Trails

Cheakamus Lake

Difficulty Level: Physically moderate/ Technically easy

Self Sufficiency: Low. - Season: Mid-May through mid-November.

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Synopsis: A 7 km climb up a logging road through the Whistler Interpretive Forest leads riders to the edge of Garibaldi Provincial Park. From here an easy single-track winds its way beside the Cheakamus River through 3 km of spectacular old growth forest to the headwaters, Cheakamus Lake.

Trailhead Access: Ride or drive 7.5 km south from the Village, past Whistler Creek to the Whistler Industrial Park, more commonly known as Function Junction, which is marked with a large wooden sign. Turn left off of the highway, away from Function Junction, and you will immediately see a large information sign and a small parking lot. If you drove, park here and begin the ride; if you rode, check out the maps on the info sign and then begin the ride. Note that the distance given on the sign to the trailhead should read 7 and not 5.5 km's.

The Ride: From the parking lot, continue to ride up the main paved road for a few hundred meters until you reach the first branch on the left, marked as 'Eastside Main' Forest Service Road. Turn left here and start your climb to the upper parking lot. Along the way there are several information signs that describe the various states of regrowth and forest management techniques being employed, as well as a couple of new loop roads, such as the Craterview Loop, that have been cut off of the main road. There is also a very short single-track loop with the rather imposing title of 'Biogeoclimatic Zone Interpretive Trail' that may be worth exploring.

After reaching the upper parking lot the trail narrows to single-track as it climbs for a short distance up and out of the cut block and then begins a gentle ride into the park. The change is staggering, from the scrubby second growth of the Interpretive Forest to the majestic stands of trees that mark Garibaldi Park. The trail continues for about 3 km to the shores of Cheakamus Lake, then continues along the north shore of the lake. This section of trail becomes progressively more difficult until it becomes obvious that it is better suited to hikers than bikers. Where this point is depends upon the rider, though eventually everyone must turn back and retrace their steps to the valley below.