Hiking Deeks Lake on the Howe Sound Crest Trail
Contents
Deeks Lake Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 11.90Km
Elevation Gain: 969m
Highest Elevation: 1,053m
Average Gradient: 16.29%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 5 – 6 Hours
– Moderate: 4 – 5 Hours
– Fast: 3 – 4 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Deeks Lake Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°32’42.0″N 123°14’25.1″W
Deeks Lake Overview
Deeks Lake is one of the many destinations along the Howe Sound Crest Trail in Cypress Provincial Park, and attracts a significant number of people in the summer to its shores.
Surrounded by the imposing Gotha, Coburg and Wettin Peak, this lake is nestled in a scenic area, with the imposing Brunswick Mountain off in the distance. Thanks to its proximity to Vancouver and the fact camping reservations are not required, many people opt to camp at Deeks Lake in the summer months, before either continuing along the Howe Sound Crest Trail, or returning back to the car.
Still, Deeks Lake is a reasonably popular day hike as well, though it’s certainly not one of the easiest lakes to reach. At 11.9km and 969m elevation gain, this is a pretty steep hike to reach a lake. With overnight packs you can expect to be challenged even further.
Deeks Lake is also a year-round objective and might actually be preferred in the winter. The snowy surroundings are likely more scenic than in the summer, and the ability to hike on the frozen lake itself will provide clearer views when compared to the forested shoreline. Obviously if you are intending to swim in the lake, you’ll want to go in the summer, and Deeks Lake typically only thaws towards the very end of spring and early summer due to its high elevation.
Other than the lake and its surrounding peaks, there is not a lot else to see along this hike, it’s mostly a persistent forest grind to the lake. However, there are multiple options for extending the hike, you can continue a little further to Hanover Lake and Brunswick Lake, or even keep going along the Howe Sound Crest Trail all the way to the Cypress Bowl. Alternatively you can summit one of the nearby peaks like Mount Windsor or Deeks Peak if you’re feeling like a real challenge.
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Is Deeks Lake worthwhile?
Deeks Lake is a pretty challenging hike given the fact you are not ascending any peak (not even close). Indeed there are far easier lakes to visit than Deeks Lake, with equally good views, that require significantly less effort than this. After reaching the lake I was a little baffled as to why it was so popular as most of the shore is forested and the views of nearby peaks are restricted, but in hindsight it seems to be mostly overnight hikers that stop at Deeks Lake, likely due to the lack of requirement of a reservation. As a day hike there are certainly better options and for this to be worthwhile I would argue climbing up one of the nearby peaks (Mount Windsor is a good choice) to make it a fully worthwhile trip.
Still, if you particularly enjoy swimming in lakes and don’t mind a near 1,000m climb to get there, Deeks Lake will fit the bill. Personally it has to be a pretty special lake for me to take note, and Deeks Lake certainly doesn’t hold a candle to nearby glacier lakes like Garibaldi Lake, Lindeman Lake, Watersprite Lake or Joffre Lakes.
How difficult is the hike to Deeks Lake?
Deeks Lake is a bit of a grind the whole way. There is one short, flat section near the beginning of the hike, but other than that it’s up and up. A 16.29% average gradient is quite steep so you can expect to be challenged at times. Thankfully it’s a mostly consistent gradient and there are no sections that are excessively steep.
Technically the hike is pretty simple and mostly a plod along an old FSR. You’ll eventually climb steeply through the forest and there will be plenty of roots and rocks, but it’s simple stuff. This hike attracts quite a lot of “tourist” hikers that are easily identifiable by their running shoes over hiking boots, so that tells you how technical this hike is.
Deeks Lake Route Information
The hike begins at the popular Porteau Cove Road Lookout. Depending on the time of year and when you go, this parking lot might be quite full, even in the early morning, with overnight campers staying at Deeks Lake, or elsewhere along the Howe Sound Crest Trail. An early start is recommended on a sunny summer weekend.
There is some confusion as to whether this hike covers private property, which is actually true but comes with caveats. The property owners have development rights along the beginning of the trail, however there is also an agreement with BC Parks not to prevent access to Cypress Provincial Park. BC Parks has actually created a new trail at the beginning of this hike, as highlighted on this map, but many people still opt to use the old route, and there’s no enforcement against it. Many people follow the old route every weekend without issue. I will be describing the old route here but if you want to take the new route, it starts by the off-ramp to the parking lot.
Immediately after leaving the parking lot the trail passes through a locked gate and climbs gradually on a wide gravel road. After a few hundred meters you will cross a bridge over Kallahnee Creek, which is a fairly spot for a photo. A few hundred meters further along and you will hit a junction in the trail, where you will want to continue straight, along a now narrow trail in dense forest. You will immediately pass the new route that is well signposted by BC Parks.
There is really not a lot of note on this section of the trail, so it’s best to keep the pace up since it’s pretty mellow. If you’re lucky and you time it like I did, the trail will be dotted with foxgloves, which added a bit of glamour to an otherwise monotonous trail. The next kilometer of the trail is now completely flat, which may seem nice, but all it means is the elevation will all have to be gained over a shorter distance later on.
At around the 2km mark the gradient picks up again, and around the 4km mark you’ll enter Cypress Provincial Park. Here the trail begins a steep ascent and changes from a gravel track to a rough forest climb, at times requiring switchbacks to reduce the gradient. You’ll pass by a couple of viewpoints once you enter Cypress Provincial Park, but for the most part the trail just continues to climb steeply, staying north of the roaring Deeks Creek.
As you continue along the trail, the closer you get to Deeks Lake the rougher the terrain becomes. You’ll soon be clambering over roots and rocks adjacent to the rushing Deeks Creek, and just as you approach the final climb up to the lake you will have a nice view of the falls coming from the lake.
The trail deteriorates further as you near the lake, and in around 1km you will finally reach the lakes shore. There are a few spots around the lake immediately that you can stop at. The Howe Sound Crest Trail continues counter clockwise around the lake, but it gains elevation as it does. Alternatively you can go clockwise around the lake, following the Windsor Trail. There are again a few spots here to reach the lakes shores and optionally go for a swim, or just relax and enjoy the views.
There will be a few peaks immediately surrounding the lake itself, Gotha, Coburg and Wettin Peak, and you will also see Brunswick Mountain off in the distance. After finishing up at the lake you simply return to the trailhead the same way you came.
When should I hike Deeks Lake?
Deeks Lake is potentially a year-round hike, with many people actually preferring it in the winter when the snowy scenery offers something different to a typical summer lake. You will likely need snowshoes in the depths of winter at this elevation, so do go prepared if you intend to do this then. Obviously if you want to swim in the lake you will want to time it for an assuredly sunny, summer day.
Top Tip
An early start is recommended on a weekend in the summer as the parking lot here can fill up with overnighters fairly quickly. Many people seem to hike this in runners, but I definitely suggest hiking boots as the second half of the trail is fairly rugged.
If you are fit enough to extend the hike, I would advise continuing up to Mount Windsor or Deeks Peak to open up some far superior views than the shores of the lake.
