Cheakamus Lake
Cheakamus Lake is south-southeast of Whistler, in Garibaldi Provincial Park. The sprawling, turquoise, glacier-fed lake is at 915 m (3001 ft) surrounded by mountains rising to 1,600 m (5248 ft).
The trail to Cheakamus Lake is short (3.4 km / 2.1 mi), entails negligible elevation change, and is thus a very easy hike. But we don't rank the lake among Whistler's top ten hiking destinations.
The forested lakeshore grants limited views, yet the trail is overly popular because (a) it requires minimal time and effort and (b) the lake has two campgrounds: one near where the trail arrives at the shore, another 3.4 km / 2.1 mi farther at Singing Creek.
The optimal perspective of Cheakamus Lake is an aerial one, from the High Note / Musical Bumps trail, which is Trip 2 in Done in a Day Whistler, The Ten Premier Hikes. Here you'll survey the lake and its context: a vast peak-and-glacier studded wilderness. This is much more impressive than gazing across the lake from its shoreline.
If you want to visit Cheakamus Lake, shorten your time investment by riding a mountain bike. Biking is allowed to both lakeshore campgrounds. Be aware, however, that bikes are not allowed on the Helm Creek trail across Cheakamus River bridge. For details about that premier hike, read Panorama Ridge via Helm Creek, which is Trip 9 in Done in a Day Whistler, The Ten Premier Hikes.
If you bike to Cheakamus Lake, make noise frequently to warn bears of your presence. Black bears frequent the lake, particularly in spring, and the speed and silence of a mountain bike can increase the likelihood of a bear encounter.
Go to http://www.hikingcamping.com/photos-whistler.php to see photos of Whistler's premier hiking destinations including two from the High Note / Musical Bumps trail.
Go to http://www.hikingcamping.com/hike-whistler.php to read about Done in a Day Whistler, The Ten Premier Hikes. That's the book you'll want if you're a hiker and you're visiting Whistler.
