Lindeman Lake Hike Near Chilliwack British Columbia
Ready to explore the beautiful Lindeman Lake hike near Chilliwack?
One of my yearly goals is to hike at least once or twice a year to get out in nature. A few days after Labour Day, my boyfriend and I decided to try the Lindeman Lake hike; honestly, it wasn’t as easy as we thought.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a hike that’s absolutely worth doing with the beautiful reward of the lake in the end, but it’s a moderate to difficult hike, depending on your fitness level.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the hike, this is everything you need to know about the Lindeman Lake hike. I’ll also briefly touch on the Greendrop Lake hike, but we decided not to continue on and only stopped at Lindeman Lake.
Lindeman Lake Hike Overview
- Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
- Type: Out & Back
- Length: 1.8 kilometres (1.11 miles) (3.6 kilometres, 2.2 miles Total)
- Duration: ~1 Hour (2 hours total)
- Elevation: ~220m
- Dogs: Yes, on Leash
- Camping: Yes, $5.00 with a backcountry permit
Lindeman Lake Google Maps
Parking
Parking was the number one most mentioned thing when visiting Lindeman Lake. It will be very busy during the summer months, so parking in the lot is limited. The overflow parking is along the highway on either side.
Theft is high in this parking lot. Most targeted thefts were vehicles left overnight, and catalytic converters were also reportedly stolen. Again, it’s not likely that a vehicle will be broken into when there’s constant foot traffic during the day, but it’s possible.
Thankfully, we had no issues as we were only going for the day. But regardless, keep everything out of sight in your cars, and don’t leave any valuables.
Hiking The Lindeman Lake Trail
Once at the parking lot, the entrance is to the right. Keep walking down the trail until you see the start, where you’ll see rocks lined up on the ground, and you’ll see the BC Parks Trail counter on your left after a few seconds in. This is where the fun begins.
💡 Note: The trail has reflective orange diamond markers 🔶 on the trees so that you can follow it while on it.
Overall, the first section of the hike is much more challenging than the second half.
The trail starts relatively flat until you reach the starting point of the rocks. You’ll have to start hiking through the rocks; there’s a path where you can tell that many people have walked along.
Once you pass the rocks, the incline starts, but it’s not as steep. You’ll also be walking through rocks and tree roots. For a little bit of the way, there’s a river on the left until you start to climb higher.
At the metal bridge, once you cross it, this is the steepest point of the hike. It starts with an incline with a zig-zag route, then up over rocks and roots until you reach the massive rock.
There are ropes to keep you from going off the path and away from the park workers’ work. I wouldn’t use these to hang onto when hiking, as they’re not meant to be used.
There are many tree roots and rocks on the ground, so be careful where you step. This section is also the steepest when going back down the trail later on, so keep that in mind.
Once you reach the massive rock, you’ve pretty much completed the most challenging part of the hike. I’d say it’s roughly the halfway point, and at this point, you’ll still have 30 minutes to go.
At this point, the trial starts to flatten out and becomes a regular trial. You’ll then reach the opening and flat ground, where you’ll see the welcome sign of Lindeman Lake on the right and the stunning turquoise lake. You’ll also see wooden platforms where you can camp if they’re open and an elevated outhouse.
To Greendrop Lake
If you want to continue from Lindeman Lake to Greendrop Lake, there’s a path to the left side of the lake. It will be another 4 kilometres to reach Greendrop Lake, which is sometimes less busy than Lindeman Lake because it’s further away. There are also more camping platforms.
What To Bring
It’s always recommended to bring the 10 essentials whenever you’re going on a hike.
While I’ll be honest, we only brought some of the 10 essentials. I did bring a flashlight, we had our cellphones (although there was no reception along the hike), I had a couple of things for first aid, and we also brought food and water, and we finished our hike well before sundown.
I’d also recommend bug repellent. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I had a mosquito on my leg (didn’t get bit, thank goodness). Also, bear spray because you’re in the backcountry and never know.
💡 Note: You’ll feel the temperature change as you hike. If you want, you can bring a light jacket.
I also highly recommend wearing the proper hiking shoes for this hike. We saw many people wearing all types of shoes, from appropriate hiking boots to the worst possible shoes you can wear on a hike, which were slides (slip-on sandals), which I don’t recommend.
Please wear hiking boots or shoes on this trail. You could get away with runners, but I’m not recommending it because the last thing you want is a twisted ankle in a remote area. We wore our hiking shoes, which saved us from going down the steep part of the hike when we were heading back.
Wildlife
The area is known for bears and cougars, even though it’s a high-traffic location. You may not see them on the trail, but you can bring bear spray in case.
There were also lots of chipmunks and bluejays along the hike and around the lake.
Best Time To Visit
While you can visit Lindeman Lake year-round, the best time to visit is during the summer because of the weather and because it’s the best time to see the lake. However, it will be busy, so keep that in mind. I’d go either at the beginning or the end of summer.
In the winter, the lake freezes over, so there’s not much to see. However, the lake thaws during the spring, so you could hike around this time, too.
How To Get To Lindeman Lake From Vancouver
It’s a 2-hour drive day trip from Vancouver. Travel along the Trans-Canada Highway until Chilliwack and take exit 104 for No.3 Road for Cultus Lake Recreational Area.
Turn right on Tolmine Road, turn left on No.3 Road, and it becomes Yarrow Central Road. Then, it changes to Vedder Mountain Road. Continue on Vedder Mountain Road until you reach the roundabout and take the second exit. At the next roundabout, take the first exit onto Chilliwack Road.
It will be roughly 30 minutes along Chilliwack Road, and the parking lot will be on your left.
My Honest Review
Overall, I enjoyed the hike despite its steepness. I got to dunk myself in the lake multiple times, but I couldn’t bring myself to put my head in; it was freezing. We also saw lots of fish going to the surface to eat bugs, so we saw a lot of water movement, and the water was so clear that you could see the fish.
I know this hike has turned into somewhat of a tourist location, and many people do come to hike here now. But I think the timing of when you go is key to having few people around.
As I previously mentioned, we did the hike a few days after Labour Day and lucked out, as few people were hiking while we were there. I was told the lake is usually packed with people, but there were us and two other groups at the lake at one point until campers started to come in when we were leaving.
My biggest tip for those who want to do this hike is to be in decent shape. It’s a steep incline with many rocks and roots to walk over, so watch your ankles. Also, take it slow.
Lindeman Lake Hike — FAQs
These are a few frequently asked questions about Lindeman Lake.
Is Lindeman Lake swimmable?
Yes, it is! It’s fresh water and ice cold. Keep in mind how long you stay in the water, as you don’t want to end up with hypothermia. It’s also very rocky, so be careful when walking in the water.
How busy is Lindeman Lake?
It can get quite busy during the summer, especially during the weekends.
Conclusion
As you can see, this was everything you need to know about the Lindeman Lake hike. Be sure to wear proper hiking boots or shoes on this hike and enjoy the journey to one of the most stunning clear lakes in the Fraser Valley.
Have a good day 🙂
