Lynn Lake
This is a very long day trip (~22km return). The trail is mostly flat, with two steep sections of elevation gain. The route is best traveled during the end of summer or beginning of fall when the water level in Lynn Creek is low (see note below).
Contents
Getting there and back
| Translink Bus Information | ||
| 210 Upper Lynn Valley | map | schedule |
| 228 Lynn Valley | map | schedule |
The park gate is at the end of Lynn Valley Road, and then it's about 1km along a paved road to the parking area. Note that the gate closes around sunset, so park outside the gate if planning on a late return. If your car is still there when the gate closes, a rescue operation will be initiated. City Bus 228 (from Lonsdale Quay) stops right beside the park gate and the 210 (from downtown Vancouver) stops a block from the gate.
The "Trail"
The beginning of the trail follows the same route as the Hanes Valley Trail, but instead of heading West up Hanes valley, the Lynn Lake route continues North. The first part of the trail, up to Norvan Creek, is the hiking equivalent of a two lane divided highway. Past this point the trail is well marked and reasonable until the Hanes/Lynn Lake junction. Past the junction the trail begins to head steeply up. Here it is less well defined, but well marked with yellow markers. The trail then levels off and joins Lynn Creek. There is a sign (picture of a hiker) on a tree indicating where the trail heads back into the forest.
Past the point where the trail intersects the creek the official summer route is to head up the creek. When there is no water in the creek just head up the creek bed, following the occasional piece of flagging tape. Coliseum creek is passed soon after the start of the creekbed section.
Eventually you will reach a "bowl" where tributaries continue to the west. Here you need to find the creek that contiues north up a partially hidden valley. There is a yellow marker on the west side of this north valley that leads to a trail up to the lake. (The east side of the valley is too steep to traverse). The steep trail contiues up the west side of the valley to the north end of the lake.
Notes about water level
When the water level is too high to travel up the creekbed, you can bushwack beside the creek. This can add significant time to the trip and the section past the Hanes/Lynn Lake junction (after Norvan Creek) (3.5km one way) may take as long or longer than the section from the parking lot to the junction (6.5 km one way). Do not expect to travel very fast once you start bushwacking!
After reaching Colisuem creek, head north through the bush for a few hundred meters and then bushwack on a NW bearing. Near the end of this north west portion of Lynn Creek, you will need to find a spot to cross to the west side of the creek (the east side becomes too steep to safely traverse). Continue along the creek for a few 100 more meters until you are at the very end of the northwest portion of the creek. Continue up the trail to the lake marked by the yellow marker.
Links
- GVRD Lynn Headwaters Regional Park - has pdf map of the park and trails.
- Someones summer trip report - has a picture of the lake.
