Hiking Semaphore Lakes near Pemberton
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Semaphore Lakes Hike Information
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 6.00Km
Elevation Gain: 410m
Highest Elevation: 1,692m
Average Gradient: 13.67%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Low / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 2.5 – 3 Hours
– Moderate: 2 – 2.5 Hours
– Fast: 1.5 – 2 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: ~July to October
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No – An SUV will be fine, a low clearance vehicle will manage depending on the FSR condition
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Semaphore Lakes Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 50°35’26.6″N 123°01’03.9″W
Semaphore Lakes Overview
Semaphore Lakes is a popular destination thanks to being an easy hike to a series of serene alpine lakes and dramatic mountain views. After just a few kilometers on the trail, hikers will find themselves in a beautiful alpine basin bespeckled with turquoise lakes, all the while enjoying the glacier clad peaks as a backdrop.
Semaphore Lakes is very popular with campers thanks to its ease of access, excellent views and the ability to camp without the need for a reservation. All campsites are first come, first served, though it certainly does get popular on a sunny summer weekend, so an early start is recommended if you intend to camp. This is also a very ecologically sensitive environment, with signage indicating where people should camp. Make sure to respect the flora and fauna, and camp in properly designated spots. There are pit toilets and bear caches at the lakes as well.
While the lakes themselves are rewarding, many people use the area as a base camp for further exploration, often to one of the nearby peaks. Locomotive Mountain is the most popular peak to summit due to being the least technical. Experienced and capable parties can also complete the Train Glacier Traverse, which summits 5 peaks while circumnavigating Train Glacier, beginning and ending at the lakes. This requires significant route finding and scrambling and should only be attempted by experienced groups.
Access to the Semaphore Lakes areas is from The Hurley River FSR, which is typically a well groomed FSR suitable for most vehicles, though AWD would be beneficial. You can expect a 3 hour drive from Vancouver to reach the trailhead. This website provides excellent updates on the conditions of the Hurley, as well as whether it’s open or closed. Given the Hurley River FSR closes once the snow has arrived and doesn’t open again until it has melted, the season for the Semaphore Lakes is prime summer. July to October is best.
Dogs are welcome on this hike. Mosquitos can often be apocalyptic in this area in the early summer, so some people prefer waiting until August and September, especially if they’re camping.
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Is Semaphore Lakes worthwhile?
Semaphore Lakes is a beautiful area, but as a standalone hike it would be a very short outing after a long drive. The majority of people here are either camping or using the lakes as a base while hiking through to one of the nearby peaks.
How difficult is the hike to Semaphore Lakes?
At just 6km return this is a very short hike that you could feasibly finish in 1.5 – 2 hours if you didn’t stop to enjoy the views. That being said the trail can be quite steep, with an average gradient of almost 14%, so while short you may still be out of breath for much of it.
Technically the trail is very straightforward, with an obvious trail the entire way to the lakes. Once at the lakes there are a labyrinth of trails going all over the place, with endless options for further exploration. If you have a specific destination to reach you may want to bring an offline map.
Semaphore Lakes Route Information
Parking for Semaphore Lakes is just before Railroad Pass on the Hurley River FSR , see coordinates above. The Hurley River FSR is generally quite well groomed and most SUV’s should manage the road fine. Sedans often do make it up there as well, but prepare for a long, slow and bumpy ride on the FSR. There is a small parking area at the trailhead, however there is ample space on the side of the road for overflow parking.
From the trailhead there is an obvious trail leading down into the forest. After a couple of hundred meters you’ll cross a small bridge over a creek, before beginning your forest climb. The trail will remain adjacent to Railroad Creek as you work your way up through the rugged terrain, at times passing over roots, rocks and mud. While not a well manicured trail, it’s easy to follow.
After a few kilometers of hiking in the forest you’ll break out into some open meadows, and within a few hundred meters of steep climbing you’ll get your first views of the mountains, with the lakes now close by as well.
The main lake is the first one that you’ll reach and is one of the more popular spots for camping, but if you continue further along the trails you’ll reach another couple of lakes, each with further camping options. If you are camping, pick a spot and get set up.
You’ll now have excellent views of the mountain backdrop, with Locomotive Mountain, Tender Mountain, Caboose Peak, Faceless Mountain and Face Mountain all visible, and the impressive Train Glacier beneath them all. As noted, the Train Glacier Traverse hikes the ridge connecting all these peaks, typically beginning up Face Mountain and ending on Locomotive.
Most parties will not be completing this traverse, however many do opt to hike up Locomotive Mountain and return back down to the lakes the same way. This is the “friendliest” mountain to climb from Semaphore Lakes, though it does still involve considerable talus hopping and some route finding through tricky terrain, so a map is strongly recommended. There is minimal scrambling for Locomotive.
If you don’t intend to climb any of these peaks, you can still explore the basin that the lakes reside in, with more lakes situated south of the main area on the way to Locomotive Mountain.
When should I hike Semaphore Lakes?
Access to Semaphore Lakes requires the Hurley River FSR to be open, which is only generally in the summer. If you want to avoid snow travel you will likely want to complete this hike somewhere between mid-July and early October. As noted, in the early summer the mosquitoes can be voracious, with many parties saving this region for later in the summer. Mid-August to October is usually pretty fine for bugs and makes for the best time to visit.
Top Tip
If you have any intention of summiting a nearby peak, bring an offline map. Even Locomotive Mountain has some confusing terrain to navigate with no trails to follow.
Semaphore Lakes is getting very popular, if you plan to go on a sunny weekend you might want to get there early, or even consider leaving on the Friday evening.
