I’ve travelled to the lake after renting a canoe from this company twice now, and each time we experienced issues. Looking for an easy canoe ride to a short hike ending in beautiful waterfalls, and all within an hour and a bit drive from Vancouver? Widgeon Creek (not shown on the online map): Widgeon Slough and Widgeon Valley are accessible by canoe. I’ve got such a nice and precious book. After about 40 minutes of casual hiking, we found the sign for Widgeon Lake, just before Widgeon Falls, that led to the more onerous portion of our journey. You aren't there until you see the lake. The portage trail starts just west of the creek inflow, and it’s a tough one: over 500 m long with several uphill sections for a total elevation gain of 40 m. Widgeon Lake Trail is a 9 km green singletrack trail located near Coquitlam British Columbia. We will do an early morning crossing of the narrows, “park” our vessels up the Widgeon Slough and hike up to Widgeon Lake – an elevation gain of 770m over a 18 km distance (round-trip). river-canoe hike. The last 1.8km to Widgeon lake is definitely scramble over logs, rocks, and roots. This hike primary trail can be used both directions. In fact the Widgeon Bowl trail is a very good option to hike up to the Widgeon/Burke summit after people rolling their boats to widgeon campground and set up their camps there. Though I noted above that the canoe rental company was a factor in our time constraints, the actual length and arduousness of the hike are the main determinants of this. In sum, either bring your own form of water transportation, or expect to pay $85 for your canoe and to waste a bit of time dealing with the sluggish rental operation. Paddling time is approximately 2hrs to reach the Widgeon Creek camp site. Widgeon Lake Trail is a 17.4 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Download its GPS track and follow the itinerary on a map. Burnaby, BC I've never done this trail before and most reviews of the area are for the easier widgeon falls hike. Several creeklets and clearings can distract you from the overgrown trail in this area - pay close attention on your way up. It probably isn't a big deal with a day bag, but with an overnight pack the climb seemed eternal. Pitt Lake is located about 1.25 hours from Vancouver. After securing water transportation, any shred of frustration faded away as the 30-minute paddle to the Widgeon Creek Campground served as a gentle start to what became an extremely strenuous day. Be prepared to get on all fours - … https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/widgeon-falls Once we paddling to the Widgeon Creek campground, we pulled the boat up onto the shore and took a quick breather before starting the easy trek to Widgeon Falls. Another option is hiking to the Widgeon falls and even more further into the widgeon lake, difficult but deserved. There are two different modes of travel required to complete this hike (not taking into account one alternative route that requires exponentially more time and effort to complete). If you take it upon yourself to dedicate the time and exertion required to complete the demanding journey to and from Widgeon Lake, I promise that you won’t be disappointed. The trail pops you out about 50m above the shore, which makes for a lovely view. For many, this second waterfall will be plenty - especially as a day trip for those who need to get back across Pitt Lake same day. ClubTread Community > Regional Hiking Discussion > British Columbia - Mainland Hiking > Widgeon Lake User Tag List: Reply. Widgeon Lake. Cycle and hike your way through British Columbia’s rugged landscape on a 6.5-hour tour from Vancouver with lunch. Even if you stay left, there is an impressive cascade another 20mins along the road, and an even nicer one at the 5km mark. In total, the entire trip, including return, takes about 5 – 6 hours. Time: 10 hrs. Keep in mind, the fact that I was willing to spend $85 on a one-day canoe rental twice demonstrates how fucking glorious this lake is. Because of the beauty of the lake and the intensity of the journey to and from it, I don’t think I’ll ever embark on this trek again without planning to camp at least one night at the lake. V5A 1S6, Widgeon Lake: the pinnacle of hiking in the Lower Mainland. Please be prepared for a long day: 10-11 hrs (8 hrs hiking + 2 hrs paddling total). Apparently the trip to the lake is 5 hours each way including canoe time so you can't do it in a day and get the canoes back before closing. This journey felt longer than the distance given here, but the awe-inspiring wilderness the trail cuts through provided plenty of entertainment along the way. It is about an hour's paddle from the parking lot - a lovely one at that, amongst quiet waterways with creeklets and countless birds (the area is a wildlife sanctuary). The trail is primarily used for hiking, trail running, camping, and canoeing and is best used from June until October. Copyright © trailpeak.com & trailpeak.ca 2020. Follow directions to Pitt Lake (Widgeon Creek hike directions) and take canoe to the Widgeon Slough and the group campsite therein. The Widgeon Falls hike makes for a fun outing, as you have to find a way across the Pitt River to reach the trailhead. While I could go on about all of the awesome sights you’ll see on your way to the lake, I don’t want to give away the whole hike! It almost feels disrespectful to the sheer beauty of this particular parcel of nature to leave after only soaking in the sun on the pristine lakeshores for an hour or two. The first 5km of the trail are, literally, a walk in the park. Type: out-and-back. Hopefully you have your own boat, or an overnight trip b/c unreasonably expensive. The combination of canoeing and hiking is a great mix. Prices and download plans . Join Date: Sep 2014. Only a tiny sliver of humanity has ever accessed the glory of Widgeon Lake without the aid of a helicopter or float plane, so you’ll also be joining an exclusive club if you complete the journey. There a… The peaceful lake surrounded by granite bluffs is the perfect reward for a hiking and camping trip over a long weekend. At any time of the year this is a scenic spot, but summer enables you to play in the creek, which is a bonus. It was a beautiful paddle up Widgeon Creek. There were many, many 'are we there yet?' Nomad. Widgeon Creek Bridge, on the Widgeon Lake Trail. The trail itself is mostly flat and easy, and leads to a small, but scenic waterfall. We arrived around 5:30 to find the lake shrouded in low clouds. Probably one of the best hikes in the entire Vancouver area, though one of the more grueling. NTS Map: 92G7. The valley bottom trail is relatively flat, and follows the run of the river, past Widgeon Falls. 8888 University Drive Before embarking on the 16.7 km hike portion of the journey, hikers must traverse approximately 2.5 km of the Pitt River and its calm side channels. After about 40 minutes of casual hiking, we found the sign for Widgeon Lake, just before Widgeon Falls, that led to the more onerous portion of our journey. Hike to Widgeon Falls & up to Widgeon Lake. There is a wilderness route beyond the main trail that becomes part of the Boise Valley route that is very seldom travelled, and difficult to follow. Nestled within Pinecone Burke Provincial park, Widgeon Lake is a glorious gem that makes Widgeon Falls feel like a backyard creek. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from June until October. From the campsite, the trail is very obvious, leading north, and speckled with signs for the waterfall. We arrived to the canoe rental hut at Pitt Lake Boat Launch just after 9am. Once you get to Pitt lake you have about a 45 minute… Don't recommend taking our route asking the old trail to the Falls, stay on the main path/old logging road. Did 2 nights, and camped one night at Widgeon falls, and the next night at Widgeon Lake. Widgeon lake overnight hike. Widgeon Lake was rehabilitated with the aquatic pesticide rotenone in 2014 to remove Pumpkinseed Sunfish and restore the popular trout fishery. Stars: Activities: river-canoe hike Seasons: spring fall summer From: wanderlust demonstrates how fucking glorious this lake is. If you prepared and up to it, the landing area at Widgeon Creek is the start of a trail to Widgeon Lake, a challenging hike of over five miles one way way up in the mountains. Maggie Benston Centre 2900 Widgeon Lake from Mapcarta, the free map. I’ve completed countless hikes in my lifetime — this one is, by far, the most legendary trek I’ve ever embarked on. Mobile: 07790 825347 Phone: 01773 830000 ... You can unsubscribe at any time. If you camp at the Widgeon Creek Campsite, you can hike beyond the falls and up towards Widgeon Lake. Widgeon Falls Trail Stats. NathanB. Only a tiny sliver of humanity has ever accessed the glory of Widgeon Lake without the aid of a helicopter or float plane, so you’ll also be joining an exclusive club if you complete the journey. Map of Widgeon Lake Start: Abbotsford Chilliwack Courtenay Fort St. John Kamloops Kelowna Nanaimo Nelson Penticton Port Alberni Prince George Smithers Surrey Vancouver Vernon Victoria Williams Lake Directions to Widgeon Lake: From here, around 8 km of hiking slowly built from easy to moderate to difficult, before we arrived at what I would define as an extraordinarily difficult final kilometre that requires advanced hiking abilities to complete. At the first real fork, stay left. The company also has confusing, bureaucratic canoe return policies that forced us to pay a steeper fee than we originally thought and to return earlier than we had hoped, which cut into our time spent relaxing by the lake. For the more intense, the trail here begins to get narrower and steeper, and you must pay close attention to the flags in many places. There is one main trail in the area that heads up the Widgeon Valley from the Widgeon Slough campground. If you have your own canoe or kayak, lucky you, as you will not have to deal with the finicky Pitt Lake Canoe Adventures company that is the only option for rental canoes in the area. The Peak This forced us into a later start than we had planned both times. The road has long since disappeared, and instead of a spur, there is just a sharp bend in the trail. Arrival at Widgeon Lake. Difficulty: Easy Type: Out-and-back Time: 3.5-5 hours Distance: 15km (9km paddle, 6km hike, round trip) Elevation Gain: 85m Season: year-round. A few groups had to do this and seemed displeased by the result. Each time we journeyed to Widgeon Lake, we did the entire trip in one day and wished we had more time to enjoy relaxing, exploring and swimming in the clear, frigid water. Rainbow Trout fingerlings were stocked into the lake in 2015. Hittin' the Trails . 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