If you cannot go to the Rocky Mountains, do not worry: there will always be a Joffre Lakes near you

When I arrived in Vancouver, summer had ended, fall was beginning, and everyone kept warning me that I had few opportunities left to go to the Rocky Mountains before everything froze. My sister, who is experiencing all this for the first time, was already panicking: how could she miss the Rocky Mountains? But I had other plans, somewhere closer that would leave her speechless, unable to believe the natural beauty, and that place is called JOFFRE LAKES.

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Joffre Lakes is a group of 3 lakes approximately 180km from Downtown Vancouver. The road that takes you there is the same one that goes through Whistler (Route 99 heading north). The trip to Joffre Lakes should take about 2 hours to 2 and a half hours, but do not rush, because the scenery changes a lot and there are beautiful places along the way where you can stop and take some photos. One of these places is One Mile Lake, which is a great stop to admire some of the mountain scenery, take a walk, and use the bathroom if you need to. But do not let the mountains here take all your breath away, because the biggest surprise is still to come when you arrive at Joffre Lakes.

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30 minutes after our stop at One Mile Lake, we began the climb to the upper part of the mountain, where the first lake and parking lot are located. We arrived around 11:00 and the parking lot was already full (here is a tip: leave Vancouver very early). The first lake is about a 5-minute walk from the parking lot, nothing too difficult, and it already gives you a preview of what awaits you at the second lake. The walk to the second lake is a little more challenging and takes around 1:00 to 1:30 (about 3 km); it is worth stopping at least 2 times along the way to hydrate and take a short rest. But when you start to see the second lake in the distance, all the tiredness and apprehension disappear and a feeling of gratitude and peace takes over. I had never felt that way before, and I can tell you it will be hard to have another moment like the one when I saw the second lake. Take at least 30 minutes or so to admire the scenery, take some photos, and relax before walking to the third lake.

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Just after leaving the second lake, we had a lovely surprise: a wonderful waterfall that enchanted everyone in my group. We stopped briefly for some photos and continued toward the last lake. Not even 30 minutes had passed before we began to get a preview of what we would see: we could already make out the glacier in the background (one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen, by the way), and to our surprise, it began to snow heavily, something rare at this time of year. We finally reached the lakeshore and decided to have lunch there while admiring that beauty. Although there were quite a few people there, silence prevailed; everyone was simply appreciating the grandeur and beauty of the place.

After finishing lunch, we started our journey back to the parking lot. Many of us did not want to leave, but it was getting late. We left with a feeling of peace and tranquility and the certainty that we would return to Joffre Lakes more often, because the beauty and peace the lakes bring you are worth all the effort it takes to reach them. On the way back we passed through Whistler, but I will leave that story for another time.

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