Whistler Parks and Lakes IconAlpha Lake Park is a beautiful little park on the shores of Alpha Lake in Creekside, just 5 kilometres south of Whistler Village.  Located partway along Lake Placid Road down past the Co-Op gas station and Nita Lake Lodge.  This quiet residential street leads to this park that is home to tennis courts, a basketball court, a huge waterfront dog park, an elaborate kids play park, a floating dock, two piers and biking/walking/running trails everywhere you look.

Whistler & Garibaldi Hiking

Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerAlexander Falls  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyAncient Cedars  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerBlack Tusk  Pay Use Hiking Trail WhistlerBlackcomb Mountain  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerBrandywine Falls  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyBrandywine Meadows  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyBrew Lake  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerCallaghan Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerCheakamus Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyCheakamus River  Whistler Hiking Trail HardCirque Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyFlank Trail  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerGaribaldi Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerGaribaldi Park  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerHelm Creek  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyJane Lakes  Joffre Lakes Hike in Whistler in SeptemberJoffre Lakes  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyKeyhole Hot Springs  Hiking Trail Hard Dog FriendlyLogger’s Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyMadeley Lake  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyMeager Hot Springs Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerNairn Falls  Whistler Hiking Trail HardNewt Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerPanorama Ridge  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyParkhurst Ghost Town  Hiking Trail Hard Dog FriendlyRainbow Falls  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerRainbow Lake  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyRing Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerRusset Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasySea to Sky Trail  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerSkookumchuck Hot Springs  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerSloquet Hot Springs  Sproatt East  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerSproatt West  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerTaylor Meadows  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyTrain Wreck  Hiking Trail Hard - Whistler TrailsWedgemount Lake  Pay Use Hiking Trail WhistlerWhistler Mountain

Whistler Parks & Lakes

Whistler Parks and LakesAlpha Lake Park  Whistler Parks and LakesAlta Lake Park  Whistler Parks and LakesBlueberry Park  Whistler Parks and LakesGreen Lake Park  Whistler Parks and LakesLakeside Park  Whistler Parks and LakesLost Lake Park  Whistler Parks and LakesMeadow Park  Whistler Parks and LakesNita Lake Park  Whistler Parks and LakesRainbow Park  Whistler Parks and LakesWayside Park

Alpha Lake Park has a much more local feel to it than other Whistler parks such as the popular Rainbow ParkLakeside Park and Lost Lake Park.  The abundance of trees and the irregular shoreline make the relatively small size of Alpha Lake seem quite a bit bigger than it is.  Trails run around both sides of Alpha Lake.  The wide and paved Valley Trail/Sea to Sky Trail runs along the shore on the near side and a gravel trail runs along the far side.  This gravel trail, squeezed between the train tracks and the lake takes you to Pine Point Park, a nice rocky outcrop in the top-middle of the lake.  Here the trails zig-zag through the forest to several hidden vantage points over the lake.  These spots are always facing the sun and amazing on a sunny day.  If you continue walking through the forest trails in Pine Point Park you will eventually be squeezed between the lake and the train tracks for a few dozen metres before reaching the end of the lake.  Here you will find another hidden oasis at Alpha Lake that goes almost entirely unnoticed.  A remnant of the logging industry that used to thrive in the area, an old road abruptly stops at a jetty on the lake-shore.  This weirdly remote feeling spot is a great place to relax in the sun, launch a canoe, fish from the shore, or have a picnic in a tranquil, hidden corner of Whistler.

The Tranquil and Beautiful Far End of Alpha Lake

Alpha Lake in Whistler

Alpha Lake Park Map

Alpha Lake Park has a lot of facilities and things to do.  Next to the parking area you pass the basketball and tennis courts.  Next you come to the main beach area with two piers, volleyball courts, washrooms, picnic tables and a very nice kids playground.  A hiking trail extends around Alpha Lake to Pine Point Park where you find scenic rock outcrops overlooking the lake.  Hiking further around the lake, along the train tracks you come to the south end of the lake.  This serene little corner of Alpha Lake is gorgeous on a sunny day and almost always you will have it to yourself.  Back at the main parking area the Valley Trail/Sea to Sky Trail extends around the other side of Alpha Lake along the beautiful shore. In the opposite direction the trail extends along the shore of Nita Lake, then continues around both sides of Alta Lake and almost everywhere in Whistler.

Alpha Lake Park Map

Pine Point in Alpha Lake Park

Alpha Lake Park Trail View at Pine Point Park

Alpha Lake Park Things to Do

Family IconAlpha Lake Park is one of the most overlooked parks in Whistler, though it is arguably one of the best.  The park has a surprising array of things to do.  At the main area of Alpha Lake Park there are washrooms, water fountains, a very elaborate kids play area, dog park, picnic tables, a small sandy beach, volleyball courts, nice piers and hiking trails.  Next to the parking lot are tennis courts and a basketball court. Fishing is popular on the lake as it is stocked with hundreds of rainbow trout every year.  Despite the small size of Alpha Lake, its shoreline is never in a straight line and on a sunny summer day you will see several boats and paddleboards out on the water.  The best place to fish is close to the small island near Pine Point Park.  The island is private property, but the rocky outcrops near the island are accessible and ideal for fishing.

The Wonderful Playground at Alpha Lake Park

Alpha Lake Park Amazing Playground

Basketball and Tennis Courts at Alpha Lake

Best Whistler Parks Alpha Lake Park

Alpha Lake Park Playground

The playground at Alpha Lake Park is beautifully designed and has a huge array of things to do.  The elaborate, natural wood treehouse has slides and climbing nets to get up and down from it.  There are little climbing walls, horizontal bars, swings and behind the playground is a fantastic forest with wide open areas and huge trees.  The forest is a playground on its own, with space to run around and impressive and unusual trees everywhere you look.

Alpha Lake Park's Wonderful Playground

Alpha Lake Playground

Alpha Lake Park Forest Playground

Beautiful Alpha Lake Forest

Alpha Lake Park Huge Trees

Alpha Lake Park Huge Trees

Alpha Lake Park's Arfa Dog Park

Adjacent to the main beach at Alpha Lake Park, separated by a small forest is the wonderful dog park known as "Arfa Park".  Rarely will you pass through Arfa Park and not see a dog sprinting after a ball in this wide open, grassy field between the tennis courts and the lake.  Several park benches face the lake and make for a fantastic place in Whistler to watch the sun set.  Whistler's wonderful Valley Trail runs through Alpha Lake Park.  The Valley Trail is the wide, two lane, walking/biking/running trail that extends throughout Whistler.

Alpha Lake Park Main Beach

Valley Trail to Alpha Lake Park

With the Valley Trail connecting Whistler Village to Alpha Lake Park, walking or biking to it is a great option.  From the Village it is just 5 kilometres with a lot to see on the way.  From the Village the Valley Trail goes under the Sea to Sky Highway via an underpass and runs along the edge of the Whistler Golf Course.  The golf course is very scenic and bear sightings are frequent, especially early and late in the day.  Beyond the golf course the Valley Trail runs alongside roads for a short time before passing through Lakeside Park along the shore of Alta Lake.

Alpha Lake Park Directions

Driving to the TrailheadPublic Transit to the TrailheadAlpha Lake Park is easy to get to by car, bus, bike or on foot.  Parking for Alpha Lake Park is found at the end of Lake Placid Drive in Creekside. Lake Placid Drive is the road that goes past the Co-Op gas station four kilometres south of Whistler Village.  If driving north on the Sea to Sky Highway you will see the Co-Op gas station on your left at the lights in Creekside.  Turn left onto Lake Placid Drive and follow it past the Co-Op.  Lake Placid Drive bends 90 degrees left at Nita Lake Lodge and you will see the parking and entrance to Alpha Lake Park on your right.  Parking is free, though overnight parking is not allowed.  As Alpha Lake Park is on the Valley Trail and Sea to Sky Trail, walking, biking or jogging to it is a much better option than driving if you are staying in the Village.  Just follow the Valley Trail/Sea to Sky Trail, heading south, past Alta Lake, then past Nita Lake and you will enter Alpha Lake Park.  Getting there by bus is easy as well as you just have to catch a bus to Creekside, then walk to the park in less than 10 minutes.

Best Whistler Parks Map

Camping Near Alpha Lake Park

Alpha Lake Park, as with other Whistler parks is not a place you can put up a tent and spend the night.  If you want a place to put up your tent you have to look a little further out from Whistler Village.  If you are a fan of stealth camping(aka: not legal) Whistler Train Wreck is a great place to put up a tent and just 4 kilometres south of Alpha Lake Park along in Cheakamus Crossing.  The forest wilderness around Whistler Train Wreck. has many secluded locations ideal for a stealth camp and rarely explored by the throngs of people that only hike to the wrecks. Green River also has some amazing spots for a tent, north of Whistler Village near the turnoff to Wedgemount Lake.  Just outside the edge of the Resort Municipality of Whistler and on Crown land, camping is actually legal.  Just down the logging road is Parkhurst Ghost Town which is amazing for stealth camping, though lays withing the Resort Municipality of Whistler, so not officially allowed. These are off the radar places to camp so don't expect visible camping facilities or signs, but potential tent site locations are endless and remarkably beautiful.  Check out our guide to some of the best places to camp for free in and around Whistler. 

Whistler's Best Parks & Lakes!

Meadow Park is a huge recreation area in Whistler that has a hockey rink, huge gym, swimming pool, squash courts, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, ...
Read more
Nita Lake is a tranquil little lake located in Creekside, just 4 kilometres south of Whistler Village.  Whistler's beautiful Valley Trail runs right along ...
Read more
Alta Lake Park is one of several scenic parks on Alta Lake.  Lakeside Park, Blueberry ParkRainbow Park and Wayside Park are also along the shore of ...
Read more
Rainbow Park is one of Whistler's most popular sightseeing, picnicking, dog walking, relaxing and swimming beaches and for good reason.  The beach is south ...
Read more

Whistler's Best Hiking Trails!

Mount Sproatt, or as it is known locally as just Sproatt, is one of the many towering mountains visible from Whistler Village. Above and beyond Alta Lake, directly across from Whistler Mountain and ...
Read more
The short, winding, and ever-changing hiking trail to Rainbow Falls is the same as the much more popular trailhead for Rainbow Lake.  The trailhead is marked as the Rainbow Trail, and the trail quickly ...
Read more
Garibaldi Lake is the centre and base for much of the hiking in Garibaldi Provincial Park. The Garibaldi Lake campsite is located on the amazing, turquoise shores of this massive and mostly still wild ...
Read more
Hiking and biking trails are so abundant in Whistler that many go unnoticed, neglected or taken for granted.  The Flank Trail is one of these.  Most people in Whistler don't even know about it, but the ones ...
Read more

Whistler & Garibaldi Park Best Hiking by Month!

Hiking in Whistler in October is often unexpectedly stunning.  The days are much shorter and colder but the mountains are alive with colour from the fall ...
Read more
November in Whistler is when the temperatures plummet and the first heavy snow falls in the alpine and often in Whistler Village.  The hiking opportunities become ...
Read more
December hiking in Whistler is mainly done on snowshoes, though not always. If it hasn't snowed much recently then trails such as Whistler Train Wreck and ...
Read more
There are plenty of beautiful and free snowshoe trails in Whistler and Garibaldi Provincial Park.  From the surreal paintings of Whistler Train Wreck to ...
Read more

Incredible West Coast Trail Guide

Explore BC Hiking Destinations!

Whistler Hiking Trails

Hiking in Whistler is spectacular and wonderfully varied. Looking at a map of Whistler you see an extraordinary spider web of hiking trails that are unbelievably numerous. Easy trails, moderate trails and challenging hiking trails are all available. Another marvellous ...
Read more

Squamish Hiking Trails

Squamish is located in the midst of a staggering array of amazing hiking trails. Garibaldi Provincial Park sprawls alongside Squamish and up and beyond Whistler. Tantalus Provincial Park lays across the valley to the west and the wonderfully remote Callaghan Valley ...
Read more

Vancouver Hiking Trails

Vancouver is surrounded by seemingly endless hiking trails and mountains to explore.  Massive parks line up one after another.  Mount Seymour Provincial Park, Lynn Canyon Park, Grouse Mountain, Cypress Park and the enormous Garibaldi Park all contribute to Vancouver ...
Read more

Clayoquot Hiking Trails

Clayoquot Sound has a staggering array of hiking trails within it.  Between Tofino and Ucluelet, Pacific Rim Park has several wilderness and beach trails, each one radically different from the last.  The islands in the area are often Provincial parks on their own with ...
Read more

Victoria Hiking Trails

Victoria has a seemingly endless number of amazing hiking trails.  Most take you to wild and beautiful Pacific Ocean views and others take you to tranquil lakes in beautiful BC Coastal Rainforest wilderness.  Regional Parks and Provincial Parks are everywhere you turn in ...
Read more

The West Coast Trail

The West Coast Trail was created after decades of brutal and costly shipwrecks occurred along the West Coast of Vancouver Island.  One shipwreck in particular was so horrific, tragic and unbelievable that it forced the creation of a trail along the coast, which ...
Read more