Hiking Flora Lake in the Fraser Valley
Contents
Flora Lake Hike Information
Difficulty: Very Difficult
Distance: 18.50Km
Elevation Gain: 1,800m
Highest Elevation: 1,953m
Average Gradient: 19.46%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Very High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 9 – 10 Hours
– Moderate: 7 – 9 Hours
– Fast: 6 – 7 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: July – Mid-October
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Flora Lake Trail (Out and Back)
Flora Lake Trail (Loop)
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°05’49.1″N 121°27’22.3″W
Flora Lake Overview
Flora Lake is located in Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park in the Chilliwack River Valley. Near the incredibly popular Lindeman Lake and Greendrop Lake, Flora Lake sees far less traffic than these two due to the significantly more challenging hike to get there.
There are two routes that most people will take to Flora Lake, either completing this as a looped hike including Lindeman Lake and Greendrop Lake, or as an out and back hike. Both hikes come with difficulties, with the loop being longer and covering multiple boulder fields, and the out and back being shorter, but with more elevation and far steeper overall. Both of the trail options are linked below, but I will be describing the out and back route in this post, as that was my preferred choice.
Whichever route you take to Flora Lake it is going to be a long and challenging hike with significant elevation gain. The out and back route in particular has a lot of steep elevation, largely due to the fact you have to descend from the Flora Peak saddle about 400m, only to climb right back up once you’ve finished at the lake.
Due to the arduous nature of this hike, many people choose to complete this hike as an overnight trip, camping at Flora Lake before continuing along the Flora Lake Loop (or hiking back out the way they came). There are only 2 or 3 campsites at the lake, so an early start is recommended if you want a spot. It is a perfectly manageable day trip though, and many people do this as well.
A hike to Flora Lake is not complete without also summiting Flora Peak, which both of the trails below will direct to as well. The views from the peak are absolutely breathtaking, and you would be remiss to go directly to the lake and avoid the short detour to the peak.
Flora Lake is a summer only hike, with the trail usually becoming snow free in early July and remaining so until the snow returns, likely in late October or early November.
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Is Flora Lake worthwhile?
Flora Lake is no doubt a beautiful lake, just as nice as the nearby Lindeman Lake, and far, far quieter. If you are really enamored by tranquil, turquoise lakes, you might like this place. That being said, this is a massive hike to reach a lake that is no more impressive than other lakes which are far easier to reach and just as nice (though much busier).
The biggest drawback is the massive effort it takes to reach Flora Lake. Were the lake before Flora Peak (and thus on the way), it would be far more popular, but the fact you have to go beyond the peak and descend 400m after an already challenging hike, only to climb back up, significantly reduces the allure of this lake and puts into question its worthiness.
Having completed both Flora Peak and Flora Lake, the peak is the biggest highlight of the trip by a long way. With all that said, if you hike both the peak and the lake in one go like I did, this is an excellent hike all around, but I would sooner just stop at Flora Peak and make the hike much easier. I would happily go back to Flora Peak, I doubt I would go back to Flora Lake, and for that reason the lake trail has been dropped to 4 stars versus the 5 star Flora Peak hike. Overall, Flora Lake makes an already difficult hike even more difficult, with the payoff not really worth the effort.
How difficult is the hike to Flora Lake?
Flora Lake is a very physically challenging hike no matter the approach you take. The out and back trail has an enormous 1,800m elevation gain and an average gradient of almost 20%. Even if you take the looped trail it’s still 1,500m elevation, longer and covers a lot of challenging terrain.
Technically Flora Lake isn’t too challenging. Most of the trail is just steep dirt/rocks. At no point will you be scrambling, nor should you ever really be exposed to any fall, even up to Flora Peak. There is one section of the trail (that is stunning!) where you traverse across a hill along a narrow trail, with a steep drop on one side. The views from here are breathtaking, but if you are particularly nervy with heights you might be somewhat challenged here.
Flora Lake Route Information
The hike begins at Lindeman Lake parking lot, which is large and suitable for all vehicles. However, on a sunny summer weekend this parking lot can fill up very quickly, so an early start is strongly recommended. Also, this lot is renowned for vehicle break-ins, so please ensure you leave absolutely nothing in your vehicle if you want to prevent that possibility.
Immediately after starting the trail you will reach a junction, where you will want to turn right, while most other people will continue straight to Lindeman Lake. The next couple of hundred meters are a fairly mellow stroll in the forest. You’ll pass a couple of junctions with other small offshoot trails, just ignore these and continue on the main path.
You’ll soon reach the beginning of the real climb as the gradient increases fairly quickly, but for the most part it stays a consistent but manageable grade. Over the next few kilometers the trail continues at this consistent gradient. For the most part the trail is straightforward, easy to follow and well marked with orange markers. You’ll cross over a few creeks but overall you just want to keep a consistent pace.
Shortly you will reach your first view of the day, a small lookout over Chilliwack Lake and Mount Webb. The respite doesn’t last long as the relentless grind continues. Over the next kilometer the trail remains consistently steep and trees begin to thin out, offering some peek-a-boo views. You’ll soon hit a few more steep switchbacks, after which you will finally break out of the treeline, at around the 1,470m mark. This is where the views really start to impress.
Over the next 500m or so the trail narrows, transitions to dry, loose dirt and traverses across a steep slope. The views to your right will be astonishing of Chilliwack Lake and its surrounding peaks, and I personally found this section of the hike one of the best parts of the day. This section might be a little unnerving for anyone with a more acute fear of heights, but it should be fine if you take your time with your footing.
After crossing a few creeks you’ll be at the end of this traverse and the gradient will pick up once again. You’ll soon enter the alpine meadows. In mid-summer these meadows will be full of flowers, and the constant backdrop of Chilliwack Lake makes for an amazing experience.
The remainder of the trail up to the saddle will basically be through alpine meadows and sparse trees. You’ll soon lose your views of Chilliwack Lake as you approach the saddle, passing by a small boulder field. Soon you will see Flora Peak directly in front of you and eventually you will reach the saddle between Flora Peak to your left and another peak, the Flora Lake Lookout, to your right.
As you reach the saddle you should see markers to your left, and a small trail leading up Flora Peak. The trail now becomes much steeper and you’ll soon be traveling on some boulder fields. Still, while steep, you will never be scrambling and you should not be exposed to any drop. Following the markers is very straightforward, and the trail just continues to climb steeply, transitioning from rocks to loose dirt constantly. It can be slippery at times and poles certainly help with balance, but overall it’s just steep.
As you climb to the peak, the views behind you of Flora Lake Lookout are stunning, and soon enough you’ll get views to the east of Flora Lake and its mountain backdrop. There’ll be a few lookout spots that make for a great photo on the way, but for the most part now is the time to just grind it to the top and rest there.
Once you reach the summit it will be marked with a large cairn, and the views now will be endless in every direction. The summit area is very spacious and you could walk around for a long time taking photos, or just find a spot to rest (you’ll probably need it). The views in all directions are staggering, with tons of good photo spots on rocky cliffs.
After finishing up at the top you simply head back down to the saddle via the same route, taking care with footing on the loose dirt. You’ll now continue along the Flora Lake trail, which will now start descending on the other side of the saddle. The trail narrows and winds through some more meadows, before again entering the treeline.
The trail begins to deteriorate a bit further but is always well marked and easy to follow, it just gets a bit rough, with some muddy patches, possibly deadfall and a beat up trail. You’ll cross some creeks where you can fill your water, before beginning a steep descent into the forest.
Soon enough you will reach the lake, initially coming out at the camp sites which are right on the shore. This is the best area if you want to go for a swim and take a break. Back on the trail it simply continues along the lake, but it’s entirely in the trees away from the shore. After following the trail for 500m or so you will reach the first boulder field, which offers some stunning views of the lake from an elevation above it. This is the turnaround point for anybody wanting to do this as an out and back hike as from here on out it’s boulder field after boulder field.
Unfortunately returning now involves ascending 400m back up to the saddle, which after the hike you’ve had so far will be excruciatingly tiring. Once at the saddle you simply follow the trail back to the trailhead, which is easier said than done. Due to the steep gradient the descent can be just as bad as the ascent, leaving your legs and knees in agony by the end.
When should I hike Flora Lake?
As mentioned Flora Lake is really a summer only hike, and you’ll likely want to do it without any snow on the trail. The ascent up to the peak is very steep and with snow added it could be pretty sketchy. The descent down to the lake would be challenging in snow also. Usually by July the snow should be mostly gone, so I’d time it for July to mid-October or so.
Top Tip
Poles are very helpful on this hike if you want to take some pressure off your legs on the descent. Good, grippy hiking boots are useful on the loose dirt trail as well.
One thing to note is that hiking in summer in Chilliwack is always a battle with the temperatures/sun and this is no different. You’ll want to start and finish early to avoid the peak sun as much as possible, and of course take all the usual sun protection.
If you prefer longer hikes over annoying boulder terrain, you might want to opt for the looped trail instead. This also benefits from seeing Lindeman Lake and Greendrop Lake. Having spoken to people who have done it though, I’ve heard many bad reviews about the boulder fields, with most people saying they would sooner do it as an out and back, which is why I did it that way. You could also do the loop clockwise rather than counter clockwise, which results in a longer, less steep approach to the peak, but a very steep descent.
