Elfin Lakes
49°45′ N 123°03′ W11 km
Elfin Lakes suits hikers and cyclists who want a long, open ridge walk in Garibaldi Park above Squamish, and BC Parks puts the lakes 11 km from the Diamond Head lot with 600 m of elevation change and three to five hours one way. The trade-off is a 16 km drive up a road where BC Parks makes chains mandatory from October through May.
Trail closure
BC Parks closes Rampart Ponds and the trail past Zig Zag Creek
A washout took out the trail around the bridge over Zig Zag Creek, about 1 km short of Rampart Ponds, and BC Parks closed the campground and the trail past the creek in July 2025. BC Parks says no other route gets through and asks hikers to keep out of the area until further notice. Opal Cone and Diamond Head stay open as day hikes from Elfin Lakes, and so do the Gargoyles.
Checked 2026-10-17 · bcparks.ca
Wildlife notice
BC Parks warns of more bears all through Garibaldi Park
BC Parks warned on 5 September 2026 that bears are more active right across Garibaldi Park. Carry bear spray and know how to use it, and stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk. If you camp, cook and eat away from your tent pad, and store food, garbage, toiletries and anything else with a scent in the bear caches whenever you leave the site or go to sleep. Pack out everything you carried in. Call the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277 to report bears and aggressive wildlife.
Checked 2026-10-17 · bcparks.ca
Photo VinceTraveller · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Field card · Hike · No. 004 · checked 16 Oct 2026
Carry chains from October through May, even on a bare road.
Book the free day-use pass before you go
The pass window runs Jun 12 to Oct 12, 2026 (ended).
BC Parks releases free vehicle passes for the Diamond Head trailhead online at 7 am two days before your visit. From 22 September 2026 you need a BC Parks account with a verified identity to book one.
Is it for you?
Elfin Lakes gives hikers and riders a long, steady approach to an open ridge and a bookable shelter, with big volcanic peaks at the far end.
You’ll love Elfin Lakes if
- You want a long day, or an overnight with a roof over your head.
- You'd like to ride a bike to the lakes and walk from there.
Think twice if
- Your car can't handle a gravel road with chains required from October through May.
- You're bringing a dog, since Garibaldi Park bans pets.
Pick the right months for this hike
BC Parks says the alpine flowers bloom in July and August. From mid-November to April or May Diamond Head becomes a ski and snowshoe area with a poled winter route, and chains are mandatory on the access road from October through May.
Know what catches hikers out here
- BC Parks requires chains on the access road from October through May even when it's bare, and its 2026 trail sheet recommends a 4x4.
- Mountain weather changes suddenly and it can snow in any month, so BC Parks expects day visitors to be able to camp out overnight after an injury or a storm.
- In winter the poled route crosses open ridge where whiteouts make route finding difficult, and BC Parks expects every visitor to carry an avalanche transceiver, probe, shovel and first-aid kit.
- Lock up and leave nothing in the car, because BC Parks warns of thieves in Garibaldi Park.
Give the wildlife room
BC Parks reports high black bear activity in the Diamond Head area in September and October, especially around Red Heather, and in September 2026 it warned of more bears across Garibaldi Park. It asks you to carry bear spray and stay alert at dawn and dusk. Report aggressive bears to the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277. Grizzly bears, cougars, wolverines and mountain goats live in the park too, and hikers see them less often. Feeding a bear or leaving an attractant out is an offence under section 33.1 of BC's Wildlife Act.
Follow North Shore Rescue's advice
If you need help and no ranger is around, BC Parks names the RCMP in Squamish as the nearest emergency help, so call 911. Cell coverage reaches most west-facing spots along Paul Ridge to Elfin Lakes, BC Parks says. North Shore Rescue asks every hiker to leave a trip plan and carry the 10 essentials, and a headlamp heads its list.
Turn off Highway 99 onto Mamquam Road 4 km north of downtown Squamish, then follow it through Quest University and up Garibaldi Park Road to the Diamond Head lot at 914 m. BC Parks' trail sheet for 2026 recommends a 4x4 for the gravel and potholes on the upper road. From the lot an old road climbs 5 km and 450 m to Red Heather Meadows, where a day-use shelter has a wood stove in winter. The next 6 km gain another 250 m along Paul Ridge to Elfin Lakes, and Columnar Peak, the Gargoyles, Opal Cone and the Mamquam Icefield come into view.
Elfin Lakes has a 33-bunk overnight shelter and a campground with 35 tent platforms, and both need a reservation all year. BC Parks lets bikes and Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes ride the main trail from the lot to the shelter and no farther. In 2026 a free vehicle day-use pass was required at the Diamond Head trailhead on Fridays to Mondays and holidays from 12 June to 12 October, with designated space for 55 vehicles.
The Mamquam River drainage around Diamond Head lies inside the traditional territory the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) describes on its land page. In September and October BC Parks reports high black bear activity here, especially around Red Heather. From mid-November the area turns into Garibaldi Park's main winter ground, with an orange-poled ski and snowshoe route from Red Heather that calls for avalanche gear and training.
Worth knowing
- In the summer pass window, book the free vehicle pass at reserve.bcparks.ca at 7 am two days before your visit and screenshot it, since cell service in the park is limited.
- Carry chains from October through May even when the road looks bare, because BC Parks requires them.
- Bring your own toilet paper. BC Parks stocks it only at trailheads.
- Carry bear spray in September and October, when BC Parks reports high black bear activity around Red Heather.
- From July to September, check the BC Wildfire Service before you go, since wildfire smoke and closures shape Sea to Sky plans.
Quick answers about Elfin Lakes
How long is the hike to Elfin Lakes?
BC Parks puts Elfin Lakes 11 km from the Diamond Head parking lot, with 600 m of elevation change and three to five hours one way.
Do you need a day-use pass for Elfin Lakes?
Yes, in summer. In 2026 BC Parks required a free vehicle pass at the Diamond Head trailhead on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and holidays from 12 June to 12 October, released online at 7 am two days ahead.
Can you bike to Elfin Lakes?
Yes. BC Parks allows bicycles and Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes on the main trail from the parking lot to the Elfin Lakes shelter and no farther.
Are dogs allowed at Elfin Lakes?
No. BC Parks prohibits dogs and other pets in Garibaldi Park, with an exception for accredited guide and service dogs whose handlers carry proof.
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