Lakes in Whistler
Lakes in Whistler
Posted on July 25, 2018
Lakes in Whistler
Lakes and beaches in Whistler have something for everyone. If you are after a day of unwinding and relaxing by the water and just chilling out, then you should take advantage of one of the lakes listed below. With sandy beaches, swim docks, grassy parks, kids play areas, picnic tables and concessions stands, Whistler’s lakes wil keep the entire familiy entertained for the day.
Alta Lake
Alta Lake is the second largest body of water besides Green Lake in Whistler and you can find 4 parks all at different spots of the lake making it the most accessible lake in town. All the parks can be accessed by the Valley Trail which is a huge network of paved trails that connects all of the communities of Whistler. There are over 40kms of trails making it easy to access anything Whistler has to offer, including their many beautiful lakes and beaches.
Rainbow Park
Rainbow Park is located on Alta Lake and is amongst one of the busiest parks in Whistler as it is loved by both locals and tourists alike. Rainbow has a sandy beach and a large green lawn perfect for relaxing and taking in the rays. There is also a swimming dock, picnic tables equipped with BBQ stands, a swimming dock, a concession stand and beach volleyball courts. There is also a park designed especially for your furry family member. Barking Bay is located at the south of the park and allows dogs to be off leash. You can also access the dock with your dog making it the perfect place if your furry friend loves to swim.
Location
Rainbow Park is located just off Alta Lake Road and is a 15 minute drive from the village. You can access it from Alpine then head south or from Tamarisk by heading north. If you dont want to drive, you can bike there on the Valley Trail which will take around 20 minutes from the village.
Lakeside Park
Lakeside Park is also located on Alta Lake and is a popular one because it has everything you need. A big open grass lawn perfect for suntanning along with swimming docks, a children’s play structure, picnic tables with barbeque stands and a concession area so you don’t have to leave when hunger hits. Depending on the day, you might even find one of Whistlers many food trucks ready to serve your every need. You can also rent boats, canoes, paddleboards, kayaks and pedal boats. The River of Golden Dreams can be accessed from Lakeside Park and there is an option of a guided or unguided trip with Backroads Whistler that leaves right from the beach.
Location
Lakeside Park is located 2kms south of Whistler Village in the Alt Vista neighbourhood. You can access the park by car from Hillcrest Drive or by biking or walking along the Valley Trail. With limited parking biking or walking is your best bet. Just head down the Valley Trail past the Whistler Golf Course and follow it towards Lakeside Park.
Wayside Park
Wayside Park is close to Creekside and is a small intimate park perfect if you don’t like a lot of crowds. To access the park by car is a bit difficult and parking is scarce so best way to get to Wayside is from the Valley Trail. All you have to do is keep following it past Lakeside Park for another 5 minutes and you will be there. Whistler Eco tours works out of Wayside Park so you can rent canoes, paddleboards, double kayaks and pedal boats if you want to make a day out of it.
Location
Wayside is located only 3 minutes from Whistler Village but as mentioned, parking is hard to come by so it is best to ride your bike.
Alpha Lake
Alpha Lake Park
Another lake located south of Whistler Village is Alpha Lake which has Alpha Lake Park. This park is quite large and boosts a children’s play structure, a dock, sandy beach, volleyball court along with a tennis court and basketball hoop. There is also off leash dog park called Arfa Park that accesses one of the docks perfect for throwing a stick or ball into the water.
Location
Alpha Lake is 5kms south of Whistler Village in Creekside just past Nita Lake Lodge. You can also access it on the Valley Trail if you continue on from Wayside Park. If you stay on the Valley Trail from the Village you will go past Lakeside Park, Wayside Park, Nita Lake and then Alpha Lake Park.
Lost Lake
Lost Lake Park
Lost Lake Park is one of the more secluded parks in the list. It offers a nice sandy beach with some amazing swimming as it is one of the warmer lakes due to its size. Lost Lake also offers a number of activities you can do in and around the park which is great. There are over 100kms of hiking and biking trails in the summertime making it one of the most accessible biking networks in Whistler. In the winter you can also access 25kms of cross country skiing trails which makes this the spot no matter what time of year. There is also a 27 hole golf disc golf course that you can take on that starts on the North end of Lost Lake. It will take anywhere between 2 to 4 hours to complete.
Location
Lost Lake is extremely accessible, from the village it is only a 15 min walk along the Valley Trail or you can take a complimentary shuttle that runs right from Whistler Village. There is no parking at Lost Lake, just a 5min drop off so make sure you plan ahead if you want to visit this park. Best way is walking, biking or taking the free shuttle.
Whistler is full of amazing lakes where you can spend all day with friends and family taking in the views, playing in the water or taking in one of the many amenities. For more information on any of the lakes listed above or to book your stay in Whistler please call our friendly In-House Reservations Team at 1.800.667.3363 or email [email protected]
photo credit – Mike Crane | TW