Photo: M.Rezaie/Unsplash
Chilliwack’s Lindeman Lake has sparkling turquoise waters and great mountain views. In November you can catch the tail end of fall colours and hike before it is covered in snow.
Trail Info: Moderate; 3.4 kilometres round-trip; 200 metres elevation gain; 2 hours; Dogs allowed on-leash.
Safety First: AdventureSmart recommends bringing a backpack with essential safety and first aid gear on every hike. Check the forecast and pack extra clothing for the weather. Leave a trip plan so someone knows where you are going and when you will be back. Check out our tips for safe fall hiking in Vancouver for more advice.
Getting There: From Vancouver, go east on Highway 1. Take exit 119 in Chilliwack and go south on Vedder Road through the Sardis and Vedder Crossing neighbourhoods. At the roundabout just before the Vedder Bridge, go left onto Chilliwack Lake Road. Follow this road for 39 km then turn left into the large gravel parking lot, following signs for Lindeman Lake. If you reach the entrance to the Chilliwack Lake campground, you have gone too far.
The Trail: The trail is low enough that it is usually not snow-covered in November – the main snow falls between December and February. However, if the temperatures have been cold, there might be a little bit of ice and snow on the trail. Consider packing microspikes or other boot traction devices just in case.
The hike starts at the back of the parking lot near an outhouse. Follow the wide gravel path into the forest. Within a few minutes, ignore a trail branching to the right – it goes to Flora Lake. Continue straight to Lindeman Lake as the trail narrows and begins to climb steeply uphill. The path underfoot is rooty and rocky. You can hear Post Creek off to your left and you may be able to spot in a few places.
Post Creek. Photo M. Rezaie/Unsplash
About 1 km from the start, cross a large metal bridge over Post Creek. Before this bridge was installed, hikers had to cross the creek on a narrow and slippery log. After the crossing, the trail gets steeper as it heads directly uphill. The path is badly eroded in places, with lots of protruding tree roots. Ropes strung between trees act as guidelines to help you stay on the official path.
After the steep section, continue following the trail as it weaves through the forest. You will begin to get your first glimpses of Lindeman Lake up ahead. Pass the lake outlet and keep hiking for a few more minutes to the Lindeman Lake campground, which is a good turn-around point.
Lindeman Lake. Photo: M Rezaie/Unsplash
From here, you can enjoy the turquoise waters of Lindeman Lake. High above the lake, the craggy rock formations of the Post Creek Spires (also known as The Gargoyles) stand out against the sky. In the fall, the leaves on the red alder trees in the avalanche chutes on the opposite side of the lake turn red and gold. At low water, the beach by the campground makes a good picnic spot. There is also an outhouse up the hill behind the campground if you need it.
When you have finished enjoying the view, you can retrace your steps back to the parking lot. If you want to explore further, the far end of the lake is 0.9 km away. However, the walk involves negotiating a boulder field, which can be tricky.
It is also possible to extend your hike to Greendrop Lake, which is 4.8 km past the Lindeman Lake campground. The walk to Greendrop Lake is challenging with lots of boulders, stream-crossings, and route-finding. Continuing to Greendrop Lake will add an extra 3-4 hours to your hike.
