From alpine forests to towering peaks of ancient rock to lakes of bright blues and greens – hiking to Gorman Lake has it all. Especially visiting Gorman Lake overnight – waking up to the quiet mountains and the gentle, glass-like lake is so peaceful.

If you’ve seen many glacial lakes in Canada, you may think you’ve seen them all. Gorman Lake is here to prove you wrong. Along with relative ease to get to Gorman Lake (more on that below) it is one of Golden, British Columbia’s unknown gems.

Gorman Lake is a gateway into a small section of the Purcell Mountains.

In this post, I’ll go through everything you need to know about the hike to Gorman Lake, bandits an unforgettable gem none the less beyond. From what you’ll need to get to Gorman Lake itself, what to expect and how long to stay there.

Personally, I’ve done a number of hikes throughout British Columbia and Alberta, but the Gorman Lake hike is one of, if not my number one. It’s honestly that beautiful.

I hope you enjoy reading about the Gorman Lake hike as much as I love writing about it! Let’s get into it!

 

Where is Gorman Lake?

Gorman Lake is located a short, but rocky drive along the Dogtooth Forest Service Road, from Golden in British Columbia, Canada. The drive from downtown Golden takes a little over one hour. From here it’s a 3.3 km hike to Gorman Lake.

Nestled in the Canadian Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, this alpine hike gives some unforgettable views – of forests, mountains, lakes, and wildflowers.

For access to Gorman Lake, it’s not a walk in the park, so to say.

 

How do I get to Gorman Lake?

Your first thing to do is drive to the carpark for Gorman Lake. Most of the way, you’ll be taking Dogtooth Forest Service Road. It is bumpy and a vehicle with high clearance is really recommended.

From Golden, you’ll want to head up towards Kicking Horse Mountain Resort – just follow the signs. You’ll cross over the Columbia River on a single lane bridge.

You’ll want to head towards Golden Golf Course, and turn right on Golf Course Drive. From here, there are no markings (at least that I noticed) to drive to Gorman Lake car park.

Once you reach this small parking lot, it’s time to hike to Gorman Lake!

 

About the Gorman Lake hike trail

As you set off from this small carpark, you’ll immediately cross a small wooden bridge to your right, going over a river. Follow this well-marked trail and it will lead you to Gorman Lake.

The Gorman Lake hike is noted as a moderate difficulty trail. It’s only 3.3km long but has an elevation gain of 290 meters.

For the most part, the trail is obvious. You’ll head through a fairly thick section of forest, along with some wooden boardwalks spanning some swampy areas.

Once you reach a clearing, you’ll cross a boulder field. While there is a trail here, it can be easy to lose. You want to be on the lookout of for karns (pictured below) as your trail markers. You will be heading up the hill to the right of the towering peak in front of you, you’ll want to walk with the mountain on your left, and the green fields on your right.

Eventually, you’ll come to a rocky path with high ridgelines, making almost a tunnel. Keep walking through this narrow passage and at the other end, you’ll come by a small lake on your left. Gorman Lake is just over that next crest.

 

What is there to do around Gorman Lake

There a number of things to do around Gorman Lake. If you’re a nature lover, you’ll find something you enjoy. From hiking to paddling a canoe around Gorman Lake, there’s something for every visitor, whether its overnight or just for the day.

 

Gorman Lake hiking

Obviously, hiking around Gorman Lake is a common activity. There are a number of trails, ranging from an hour to a day.

• The shortest one is hiking around Gorman Lake itself. Once you get to Gorman Lake, you’ll see just how worthwhile this small loop is – stunning. There is a small trail looping Gorman Lake. From the campground, keeping to the left side of Gorman Lake, this is the easier section of the loop. There is a narrow goat path high above the lake but isn’t too bad. As you round the lake and had back on the opposite bank, this is where the trail gets uneven and steep. There are two sections with rope to help it with the incline. Take care on these ropes as one snapped as I was using it to descend around the lake.
• You can hike to Holt Lake. This is a much more challenging day hike near Gorman Lake. From the left-hand side of Gorman Lake (from the campground) you’ll follow the path into the shale-field bowl out the back of Gorman Lake. This now turns into a scramble to the crest. Once you reach this point, you can see Holt Lake in the distance, sitting on top its unique cliff ledge. From here, you hike the valley floor or hop through the field of giant boulders. You can see the trail to Holt Lake just below the ridgeline to the right of Holt Lake. This hike is no longer maintained and the trail is very, very easily lost. It is easy to get lost in this section and the whole area, especially the bottom valley meadows, is grizzly bear territory.

 

Canoe on Gorman Lake

f you’re looking to get out on the water (and not brave enough for a refreshing dip) then parked at the edge of Gorman Lake is a canoe. This is a free canoe ride, but please take care of this wonderful addition to staying at Gorman Lake. You can see Gorman Lake from a completely different perspective on the clear reflected surface. It doesn’t take long to canoe Gorman Lake from one side to the other, but there are plenty of beautiful views to be had and even a couple small waterfalls trickling into Gorman Lake.

 

Smaller lakes near Gorman Lake

There are a number of small lakes just behind Gorman Lake, just past the “Green Throne” outhouse sitting on the hill, to the east of where the tent spots are.

By hiking up the small incline, there is a much quieter spot to set up camp, relax or have a swim in the much shallower and warmer water.

 

Fishing on Gorman Lake

I’m not a fisherman. At all. But during my 2-night stay and Gorman Lake, I noticed a few people throwing lines in from shore and even from the side of the canoe.

 

Should I overnight or day hike to Gorman Lake?

Whether you should overnight hike to Gorman Lake or just spend the day, depends greatly on what you want to do in the area.

The hike to Gorman Lake itself is only an hour long. But you would have to make great pace to loop Gorman Lake, have a canoe paddle and return hike to Holt Lake in one day, not to mention hiking back to the carpark.

If you do decide to just day trip to Gorman Lake, please remember the trail to Holt Lake is easily lost and you can wind up in some pretty thick forest. I suggest at least 2 nights camping at Gorman Lake to make Holt Lake a challenging day trip.

If you just want to visit Gorman Lake, have some lunch and have a wander around the lake or a paddle, then a day trip is enough time to enjoy the surroundings of this beautiful area.

 

What to expect from visiting Gorman Lake in British Columbia

There are a number of things to take in when thinking about visiting Gorman Lake. Some of the points below I’ve already touched on, but I’ll mention them again as they are important.

• First of all, this is grizzly bear territory, especially the valley floor of Holt Lake. Always know your bear safety and are equipped to deal with any encounters (e.g. bear spray, bear bangers).
• If you’re camping overnight at Gorman Lake, hang your food and any scented objects high in a tree. Bears have a great sense of smell and will be intrigued to what that smell is, thinking it may be food.
• Gorman Lake has a toilet. A small green seat up the hill a short distance from the main campsite. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to the bathroom.
• The road to Gorman Lake is super rocky and uneven. You are highly advised to drive a vehicle with a high clearance level to reach the Gorman Lake campground.
• Porcupines are common in the area and love to chew tires and/or the underside of your car. While there are usually scraps of metal wire (chicken wire) at the car park, it’s advised to take your own just in case. They usually won’t come out with lots of people in the area, but better safe than sorry.
• The distance from the parking lot to Gorman Lake is 3.3 kilometers and takes 1 to 1.5 hours to hike to Gorman Lake, one way.

 

Exploring Gorman Lake video

Read all the information above and want to see a short movie on exploring Gorman Lake in British Columbia? From the day hike to Gorman Lake from the parking lot, to the exhausting trek to Holt Lake, canoeing and some unforgettable sights around Gorman Lake.

Enjoyed this movie? Make sure you subscribe to the Youtube Channel to see plenty more – just use the image in the top left corner!

 

Where is Gorman Lake map – From Golden British Columbia

Here’s an easy follow map from Golden to Gorman Lake in B.C. The bottom right corner is where the journey begins, from the small town of Golden.

While it’s only 27km to the carpark (the end of the road) it is incredibly bumpy and a 4×4 is highly recommended. Where the blue line ends is where the trail to Gorman Lake begins.

 

So, is the visit to Gorman Lake worth the trouble?

If you’re after a beautiful day hike from Golden B.C. or a much more challenging day hike to Holt Lake, this is well worth the effort.

Lush alpine forest and crystal blue lakes surrounded by towering peaks of stone – I’d say that if you’re into spending time in nature, the trip to Gorman Lake is well worth the trouble to get there!

 

Have you been to Gorman Lake? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below, along with any questions or suggestions.

 

Related reading about travel in Canada

• Check out the best things to do in Edmonton
• These images will make you want to visit Canada
• Visiting Nordegg in the wintertime

 

Thanks for reading!

Happy and safe travels,

Ben – Horizon Unknown