Alice Lake is the no-stress version of an outdoor day on the Sea to Sky. Four warm-water lakes inside one provincial park, a sandy swim beach, a moderate loop trail that touches all four, and a 96-site campground with showers and flush toilets. It’s the lake to bring kids, in-laws, or anyone who’s nervous about anything more rugged.
Drive 13 km north of Squamish on Highway 99, turn east at the brown park sign, and you’re in. The pavement runs all the way to the day-use parking lot. Most visitors come for the beach on Alice, but the locals’ move is the 4 Lakes Loop — a 6 km circuit that connects Alice, Stump, Fawn, and Edith through second-growth forest. Two to three hours, gentle enough for kids, just enough climb to feel like you did something.
Sandy beach on Alice. Warm by mid-July.
6 km, gentle terrain, 4 lakes, 2–3 hr.
Showers, flush toilets. Book ahead in summer.
Stump, Fawn, Edith for the calm morning paddle.
Alice & Edith. BC freshwater licence required.
13 km N of Squamish; ~90 min from Vancouver.
Hand-delivered to your campsite. Paddles, PFDs included. Up to three paddlers per boat.
Book a canoeStand-up boards delivered to the same spot. Good for the calmer mornings on Stump & Fawn.
Book a boardLocal guide for the full Alice Lake day — the swim spots, the 4-lakes loop pace, the family-friendly version. Best for first-timers or groups who want logistics handled.
Book a guide“Best canoe rental experience we’ve had. Jeremy delivered the canoe right to our campsite at Alice Lake. Everything was included and the boat was in great shape. Super easy and affordable. Will definitely be back!”
“Got set up super quickly. We grabbed the seat upgrade which made the paddle way more comfortable. Already planning another rental at Alice Lake next month.”
“Did the 4 Lakes Loop with our two kids and stopped to swim at every one. Took us about three hours including snack stops. Trail is well-marked, totally manageable for little legs.”
“Beautiful park, but if you come on a weekend in August the day-use parking fills by 10am. Get there at 8 or skip the beach and paddle one of the back lakes — way quieter.”
“Came in shoulder season for the colour change on the loop. Bug-free, almost empty, brisk water but I still swam at Edith. The locals’ secret is real.”
“Booked a canoe delivery for early May since the on-site hut was closed. Jeremy met us right at our campsite at 9am. Made the whole trip work — wouldn’t have happened otherwise.”
Alice Lake is a family park. It gets busy. Summer weekends fill the beach by 11 a.m. and the parking lot turns over slowly. If quiet is what you came for, plan around it — weekday morning, shoulder season, or the further-out lakes on the loop.
Bear sightings happen. Lock food, use the bear-proof bins, and don’t leave dishes at the campsite overnight. There’s a small chance of seeing a black bear, a near certainty of seeing crows working over an unattended picnic.
The park sits on Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation territory. Pack out what you bring. The lake remembers everyone who came before you.
Yes. Alice has a sandy main beach (South Beach) with a roped swim area and a floating dock a short walk from the campground. The water is shallow and warms up nicely by mid-July, which is what makes it the family swim lake of the Sea to Sky. There are no lifeguards — like all BC Parks lakes, you swim at your own risk, so keep an eye on kids.
For July, August, and September — effectively yes. The campground (just under 100 reservable sites, with showers and flush toilets) books out months ahead and is often full even mid-week in peak summer. Reserve through BC Parks as far in advance as the booking window allows. Shoulder-season weekdays in spring and fall are the exception, when walk-up sites can open up.
There's a seasonal on-site rental stand at the main beach, but the window is short: roughly late June to early September, and only Thursday through Monday. It's closed in April and May entirely — the detail that catches out early-season visitors.
If you're here before the long weekend, in the off days, or you'd rather have a boat waiting at your campsite, Squamish Canoe Rental delivers canoes and stand-up paddleboards right to Alice Lake — paddles and PFDs included, up to three paddlers per canoe.
It's the easiest outdoor day on the corridor. The pavement runs all the way to the parking lot, the beach is sandy and shallow, and the 4 Lakes Loop is a gentle 6 km that little legs can handle in two to three hours. Bring a canoe and you can turn the calmer back lakes (Stump, Fawn, Edith) into the highlight of the trip.
Yes, on leash — but with one catch people miss: dogs are not permitted on the Alice Lake beach, in the picnic areas, or on the Alice Lake Loop Trail. They're fine on leash elsewhere in the park and on the wider 4 Lakes Loop. Plan your swim spot accordingly.
Yes. The lakes are stocked with rainbow trout — Edith and Stump are the quieter bets, with a few bench-style spots along the shore. You'll need a BC freshwater fishing licence, which you can buy online before you come.
Summer weekends fill the day-use parking by 10–11 a.m. and the beach soon after. If quiet is the goal, come on a weekday morning, or wait for September — the locals' season, when the colour turns, the bugs are gone, and the water's still swimmable if you're brave. Either way, get a boat on the water early and paddle one of the back lakes while the main beach fills up.
Planning a paddle? See the rest of the Sea to Sky Trails guides for nearby Levette Lake and the Echo Falls crossing.