Watersprite Lake (Summer Route)

Watersprite Lake (Summer Route) is one of those Squamish hikes that looks “doable” on paper and then humbles you in real life. It’s a 16.9 km out-and-back with about 704 m of gain up to roughly 1,470 m, rated challenging for good reason. The lake itself is small, insanely photogenic, and ringed by sharp peaks that make the whole effort feel worth it the second you arrive.

The trail starts off fairly mellow on a well-built path, with steady but manageable climbing and long stretches of easy walking. As you get higher, the terrain shifts to boulder fields and short scrambles, with big views opening up to surrounding ridges and valleys. The final approach to Watersprite Lake is rockier and steeper, but nothing most reasonably fit hikers with decent footwear and a bit of scrambling comfort can’t handle.

The real crux of Watersprite Lake near Squamish is the drive: the Skookum FSR is rough, especially the last 4 km, and you’ll want high clearance, good tires, and a confident driver; low cars will struggle or end up parking early and walking extra road. Expect hot, exposed sections in summer, fast-changing weather at the lake, and lingering snow and ice well into spring and sometimes early summer, when spikes can be useful. Plan on 5–7 hours return for most people despite the “average time” you might see online, bring at least 2–3 litres of water, bug spray in midsummer, and a layer for wind and rain at the top.