Garibaldi Lake
- Corey Green
- Jun 27
- 2 min read
Garibaldi Lake
Date: June 16th 2026
Distance:
18km, 967 metres elevation gain
11.4 miles, 3173 feet elevation gain
This was my third time on the Rubble Creek trail. I had previously gone up Panorama Ridge and Black Tusk, but never to the lakeshore of Garibaldi Lake.
The Rubble Creek trail to Garibaldi Lake is in exceptional condition. It is likely the nicest trail I have ever been on in terms of condition and grading. This is due to BC Parks using an excavator to create and level the trail.
Regardless, the easy track makes for a great trail to cover the long distance to the lake in a short time frame.
The lake is fascinating. It is 119m deep and formed from the clinker peak eruption 9000 years ago.
The lava flow from the eruption abruptly cooled when it hit the large glacier forming what is now known as The Barrier.
The Barrier is in a sense a natural volcanic dam holding back all the water in Garibaldi Lake allowing it to be so deep.
The Barrier is now the only thing holding back all the water of Garibaldi Lake from flooding Highway 99 and the town of Squamish below.
If The Barrier burst it would be like pulling the plug on a bathtub. Water would rapidly rush down the valley.
Rubble Creek flows from Garibaldi Lake underground beneath The Barrier.
Continuous rockfall falling from The Barrier. Volcanic rock is notoriously loose. Who knows when The Barrier will actually burst.
There are lots of fish in Garibaldi Lake. Looking into the clear waters I could see five fish right in front of me at any given time. Interestingly, the lake was stocked with trout in 1929.
Other lakes which were stocked years ago are now being treated with Rotenone to eradicate fish species in order to protect native Yellow Legged Frogs. This is happening in Sequoia and North Cascades National Park where I used to work.
Questions remain around the safety of Rotenone.
It is the classic predicament of humans intervening in an ecosystem and then needing to remedy their mistake by removing a species in order to save another. I digress.
The waters of Garibaldi Lake are a pristine blue and lined with glaciated peaks around like Castle Towers and the Sphinx Glacier which I hope to climb later this summer.
While you cannot see Garibaldi volcano from the lake you can see Mt. Price and Clinker Peak which is the volcano that erupted and formed Garibaldi Lake. Maybe Clinker Lake didn't have the same ring to it.
It took us 2.5 hours to reach the lake from the trailhead including stopping to admire The Barrier.
Leave No Trace Note:
There is a bear hang at the campsite for those camping. Remember to put everything with a scent in your bear hang including: toothpaste, sunscreen, food dehydrated or not, and all garbage. You need to bring a bag to suspend your food from.
Do not leave any garbage at camp including small food crumbs as this will attract animals to your camp.
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