Three Lakes Valley 219322 Off-Trail hike on 21-Aug-2026

Participants: Photini, Leslie, David, Jim

Towards the end of August, four Ramblers (Dave, Photini, Jim and Leslie) decided to visit Three Lakes Valley, which is located north of Chester Lake. The valley gets its name from the three small tarns which can be found in its high-alpine environs. These are aligned sequentially from south to north and are known as the first, second and third lakes.

The easiest way to access these lakes is through the Chester Lake trail, and so we started our journey there. As we made our way up the trail, I was struck by the abundance of wildflowers along the way. Although we were hiking towards the end of August, many of the flowers seemed to be at their peak. We spotted Fireweed, Western Anemone, White Globeflower, and Alpine Aster to name a few.

When we reached Chester Lake, we decided to take a short break and enjoy the view. The lake itself is tucked away in a high-alpine valley, and is framed by Mount Chester along its southeastern shore. Chester’s massive limestone cliffs often cast a beautiful reflection in the clear waters of the lake below. While my fellow Ramblers relaxed at the lake, I took advantage of the time to wander among the wildflowers, and I saw evidence of bear diggings a short distance away from the main trail.

After enjoying the lake, we followed the trail north and came upon a large outcropping of massive limestone blocks—called Elephant Rocks--a short while later. With a little imagination, it’s easy to see how these enormous, grey-colored stones resemble a herd of elephants. The gigantic boulders may have broken off Gusty Peak—the mountain immediately above them—thousands of years ago. Over time, erosion by wind and water softened their sharp edges giving rise to their current, rounded appearance.

After following the well-worn trail north for about 15 minutes, we dropped into Three Lakes Valley and decided to amble up a way before stopping for lunch. A short distance from the main trail, we discovered a small but charming waterfall, adorned by a display of wildflowers.

Making our way upwards through some small cliff bands, we arrived at the first lake and stopped to have lunch. The picturesque lake was surrounded by lush green meadows and framed by the jagged towers of Gusty Peak to the south. We were the only people at the lake, and the relative silence here was in sharp contrast to the busyness of Chester Lake. Although we were only a short distance away from Chester, this beautiful alpine tarn exuded a feeling of wilderness.

Of the three lakes, the first is the largest. The second lake is located further up the valley, past a rocky headwall, and the third lake is situated towards the end of the valley. After lunch, we made our way upwards, following a well-worn trail through the bands of rock, and eventually came upon a small lake. The three lakes are mainly fed by the seasonal snowpack, and so they are at their best early in the season. By the end of August, the lakes shrink in size, and so it can be difficult to determine whether you’re looking at a large muddy puddle, or what is left of a lake.

After reaching what we thought might be the third lake, we took another photo/snack break. Jim and Dave decided to hike up the rocky outcrop beyond the lake to see if they could spot another lake. When they came back, they reported that there were no more lakes past that outcrop. With this report, we decided we had reached our objective, and turned around to make our way back down the valley. We meandered along the lush, mossy meadows, following a small creek which tumbled down the valley. We could see the mountains to the west, which were shrouded in a dim haze, probably from smoke from the wildfires in B.C.

We took our time on the hike back, often stopping to enjoy the lush greenery and abundant wildflowers in the meadows. When we reached Chester Lake, we decided to dip our feet in the cool waters before heading down to the parking lot.

This gave me another opportunity to explore the wildflowers around the lake, and I found yet another beautiful stand of small, yellow flowers, lit up by the sun.

Many thanks to Dave, Jim, and Photini for joining me, Leslie (c/s) on this trip; and thanks also to Dave for providing some of the photos.