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Know before you go
Advisories
Visitor guidelines
Get park information
Joffre Lakes Park is a very popular destination. It is busy seven days a week and extremely busy on weekends. Make sure you have any camping reservations or day-use passes you may need.
Look at the visitor guidelines below for essential information about this park. To get the latest updates on conditions and closures, see the advisories section.
No emergency services
This park is in a remote area where no emergency services are available. There is no cell service in the park. You must be properly prepared and equipped for the conditions. For more information, see our backcountry guide.
Avalanches can happen for much of the year. Consider taking formal avalanche training before visiting the park during winter or spring. For the latest information on park conditions that may impact your visit, see advisories.
Prepare for winter conditions
Expect severe winter conditions from November until the end of May. Winter recreation in this park is suitable only for experienced, properly equipped outdoorspeople.
For more information, on staying safe when visiting BC Parks in winter, see the winter safety page.
No drinking water
Bring your own water, as drinking water is not available in Joffre Lakes Park. Always boil, filter, or otherwise treat water from lakes or streams before drinking it or using it for anything.
For more information, see HealthLink BC’s advice on purifying your drinking water.
Make a camping reservation
Camping is allowed at Upper Joffre Lake Campground from spring to fall. We require camping reservations throughout this period and strongly recommend you book as early as possible.
To learn more about making a camping reservation for Upper Joffre Lake Campground, see camping.
Camp on designated sites
Camping is allowed only at Upper Joffre Lake Campground, and only designated tent pads. Making a reservation guarantees you a spot but does not assign you a specific tent pad.
For more information on camping in Joffre Lakes Park, see the camping section.
No campfires
There is a permanent campfire ban in Joffre Lakes Park. Campfires are not allowed anywhere in the park, at any time of year. Bring a portable stove for cooking.
Leave No Trace
Joffre Lakes Park is in a remote area with fragile ecosystems and important biodiversity. Always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. To learn more, watch this video.
For detailed information on outdoor ethics, see the backcountry guide page.
Park in designated spots
Parking is allowed only at designated parking lots. It is not allowed along the edges of Highway 99. Parking in other areas causes erosion and damages ecosystems.
No domestic animals
Dogs and other pets are not allowed in Joffre Lakes Park. This rule protects pets as well as the park’s wildlife, fragile ecosystems, and valuable biodiversity.
No harvesting
Harvesting mushrooms or any other crops is forbidden in all BC Parks. The only exceptions are for Indigenous Peoples and harvesting permit holders.
Swimming not recommended
The glacier-fed lakes in this park are very cold and are not recommended for swimming. There are no lifeguards on duty in any BC Parks.
Pack out your garbage
This park has no backcountry garbage or recycling facilities. Pack out everything you pack in. Do not bury or burn garbage under any circumstances.
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Maps and location
Getting there
The entrance to Joffre Lakes Park is off Highway 99, east of Pemberton, on the Duffey Lake Road.
Camping
Backcountry camping
Camping in Joffre Lakes Park is allowed only at Upper Joffre Lake Campground, which is open from spring to fall. For specific dates, see Joffre Lakes Backcountry Campground, below. Camping is not allowed in the winter due to increased avalanche risk.
This is a very popular destination, so reservations are required throughout the camping season. For detailed information on booking, see the backcountry camping reservations page.
The term ‘backcountry’ refers to an area more than 1 km away from any highway or park road.
Upper Joffre Lake Campground is a 4.5 km moderate-to-challenging hike from the parking lot. For a trail map, see maps and location. Always check the advisories before heading out.
The campground features 26 tent pads, one urine diversion toilet, and a bear-proof food storage unit. The gravel tent pads sit on the far end of the lake and are designed to accommodate small backcountry tents. Campfires are not allowed.
There is no garbage pick-up in the backcountry, so pack out what you pack in. When visiting the backcountry, always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. To learn more, see our backcountry guide.
Fees (per night)
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When visiting the backcountry, always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. To learn more about staying safe in the backcountry, read our backcountry guide.
Backcountry areas
Things to do
Free day-use passes
Day-use passes are required for visits between May 16 and October 31, 2024, unless you have a camping reservation. If you have a camping reservation, you do not need a day-use pass. Simply carry your reservation details with you throughout your stay. For full details, visit the day-use passes page.
Hiking trail
The trail from the parking lot leads past three lakes: Lower, Middle, and Upper Joffre lakes. Elevation gain from the parking lot to Upper Joffre Lake is approximately 400 m.
For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Pack insect repellent, as mosquitoes and black flies are common. There is no garbage pick-up, so pack out what you pack in.
For a trail map, see maps and location. Always check the advisories.
The viewpoint at Lower Joffre Lake is an easy, five-minute walk from the parking lot. Continuing, the trail winds upward through old-growth forests of hemlock and spruce and along talus slopes.
This section becomes steeper and more challenging as you approach Middle Joffre Lake. Here, the pristine turquoise waters are fringed by sub-alpine forest and backed by rugged scenery.
The final stretch is narrower and rougher. It brings you to the largest and most stunning of the three lakes, Upper Joffre Lake. Here, you stand beneath the frozen cascade of Matier Glacier, with a great view of the 2,721 m Joffre Peak.
In the warm afternoon sun, you can hear crashing ice falling from the glacier, and rockfall from the slopes above. Because of this instability, we strongly discourage scrambling further uphill.
From here, only experienced and well-prepared mountaineers should attempt mountain climbing or venturing onto the glacial terrain and snowfields. For more information, see climbing.
There are fishing opportunities in Joffre Lakes Park, especially in the Lower and Middle lakes.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
All climbing opportunities are classified as mountaineering. They should only be attempted by experienced and properly equipped mountaineers.
Joffre Lakes Park is a busy destination year-round and offers many winter recreation opportunities. Backcountry skiing and snowshoeing are both popular activities here.
Be prepared for coastal winter weather, which can change rapidly, affecting visibility and travel conditions. You will encounter deep snow, ice, and slippery terrain. We strongly recommend wearing micro spikes or snowshoes.
During the fall, winter, and spring months, you will be exposed to avalanche risk. Bring an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel. Consider taking formal avalanche training before visiting the park during winter and spring.
Parking spaces are limited in winter due to snow clearing and weather conditions. Vehicle access to the park is weather-dependent from November to May. Always check the advisories before visiting.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available about the parking lot toilets at Joffre Lakes Park.
There are four pit toilets at the main parking lot and two in the overflow area. One pit toilet is available at Middle Lake. There are two urine diversion toilets at Upper Lake, one at the viewpoint and one at the campground. Toilet paper is not provided, so please bring your own.
About this park
For information on the Indigenous cultural heritage of Joffre Lakes Park, please see the highlights in this park section.
The area now known as Joffre Lakes Park was established as a recreation area in 1988. It became a Class A provincial park in 1996. In recent years, it has become one of the most popular destinations in the BC Parks system.
Deer, black bears, grizzly bears, and mountain goats live in Joffre Lakes Park. You may spot pikas along the hiking trail. When camping, please store your food in the metal cache provided at the campground, to avoid attracting bears.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.
Contact
| Reservations, changes, and cancellations | Our call centre is open from 7 am to 7 pm Pacific Time. There is a $5 fee for reservations, changes, or cancellations made by phone.
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| Frontcountry questions | Frontcountry facilities in Joffre Lakes Park are operated by Sea to Sky Park Services Ltd. The term ‘frontcountry’ refers to any area within 1 km of a highway or park road. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
