Watersprite Lake Hike and Camping – Squamish, BC

This was one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done. It also was our first backpacking experience with our dog, Odin, a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon we recently adopted. The trail is rated intermediate. It isn’t too tough if you do it without an overnight backpack, however it’s more challenging than expected if you’re hiking with a large pack. The trail is only about 12 miles round-trip, so you could easily do it as a day hike, however I highly recommend spending a night or two at the campground. The bright turquoise lake is set dramatically against a stark, pointy peak. I believe you can rent a cabin, but tent camping is really fun. The hike is gorgeous and provides stunning views of the Mamquam River, peaks in Garibaldi Provincial Park, Martin Peak, Dreadnought Peak, and the Watersprite Creek Valley. Dogs are allowed, and we allowed ours off leash the entire hike. Once you arrive at camp, there are bear boxes (so you don’t need to haul your own), and plenty of area to climb and scramble around in the nearby peaks. You also can cool off in the lake, but it is literally freezing, so don’t expect to swim or lounge for long. We went in July, and although it was upper 80s in the surrounding area, the temperature around the lake was upper 60s or low 70s during the day, and low 50s / upper 40s at night, so bring layers regardless of the season.

 

Watersprite Lake Hike Behind Lake Campgroud Squamish BC TravelSages Dog Friendly.jpg
View from the hike to Watersprite Lake.

 

Watersprite Lake Hike Squamish BC TravelSages Dog Friendly Pointer
More views from the hike to Watersprite Lake.

 

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The classic shot. This is the first view of the lake when you cross the final ridge. The campground is up against the pointy mountain.

 

Watersprite Lake Hike Camping Campground Floaties Squamish BC TravelSages Dog Friendly.jpg
Trust me, this isn’t as enjoyable as it looks…

 

Watersprite Lake Hike Squamish BC TravelSages Dog Friendly Odin
You can scramble up the mountains behind the campground to various overlooks like this.

 

Watersprite Lake Hike Behind Lake Campgroud Squamish BC TravelSages Dog Friendly.jpg
You can climb beyond the overlooks and into this valley with glaciers and scrambling.

About the author

Lauren is a 'digital nomad' (for lack of a less obnoxious term) who works, lives, and travels out of her truck camper with her partner, Patrick, and dog, Odin, the one-eyed Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. She started TravelSages in the summer of 2013, and has since founded a digital marketing consultancy, called LyteYear, and a sustainability brand, called RePrint. Before moving into her tiny mobile home, Lauren lived in Chicago for 6 years, pursued two graduate degrees, studied abroad at Oxford, worked for a summer in Hong Kong, and traveled to various countries in between. She has a mildly unhealthy love of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Netflix, and breweries with good New England IPAs.

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