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  • Snow
      • Blueberry Trail Snowshoeing
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      • Nairn Falls Snowshoeing
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      • Train Wreck Snowshoeing
      • Wedgemount Lake Snowshoeing
  • Run
      • Whistler Golf Course 5k(3.1 Mile)
      • Blueberry Hill 6k(3.7 Mile)
      • Lost Lake 6k(3.7 Mile)
      • Alta Lake 8k(5 Mile)
      • Fitzsimmons Creek 9k(5.6 Mile)
      • Alta Green Lost 15k(9.3 Mile)
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  • AtoZ
      • Ablation Zone
      • Accumulation Zone
      • Adit Lakes
      • Aiguille
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      • A River Runs Through It
      • The Barrier
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      • Gemel or Inosculation
      • Glacier Window
      • Green Lake
      • Hoary Marmot
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      • Moraine
      • Mount Garibaldi
      • Mount James Turner
      • Northair Mine
      • Nunatuk
      • Overlord Mountain & Glacier
      • Peak2Peak Gondola
      • Roundhouse Lodge
      • Rubble Creek
      • Spearhead Range
      • Tarn
      • The Table
      • Usnea or Old Man's Beard
  • Maps
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      • Madeley Lake Map
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      • Hike in Whistler Glossary

Callaghan Lake

Cirque Lake

Rainbow Falls

Black Tusk

Wedgemount Lake

Parkhurst Ghost Town

Adit Lakes

Parkhurst Ghost Town

Whistler Train Wreck

Spring Hiking in Whistler!

Spring has arrived in Whistler and the 2021 hiking season is on! Parkhurst Ghost Town and Whistler Train Wreck are adventures into Whistler's past.  For something completely different, how about soaking in the sun beside a lake in an extinct volcano!

Garibaldi Provincial Park 2021!

The Rubble Creek trailhead to Garibaldi Provincial Park was plowed all winter! Now you can snowshoe from the trailhead to Garibaldi Lake, Taylor Meadows and deep into Garibaldi Provincial Park! There will be lots of snow on the trail until May!

The Rainbow Trail is a convenient and popular trail near Whistler Village that takes you to Rainbow Lake as well as the Flank Trail, Rainbow Falls, Hanging Lake, Madeley Lake, Beverley Lake, Rainbow Mountain... and even Whistler Olympic Park if you are determined.  It is a consistently uphill and very beautiful trail with several water (bridge) crossings and waterfalls on the way to the picture-perfect lake. 

  • Quiet trail compared to other Whistler trails
  • Trails continue past the lake to other lakes
  • Stunning views of Blackcomb & Whistler mountains
  • Continuing trail/route to Rainbow Mountain
  • The alpine hiking options(eg: Sproatt) are incredible
  • The huge erratics at the lake are perfect for suntanning
  • No camping, fishing or swimming allowed
  • Trail is sometimes scenic, but often in deep forest
  • Tour companies often fly over spoiling the serenity
  • Dogs not allowed due to being Whistler's water source

There are a few views of the valley across to Whistler Mountain, Blackcomb Mountain, and Wedge Mountain.  Few views, though fantastic.  Rainbow Lake itself is in a gorgeous alpine valley with branching trails that extend further beyond the lake in at least three directions.  Along with the waterfalls, bridge crossings and valley views, the Rainbow Trail passes through deep forest with some impressively huge trees.  Plenty of birds can be heard and seen along the trail and though black bears frequent the area, they are infrequently spotted due to their migration down into the valley.  Cougars are also known to roam around this area, though also rarely spotted.  As recently as 2014 signs of cougar activity were identified on the Flank Trail near where it branches off from the Rainbow Trail.  The Rainbow Trail has a small side trail that takes you to Rainbow Falls. Not far from the trailhead, the small Rainbow Falls sign is easily missed.

It is located about five minutes into the Rainbow Trail and your best bet to find it is to keep bearing right along the first couple trail branches. Don't worry about getting lost here though as all the trails reconnect further along the trail when you briefly exit the forest at the water treatment building. Unfortunately, Rainbow Lake is the water supply for Whistler, so you cannot swim, fish or camp near the lake. There is decent camping available nearby at Hanging Lake as well as Beverley Lake in the direction of Rainbow Mountain.

Rainbow Lake Trail Map - Hike in Whistler

Hanging Lake is a bit dark and swampy as compared to the spectacular camping at Beverley Lake which is a tough but rewarding hike beyond Rainbow Lake.  Beverley Lake is reached by following the trail toward Rainbow Mountain. About 40 minutes into this trail the trail markers will stop as it ascends up into an extensive boulder field towards Rainbow Mountain. To reach Beverley Lake, bear left of the route to Rainbow Mountain and follow the valley.  Beverley Lake is about an hours hike from Rainbow Lake. To get even further from the world, hike the partly marked trail to Beverley Lake. The first kilometre is well worn and easy to follow as this is also a somewhat popular trail to reach the summit of Rainbow Mountain. The Rainbow Mountain trail veers right and quickly ascends through massive boulders.  If you instead bear left and stay in the valley you will reach this fantastically remote lake.  You will be a bit disheartened, however, when you arrive at the lake and see a picnic table.  It's very out of place, evidently put there by some helicopter tour company.  Other than the weird picnic table there are no signs of humanity, and no restrictions on camping as you have at Rainbow Lake.

Rainbow Lake Hike in Whistler

Rainbow Lake - Hike in Whistler

Rainbow Lake Hike in Whistler

Rainbow Lake Aerial View

Rainbow Lake - Hike in Whistler

Rainbow Trail Directions Map

More Rainbow Lake Hiking Info...

Whistler Hiking Trail MapAlexander Falls Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapAncient Cedars Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapBlack Tusk Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapBlackcomb Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapBrandywine Falls Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapBrandywine Meadows Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapBrew Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapCallaghan Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapCheakamus Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapCheakamus River Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapCirque Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapGaribaldi Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapHelm Creek Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapJoffre Lakes Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapKeyhole Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapLogger’s Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapMadeley Lake Map Whistler Hiking Trail MapMeager Hot Springs Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapNairn Falls Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapPanorama Ridge Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapParkhurst Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapRainbow Falls Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapRainbow Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapRing Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapRusset Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapSkookumchuck Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapSloquet Hot Springs Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapSproatt Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapTaylor Meadows Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapTrain Wreck Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapWedgemount Lake Maps  Whistler Hiking Trail MapWhistler Mountain Maps

Whistler Hiking Glossary

 Ablation Zone WhistlerAblation Zone  Accumulation Zone WhistlerAccumulation Zone  Adit Lakes WhistlerAdit Lakes  Aiguille Whistler & Garibaldi ParkAiguille  Alpine Zone Whistler & Garibaldi ParkAlpine Zone  ArborlithArborlith  Arete Whistler & Garibaldi ParkArête  A River Runs Through It WhistlerARRTI  Armchair Glacier, Garibaldi Park, WhistlerArmchair Glacier  The Barrier in Garibaldi ParkThe Barrier  Battleship Islands in Garibaldi LakeBattleship Islands  Bears in Whistler & Garibaldi ParkBears  Bench Geology WhistlerBench  Bergschrund or SchrundBergschrund  BivouacBivouac  Whistler Bungee BridgeBungee Bridge  Bushwhacking in WhistlerBushwhack  Whistler CairnsCairn  Neal CarterCarter, Neal  Garibaldi Park WhistlerChimney  Garibaldi Park WhistlerCirque  Cloudraker SkybridgeCloudraker  Douglas FirCoast Douglas-fir  Coast MountainsCoast Mountains  ColCol  Columnar JointingColumnar Jointing  CordilleranCordilleran  CorniceCornice  Corrie LakeCorrie Lake  CrevasseCrevasse  Alec DalgleishDalgleish, Alec  Deadfall in WhistlerDeadfall  Emerald Park in WhistlerEmerald Forest  Erratics in Garibaldi Park and WhistlerErratic  The Fissile in Garibaldi Park, WhistlerThe Fissile  Fitzsimmons Creek in WhistlerFitzsimmons Creek  Fitzsimmons Range, WhistlerFitzsimmons Range  Garibaldi Park WhistlerFyles, Tom  Garibaldi Park WhistlerGaribaldi Ranges  Garibaldi Park WhistlerGaribaldi Volcanic Belt  Garibaldi Park WhistlerGemel  Garibaldi Park WhistlerGlacier Window  Garibaldi Park WhistlerGreen Lake  Garibaldi Park WhistlerHoary Marmot  Garibaldi Park WhistlerKrummholz  Lodgepole Pine Trees WhistlerLodgepole Pine  Glacier Moraines in Garibaldi Park WhistlerMoraine  Garibaldi Park WhistlerMt Garibaldi  Mount James Turner in Garibaldi Park, WhistlerMt James Turner  Mountain Hemlock Garibaldi Park WhistlerMountain Hemlock  Northair Mine in WhistlerNorthair Mine  North Arm FarmNorth Arm  Nunatuks in Whistler and Garibaldi ParkNunatuk  Nurse Stump or Log in WhistlerNurse Stump  Overlord Mountain and GlacierOverlord  Pacific Yew, WhistlerPacific Yew  Paper Birch, WhistlerPaper Birch  Parkhurst CaterpillarParkhurst Cat  Parkhurst Caterpillar RD8Parkhurst RD8  Parkhurst CletracParkhurst Cletrac  Parkhurst Plow TreeParkhurst Plow Tree  Parkhurst RidgeParkhurst Ridge  Parkhurst SawmillParkhurst Sawmill  Parkhurst WyeParkhurst Wye  Peak 2 Peak GondolaPeak 2 Peak  Rainbow Lodge, WhistlerRainbow Lodge  Garibaldi Park WhistlerRoundhouse  Garibaldi Park WhistlerRubble Creek  Garibaldi Park WhistlerScree  Garibaldi Park WhistlerSpearhead Range  Garibaldi Park WhistlerTarn  Garibaldi Park WhistlerThe Table  Garibaldi Park WhistlerTownsend, Charles  Usnea or Old Man's BeardUsnea  Waterbar or Cross DitchWaterbar  Western Hemlock Trees in WhistlerWestern Hemlock  Western RedcedarWestern Redcedar  Whistler SpruceWhistler Spruce  Mills Winram Whistler Coast Mountains MountaineerWinram, Mills

Emerald Forest is a cute little forest that is well hidden between Whistler Cay and Alpine.  From Whistler Village, if you go down to the end of Lorimer ...
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Tarn: a small alpine lake.  The word tarn originates from the Norse word tjorn which translates to English as pond.  In the United Kingdom, tarn is widely ...
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Erratic or Glacier Erratic is a piece of rock that has been carried by glacial ice, often hundreds of kilometres.  Characteristic of their massive size and ...
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Northair Mine is a surreal little world of colourful murals on abandoned cement foundations, surrounded by an astoundingly tranquil little lake in a ...
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The second Caterpillar tractor in Parkhurst Ghost Town is considerably harder to find despite being just a few metres from the hulking Caterpillar at the shore ...
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The Cordilleran Ice Sheet covered most of north-west North America for much of the last 2.6 million years.  At the Last Glacial Maximum during the Last ...
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The Peak 2 Peak Gondola connects Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain at a dizzying height of 436 metres(1427 feet).  It runs all winter and in the ...
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The Spearhead Range is a subsection of the Garibaldi Ranges that runs in an arc that connects Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain.  The Spearhead ...
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Hiking Gear Rental Whistler and Garibaldi Park

Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking

Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerAlexander Falls  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyAncient Cedars  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerBlack Tusk  Pay Use Hiking Trail WhistlerBlackcomb Mountain  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerBrandywine Falls  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyBrandywine Meadows  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyBrew Lake  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerCallaghan Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerCheakamus Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyCheakamus River  Whistler Hiking Trail HardCirque Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyFlank Trail  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerGaribaldi Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerGaribaldi Park  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerHelm Creek  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyJane Lakes  Joffre Lakes Hike in Whistler in SeptemberJoffre Lakes  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyKeyhole Hot Springs  Hiking Trail Hard Dog FriendlyLogger’s Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyMadeley Lake  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyMeager Hot Springs Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerNairn Falls  Whistler Hiking Trail HardNewt Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerPanorama Ridge  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerParkhurst Ghost Town  Hiking Trail ModerateRainbow Falls  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerRainbow Lake  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyRing Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerRusset Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasySea to Sky Trail  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerSkookumchuck Hot Springs  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerSloquet Hot Springs  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyMount Sproatt  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerTaylor Meadows  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyTrain Wreck  Hiking Trail Hard - Whistler TrailsWedgemount Lake  Pay Use Hiking Trail WhistlerWhistler Mountain

  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking JanuaryJanuary  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking FebruaryFebruary  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking MarchMarch  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking AprilApril  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking MayMay  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking JuneJune  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking JulyJuly  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking AugustAugust  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking SeptemberSeptember  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking OctoberOctober  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking NovemberNovember  Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking DecemberDecember 

The Sea to Sky Trail is a 180 kilometre multi-use trail that runs from Squamish to D'Arcy. The trail is still under construction in many parts, however, the amazing route through Whistler is finally in ...
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Alexander Falls is a very impressive 43 metre/141 foot waterfall just 30 to 40 minutes south of Whistler in the Callaghan Valley. Open year-round and located just before Whistler Olympic Park where several ...
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Hiking and biking trails are so abundant in Whistler that many go unnoticed, neglected or taken for granted.  The Flank Trail is one of these.  Most people in Whistler don't even know about it, but the ones ...
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Cheakamus River is a beautiful, crashing, turquoise coloured river that flows from Cheakamus Lake, through Whistler Interpretive Forest at Cheakamus Crossing, then down past Brandywine Falls to Daisy Lake.  ...
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