Home
Hiking the Loop
- Summary:
- The loop section of Beaver Lake trail follows the shoreline of Beaver Lake fairly close for most of its length with the exception of one stretch that cuts across a muskeg area on a hill above the lake.
- Distance and Time: 3 miles; 1.5-3 hr (round trip)
- The loop section proper is about one mile around the lake, with the other two miles consisting of getting to and from the trailhead. A significant factor in the time taken to do this hike is the initial quarter mile of switchbacks up the hillside.
- Difficulty: Moderately Easy
- Elevation Change: Moderate
- The first quarter mile consists of a series of switchbacks up a steep hillside from the bottom of the valley with an elevation gain of more 200 feet.
- After the first quarter mile the elevation change to the lake is slight.
- There are a few short hills along the loop with the largest of them gaining (and dropping) about 60 feet as the trail goes over a small muskeg covered hill.
- Route Finding: Easy
- Trail Condition: Good
- The loop portion of the trail was completed in Spring 2004 and the rest of the trail received significant maintenance as part of the work.
- In winter sections of the trail may be quite icy.
- Seasonal Notes
- Spring
- Flowers bloom all along the trail starting in spring.
- Summer
- Flowers bloom throughout the summer.
- Dragonflies are common in the muskeg portions of the loop as well as around the lake.
- Fall
- The first snow on the surrounding mountains can be a dramatic sight.
- Winter
- Accessibility is less convenient due to the closure of Blue Lake Road
- The trail may be quite icy in places.
- The lake may freeze