Coquitlam Lake View Trail

Route Description for Coquitlam Lake View Trail

The Coquitlam Lake View Trail passes through the heavily forested lower portion of Pinecone Burke Provincial Park and utilizes its dense network of trails. Hikers should bring a good trail map or GPS when navigating this trail, as there are numerous side paths - especially along the initial stretch of the hike - that stray away from the main course. This network of trails is also a popular place for mountain bikers, so be mindful of your surroundings and share the space with other people along the trail. Additionally, the upper portions of the trail can be covered with snow and ice, making microspikes a friendly piece of kit to bring along on early/late season hikes.

Although this route passes through a heavily forested stretch of land, there are numerous creek crossings and small waterfalls along the trail to keep you entertained as you pass through the wooded landscape. After making their way through the beautiful West Coast forest, hikers will be rewarded with truly stunning views at the end of the trail. From here, you will be able to look out to the west over the waters of Coquitlam Lake that sits in front of a mountain ridge that houses Eagle Mountain, Tangled Summit, and Mount Beautiful.

Setting out from the parking area, follow the Garbage Trail as it heads northeast into the dense tree cover. Reaching a four-way junction with the Woodland Walk Trail, hike straight through and keep left at the junction immediately after to continue on the Garbage Trail. Follow this for another 550 m , where you will enter into a powerline clearing in the forest. Follow the trail directly across the clearing to re-enter the forest on the opposite side.

Now travelling along the Coquitlam Lake View Trail, continue straight for 1km to reach a fork in the path. Follow this to the left to continue along the trail as it skirts alongside a creek before breaking north. Another 1.2 km of hiking through the dense cover of the forest will bring you to a junction with the Sawblade Trail to your left that leads down to Sawblade Falls. Ignore this - or save it for the return trip - and keep straight along the trail to continue on to the viewpoint.

From here, you will need to make your way across the creek bed toward another fork 150 m down the trail. Go right at the fork and follow the trail straight to continue your uphill climb for 650 m, where you will reach another junction. Take the trail to the left to begin the final ascent toward the viewpoint overlooking Coquitlam Lake.

As you climb up the hill, you will come out at the viewpoint over the lake, but pressing on for a few extra minutes will bring you to an even better vantage point with more stunning views. After reaching this further lookout, you will be greeted with awesome views over the peaceful waters of Coquitlam Lake, nestled in the valley below the mountains. After taking in the sights and breaking for a quick snack, head back down along the same route to return to the parking area, having completed the Coquitlam Lake View Trail.

Hiking Route Highlights

Coquitlam Lake

This body of water along the Coquitlam watershed serves as one of the three main sources of drinking water for the Metro Vancouver area. The lake is also a part of the BC Hydro system, with a pipeline that diverts some of its water down to nearby Buntzen Lake to aid in hydroelectric power generation.

Insider Hints for Coquitlam Lake View Trail

• Bring a trail map or GPS for the initial portion of the trail, as the route is part of a dense network of hiking trails.
• Wear proper hiking footwear - preferably water-resistant - as sections of the trail are rocky and require hiking along a creek bed.
• Microspikes are also helpful in snowy trail conditions.
• Bring hiking poles to help traverse technical sections of the trail and to lessen the impact on your knees during the descent
• As with most BC hiking trails, bring bear spray to avoid any close encounters.
• Arrive early for this hike, as the trail can become very busy around midday.