Opinion:
To be honest, this is one of our hikes of last resort. It’s not the most interesting trail – at least, to us – but it is decent, easy hiking with enough up and down to make it a workout, plus some of the forest is really quite nice. The worst part about this hike is getting there from Vancouver which involves a long, tedious urban drive, although those who live closer might think differently. On the plus side, if you like a craft beer afterwards, Port Moody definitely has you covered…
Fact
At this time of year, there was no problem finding a parking spot. Be aware the gate closes at 4:30 pm on the shortest days. The washrooms were open.
We followed a clockwise circuit around the lake. There were plenty of signs to keep us on track (plus we know the area quite well) but it might still be worth having a map downloaded onto your phone. Note that cell phone service here is extremely unreliable. The trail was mostly in good shape with very little mud, though it was quite rocky in places. Good footwear is wise.
Flora/fauna/fungi: even the fungi had mostly disappeared, save for a few stragglers (but what amazing stragglers they were – see the photos below!). Bird life was the usual suspects: chickadees, kinglets, robins, wrens, dark-eyed juncoes, and a varied thrush or two. A few Douglas squirrels had the nerve to scold us after last week’s encounter at Joffre Lakes…
Distance: 10 km
Elevation gain: 240 m
Time: 2 h 30 m
Key moments
- 😀 Finding some amazing little fungi
- 😀 Enjoying the easy hiking
- 😀 Absorbing the calm of the lake and forest
- 🙁 Being subjected to the worst-sounding drone I have ever heard in my life. I was willing it to crash…
This trail lies on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, and Stó:lō First Nations.
Story
Some places make for good Plan As and Plan Bs. Buntzen Lake is one of those places. We had originally planned to hike the Diez Vistas trail but a leisurely start had us rethinking and, in the daylight we had left, we were content to do a simple walk around the lake. The day was cold and dank and we were keen to get moving, setting off through the moss-laden big-leaf maples and spindly thickets of salmonberry before crossing the floating bridge and turning north to hike alongside the lake. Although the trail is rarely far from shore, lake views are few and far between and so we settled into a steady pace and just let our feet carry us along.
I must admit that we have allowed ourselves to become a little desensitized to this hike, and it no longer elicits much of an enthusiastic response when we discuss it. However, I do still remember the feeling of visiting the Buntzen Lake area for the first time (in 2005), impressed by the dense, green forest and in awe of the steep cliffs and slopes of Eagle Ridge. To me, some of the sheer granite walls brought back memories of Yosemite, and yet this was just another valley in southwest BC; nothing special in some ways, and yet how remarkable to have something so spectacular so close to Vancouver! With that in mind, I did take a moment to enjoy the views at the lakeside when offered, especially with the water being so still and reflecting the trees and cliffs so clearly.
A person on a paddle-board had the lake to themself, a tiny speck below the tall slopes of the ridge. It was a good day to be out on such calm water. We continued on, climbing and descending through the forest, crossing creeks named for various plants. I tried to keep track of these as a memory game, and we recounted as many as we could later, but now as I write, most have fled except for some of those whose names I already know well: queen’s cup, cypress, fir, maple, trillium, huckleberry to name a few. And yet – literally as I type these words – the name of another creek bursts into my mind: Xanthoria Creek, named for a colourful, orangey-yellow lichen. The first time I saw these labels I imagined they told of what grew there – and in some sense that’s true, given that (almost) all are BC-native plants – but, alas, it was rare for me to find the very plant at its namesake creek.
We crossed the north end of the lake on the new suspension bridge, which was much less bouncy than its predecessor, and paused awhile at North Beach to take in the view across the lake. Unfortunately that moment was spoiled by a someone flying a drone which was – without doubt – the worst sounding drone I’ve ever heard. It was a relief when the thing landed and we soon continued on to get ahead of the owner and his inability to conduct a quiet conversation.
We picked up the trail along the east side of the lake. It’s a nice easy trail that crosses many little creeks, passes through some lovely mixed forest, and has the occasional lake view. I’ve come to appreciate and enjoy hiking it. We powered along, enjoying the chance to step out a little quicker than we usually hike. A light rain caught up with us as we neared the parking lot, stippling the surface of the lake though we barely noticed under the cover of the trees. We passed a recent cougar-warning sign near the small dog off-leash compound and were soon back at the car, satisfied to have spent some time outside on this gentle, low-key hike.
It was a good reminder that it’s always good to get outside for.a time, even if it’s not the most amazing hike. Not every hike has to be epic. With that, there was only one thing left and that was to find a brewery with space for us to sit and enjoy a post-hike beer in (relative) peace. A very pleasant way to end!
Being. Outdoors. 