Garibaldi Provincial Park

Fast facts

• Established: reserve in 1920, a Class A provincial park in 1927
• Size: about 750 square miles (1,950 km²) of the Coast Mountains
• Highest point: Wedge Mountain, 9,488 feet (2,892 m); the centrepiece is Mount Garibaldi, 8,786 feet (2,678 m)
• Trails: more than 56 miles (90 km) of established hiking trail
• Gateway: Squamish and Whistler, about 40 miles (64 km) north of Vancouver
• Managed by: BC Parks

The landscape

Garibaldi is young volcanic country layered over the granite of the Coast Mountains. Lava flows dammed Garibaldi Lake behind the Barrier, a crumbling wall of volcanic rock above Rubble Creek, and the dark spire of the Black Tusk rises over alpine meadows full of wildflowers in late summer. Glaciers and icefields cap the higher peaks, and the lakes they feed are brilliant turquoise and extremely cold. Black bears are common; grizzlies, mountain goats and marmots live here too.

Best time to go

Most trails hold snow into July, so the hiking season is short: mid-July to late September, with wildflowers peaking in August. Weekends are very busy and campgrounds book out. Fall brings cooler, clearer days and early snow up high. From late fall to spring the park is serious winter terrain, popular with ski tourers at Diamond Head and on the Spearhead Traverse, and avalanche risk governs every trip.

Getting there and around

All access is from Highway 99 between Squamish and Pemberton, where signed roads lead to five trailhead areas. Rubble Creek is the start for Garibaldi Lake and the Black Tusk; Diamond Head leads to the Elfin Lakes; Cheakamus and Singing Pass trails start near Whistler; Wedgemount Lake is reached from north of Whistler. Travel in the park is on foot, with bicycles allowed only on the Elfin Lakes road and the Cheakamus Lake trail.

Things to do

The classic trip is Garibaldi Lake and the Black Tusk, done as a long day or an overnight at the Garibaldi Lake or Taylor Meadows campgrounds. The Elfin Lakes trail leads to a shelter below the volcanic peaks of Diamond Head, and Wedgemount Lake is a short, brutally steep climb to a glacier-rimmed lake. Canoeing is allowed on Garibaldi, Cheakamus and Glacier lakes. Experienced parties take on alpine climbs and, in spring, the Spearhead ski traverse.

Staying safe

BC Parks warns that avalanche and glacier hazards exist year-round; only parties trained in companion rescue and properly equipped should go onto snowfields or glaciers. Mountain weather changes fast, so carry warm layers and rain gear even on sunny summer days. The lakes are cold enough to incapacitate a swimmer quickly. Do not stop or camp in the posted Barrier Civil Defence Zone below Garibaldi Lake. Store food in the caches provided, and leave a trip plan before you go.

Know before you go

Day-use passes are free but required at the busiest trailheads through the summer and early fall, and they are released in advance and run out on busy days. Backcountry campsites must be reserved. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so check BC Parks advisories, pass requirements and the avalanche forecast before you go.

Coordinates

49.9849, -122.7570

Magnetic declination

15.5° E (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

Best seasons

Summer (July to September), Early fall, Winter (ski touring)

Difficulty

Moderate to strenuous

Access / trailheads

Five trailhead areas off Highway 99 (the Sea to Sky Highway) between Squamish and Pemberton, 1 to 10 miles (2 to 16 km) off the highway: Diamond Head, Rubble Creek, Cheakamus Lake, Singing Pass and Wedgemount Lake. The Whistler and Blackcomb lifts also reach the park.

Water

Plentiful from lakes and streams; filter or treat all water.

Cell / satellite coverage

Spotty at best beyond the trailheads. Carry a map and a satellite messenger.

Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency

Emergencies: 911 (RCMP dispatch local search and rescue teams).

Permits & regulations

Free day-use passes are required at the busiest trailheads (Rubble Creek, Diamond Head, Cheakamus) during the summer season. Backcountry camping needs a reservation, and a valid reservation replaces the day-use pass. Camping overnight at the Rubble Creek (Garibaldi Lake) parking lot is prohibited.

Leave No Trace

Camp only in designated backcountry campgrounds, stay on trail across fragile alpine meadows, use food caches, and pack out all waste. Drones are prohibited in BC parks without a permit.