several minutes on the trail it went onto a road. Follow the road which steadily gains altitude until another trail head is seen. This will usually take about 20 to 25 minutes. This trail heads into thick forest. There are some bridges crossing streams and board walks for the muddy sections. The forest and the mountain ranges on a sunny day are quite scenic. Just before the lake there is a short steep ascent. The lake and surrounding area are very scenic. The photographs below show the lake as it was in 1997 and 1998.
Rainbow Lake 1998/08 |
Rainbow Lake 1997/08 |