Overnight hike to Watersprite Lake, Squamish, BC

Watersprite Lake near Squamish is a crystal clear, turquoise lake framed by dramatic peaks and it is one of the most awe-inspiring hikes around. It was a hidden gem for years. Unknown to most and tucked away down a long, bumpy forest service road. But the word is out and it’s ‘hidden gem’ status has changed.

Whilst the hike is long, it’s a fairly gentle incline as BC hikes go and only the last portion has any serious climbing in terms of elevation. About 6 km in, you will come to a rock slide. This is the beginning of the more demanding section of the trail. The route is visible and there is flagging to keep you on track. 

Then, you enter a forested section and get to a boulder field. The final ascent is slow and steep, but you’re almost there and the view that awaits you will reward your effort!

While this last stretch is the most difficult hiking, the good news is you are nearly at Watersprite Lake. If you are staying overnight, you need to cross another boulder field along the lake to get to the other side where the tent platforms are located. 

As of summer 2022, Watersprite Lake area and the surrounding peaks are now a designated Provincial Recreation Site and you will need a camping reservation for tent camping (different to reserving the hut). This will cost $20. You can reserve here.

There are 10 platforms and 10 tent spots (we recommend platform 1 or 2 if one is taken). There are bear caches and a composting toilet on site. There is a very clear stream that runs behind camp to get water from (and a few streams along the trail too).

The only drawback to this hike is that it requires a 4×4 or AWD vehicle with good clearance to reach the trailhead. Please note, the road gets significantly worse for the final stretch to the trailhead and it is getting worse every year (not fixing it probably also helps weed out people).

There is a cabin at the lake which was built by BCMC. The cabin can be rented all-year round (the only option in the winter since the platforms are under many feet of snow) for 300$ per night (one party of 8 people max).

There are a few bridge crossing involved and the trail is very well-built and marked.

Make sure to reserve your tent platform ahead of time. This will cost $20. You can reserve here. We recommend platform 1 or 2.

Because the trail is open, make sure to bring plenty of water and sun protection in summer.

A winter of camping in Squamish + tips to avoid humidity issues in your RV

The beautiful foggy Coastal Forest near Brohm Lake.

The big perk of our campsite: this private covered area that increases our living space so much. It’s not fully waterproof, but we use it a lot. We have now closed that open side with a tarp.

The girls use it a lot for stretching and strength training, Zwifting and Zoom spin classes.

Hiking the Four Lakes trail after the first snow in November in Alice Lake Provincial Park.

A rare bonfire outside on a dry night.

Jurassic-park like forest on the White Rabbit trail.

Mara learning to ski at the Whistler Olympic Park

We’ve added a couch, a propane fire ring, a TV and a Christmas tree to our shelter to make it extra cozy.

On the cliff right by our site, a 3 minute climb!

Our campsite in the snow.

Watching the sunset behind the mountains at 3:30 pm near Solstice.

For the last 7 years, we’ve spelled winter A-R-I-Z-O-N-A…This is our first winter in Canada in the bus and we decided to spend it on the «Wet Coast» during a La Nina year (more rain and colder than usual). When at least a few seasoned outdoorsy Westcoasters told us it was quite extreme to attempt to live in the bus in Squamish for the winter, I got a bit worried. I had an idea of what we were getting ourselves into, but I had never experienced a West coast winter, not even in a house. It is not a badge of honour for us to do it. It is simply a means to an end. If we had found a rental that accepted dogs and did not require a year-long lease at a price we could afford - while also paying for storage for the bus in a heated or at least dry place nearby - we would have jumped on it, but Squamish is all but affordable.

Luckily, we found this great campsite with a covered area and storage in town, so the girls are right on the trails and the grocery store is 5 minutes away. It is still ridiculously expensive for a campsite, but it was the only financially sound option for us. Our campsite is gorgeous and very private, but it’s oh so dark between a cliff and mountains, under the tree canopy (no sun comes to our site on the rare occasions that it’s out) and the rain forces us inside much more than usual. It’s tough on all of us. However, there is a covered area with storage on our site where we can sit and enjoy some outdoor time even when it rains (we’ve outfitted it with free couches (thanks FB Marketplace!), a propane fire ring, a Christmas tree and a TV and training area for Zoom spin classes!). It’s not fully waterproof, but we’re super grateful for that extra space (and storage!) it provides.

We try to go outside everyday to stretch our legs but the amount of laundry (and mud, and dirty floors) this creates is insane. One of the most amazing things about living here is that you can ski and bike (not in the snow!) on the same day by driving only 40 minutes. The girls are lucky to have teammates and a coach that are competent skiers and they have been able to try skate skiing (something they had never done given our lifestyle).

We are so thankful for our friends who figured out how to best solve the humidity issue (we thought we had a water infiltration issue, but it turns out it was just an insane amount of condensation despite already having 1 dehumidifier running!) We have found that the key to make it comfortable in the bus (and to avoid mold issues) is to have 2 large dehumidifiers running all the time, as well as a fantastic fan. We always turn on the kitchen fan everytime we cook and the shower fan during and after a shower. We also have put desiccant salt containers in every closed cupboard to avoid moisture build-up. We never have condensation in the windows or anywhere anymore, a priority to keep the mold at bay and everyone healthy and comfortable.

The weather has dipped below zero in the last week and we need to use the heaters a bit more to make the bus comfortable, but so far, it is very manageable. It takes a little more will power to get out of the bus at night and into the shelter to watch a movie by the fire bundled up in our sleeping bags, but unless the wind is howling, it is pretty cozy in there and we never regret doing it.

Fifty shades of blue

Mathilde hiking along Water Sprite Lake

Rohr Lake

Cheakamus Lake

Cheakamus River

Blogging has become harder over the last few years. Sharing the name and location of the beautiful places we visit attracts more people to some already overused trails and boondocking spots or means we are revealing a friend’s lesser known spot… sharing my life and heart often infringes on my teens’ personal life and their stories are not mine to share anymore. Beautiful images are shared on Instagram as soon as they are captured and spur of the moments thought and bits and pieces are shared in stories. So what is left for the blog?

Maybe the blog can be a good place to step back and reflect every few months? I like that idea. 

The blog will be a more global portrait of our life, a reflection.

As you might know, we have spent the months of July and August in a house in Squamish while our bus was at our friends’ shop, getting a well-deserved facelift (esthetic and mechanical, but mostly incredibly practical - check the Our bus and Westy section for the photos!). It’s been interesting - and honestly quite easy - to fall back into a brick-and-mortar lifestyle, but Squamish is sooo awesome, it’s really easy to love, especially when you can escape every weekend (or after work!) to hike or bike to some of these incredible locations. We had a beautiful crystal clear river a 5 minute walk from our place (to rock-retrieving Stout’s greatest pleasure) and we could watch rock climbers on the big walls behind our house while sitting in our yard! We also witnessed many search and rescue helicopters coming back from there every weekend…. I understood a bit better how easy it is to underestimate some of the hikes/bikes/climbs in this area and become the next person to need a rescue. It seems to me that most everything here is “hard”. An “easy” hike requires you to climb (and down climb) a boulder field. It seems like everybody and their neighbours, their doctors and their mechanics is an athlete here. Which is great, but also a bit intimidating for the not-super-into-fitness-nature-lover that I am. I huffed and puffed my way up steep climbs and white knuckled my descent through giant slippery rocks, getting back to the Westy bruised and tired, but very proud and recharged. And I’ll keep at it because that’s where I love to be, even if it means being slow and stopping as often as a toddler through the rough parts. I’ve waited for my girls enough years that it’s their turn now! And they carry the lunch too! Onward and upward. Life with teens is the best, hormone galore, kitchen explosions and hair-clogged drains included (just kidding, that’s sooo gross).

Alice Lake Provincial Park and Squamish area, BC

The Coastal Forest is just magical... You cannot help but smile when you walk in it, feeling like pointy elf ears are gonna pop on your head or that wings will appear on your back. 

Alice Lake Provincial Park is a beautiful campground in that gorgeous forest. It's a popular family destination, so it's not unusual that the 108 sites are all reserved (and they don't have First Come First Serve sites). There are tons of beautiful hiking and mountain biking trails in the park and four lakes (only Alice lake is OK for swimming), but the hiking around Stump lake is beautiful. Dogs have to be kept on a leash everywhere and are not allowed on some trails and on the beach.