Hiking Panorama Ridge and Garibaldi Lake (Whistler, BC)

Panorama Ridge Hiking Info

• Difficult
• 8-11 hours
• 30 km round trip
• Elevation gain 1560 meters
• Summit 2133 meters
• Camping available
• No dogs
• No 4X4 required

Panorama Ridge is in Garibaldi Provincial Park, and it was one of the prettiest hikes I have ever done. There was a lot of elevation gain and kilometers to hike out, but the challenge of it all was definitely worth it. The trail goes through meadows of vibrant wildflowers and dense forests, and also passes turquoise glacier lakes and rugged mountains. The views at the summit are insane, and totally depict the beauty of BC.

The peak of Panorama Ridge is at 2,133 meters and provides views of Garibaldi Lake, Mt. Price, Mt. Garibaldi, Black Tusk, The Table and the Tantalus Range. You can even see all of the way to Howe Sound and Whistler on a clear day! It literally gives you panoramic views, hence the name.

Garibaldi Park & Lake Day Pass System

If you have a camping reservation you have nothing to worry about. If you are planning on day hiking June 13 – Sept 2 and weekends from Sept 13- Oct 4 you are going to need a day pass from the BC parks website here. The day pass is one per vehicle ( up to 12 people) and needs to be displayed. I recommend printing it out and leaving it on the dash.

How To Get A Garibaldi Park Day Pass

The day passes are available two day in advance starting at 7 am. I would recommend applying right at 7 am if you can to guarantee you get a spot. There are lots of reservations but it is a very popular area. The link to reserve a day pass is here. There is space for 200 Cars at Rubble Creek , 55 at Diamond Head, and 50 at Cheakamus

Panorama Ridge Hike

Garibaldi Provincial Park is in between Whistler and Squamish. The hike starts at the Rubble Creek parking lot where the Garibaldi Lake Trail begins. The first part of the hike is a fairly steady uphill ascent on a very well maintained path through dense forest. There are signs everywhere so you can not get lost. This section is about 7km all uphill!

When you reach the fifth kilometer you will finally come to a lookout area called The Barrier. This cliff was formed during a massive landslide back in 1885.

Once you get to the 6 km mark there will be a rest area with more signs that direct you towards Garibaldi Lake and Taylor Meadows campgrounds. There will be a sign to let you know how much farther you need to go, and there is a little section with benches and an outhouse.

After a couple of more kilometers up hill you will also pass the turquoise waters of Barrier Lake and Lesser Garibaldi Lake.

To continue to Panorama ridge you will head towards Taylor Meadows and the Black Tusk Junction. However, our group was camping at Garibaldi Lake, so we dropped our gear off at our campsite and then back tracked to get back on the trail to reach Panorama Ridge. The campsite is 9 kms from the parking lot and about a 2km detour from the Panorama Ridge trail.

When we finished setting up camp, we back tracked towards the trail where we came into the  campground. You will then see a sign that points you towards Panorama Ridge. After a couple of kilometers up hill, you will come to another junction that has an outhouse and that has signs for the Black Tusk, Garibaldi and Panorama Ridge trails.

This part of the hike will take you through an open meadow of beautiful wildflowers and little creeks. Our group came up at the perfect timing when the sun was starting to go down and the lighting was perfect. This section of the trail is pretty flat, and will give your legs a break before the grueling ascent to the Ridge.

After you walk through the meadows, the trail will eventually pass the junction for Black Tusk and Panorama Ridge. We ended up doing the Black Tusk hike the following day, but for now keep following the signs to the Ridge. Every once in a while you will start to see beautiful views of Garibaldi Lake peeking through the forest.

About 2 kms beyond the Black Tusk junction you will  approach Black Tusk Lake, where there is another detour that leads to Cheakamus Lake (Helm Creek Trail). Do not turn at this junction, keep heading up around Black Tusk Lake.

This part of the hike gets a bit more technical, and will take you up a bit of a scree sloped section. Definitely take your time to look around because you will have great views of the Black Tusk, Mimulus Lake, Helm Lake and Cinder Cone.

After the most challenging part of the hike you will eventually reach the summit, where you will have panoramic views overlooking Garibaldi Lake.

After getting a few pictures at the summit, we rushed down back to our campsite so we wouldn’t get stuck in the dark. The lighting was amazing and the views were like nothing I have ever seen.

When To Hike Panorama Ridge

The best time of the year to do the Panorama Ridge hike is between July and October when there are clear pathways and no snow. Yet, a lot of people do walk up to Garibaldi Lake in the winter with snow shoes. I would definitely recommend going between late July and early August when the wildflowers are in full bloom.

Panorama Trail Note:

Our group went at a pretty quick pace to do all of this in one day. We started at about 8am and after dropping our gear off, setting up and having a late lunch, we headed up to complete Panorama Ridge from the campground around 3pm. We really had to hussle in order to stay hiking during day light. By the time we got back to camp it was about 8pm and the sun was just going down. We then hiked up to the Black Tusk the next morning.

You can also hike Panorama Ridge or Black Tusk as a day hike, but you definitely need to be in good shape because it is difficult. Yet, you will go a bit quicker because you won’t have to carry your heavy gear up the 9 kms to the campsite. Furthermore, to make this more leisurely, a lot of people camp and then hike up to Panorama Ridge the following day.

Where to camp for Panorama Ridge

Garibaldi Lake Campground

Our group decided to camp at the Garibaldi Lake campground because of the stunning views of the lake. Yet, you can do this hike as a long day hike or you can camp at Taylor Meadows. You have to reserve these back country sites, so make sure you get a permit before planning your trip because sites book up fast.

The trail to the campground is really pretty and circles around part of the lake. The campsites are right off of the lake and each site has a hut that you can store your food and cooking supplies in.

Taylor Meadows Campground

You also have the option of camping at Taylor Meadows. The meadows are slightly closer to both the trailhead and your destination. Personally I think the extra 1.5km to the lake is worth your time. Garibaldi lake is stunning and if you skip it on the way up you are just going to want to see it on the way back. With the current business of this area you are more likely to get a camping reso at the Taylor meadows.

Directions to Rubble Creek Hike Start Point

It is about an hour and a half drive from Vancouver to the Rubble Creek Parking lot, which is the beginning of the Panorama Ridge Hike. The drive is beautiful and will take you along the sea to sky highway. The parking lot is free and we found it safe to leave our car there for a couple days.

If you still have energy why not check out Tunnel Bluffs and or Joffre Lakes while you are in the area!

Other Great Hikes In The Vancouver – Whistler Area

Tunnel Bluffs – Closer to Vancouver with Incredible views over the Howe Sound

Joffree Lakes – World famous lake with neon blue water, easy access

Golden Ears – An epic hike / journey up one of the iconic peaks of the lower mainland