Munro Lake Trail

Lakes on Burke Mountain

Statistics

Directions

From Highway #7 (Lougheed Highway) in Port Coquitlam, turn north onto Coast Meridian Road. After 3 km, turn right onto Victoria Drive. After a while, Victoria Drive forks bizarrely, stay alert and take the left fork. Continue past the signs for Minnekhada Regional Park. You will notice kilometer markers on the right hand side. Very shortly after the 3.5 km marker, you will see a rough, decommissioned forestry road on your left. 30-40 meters past this on your right is a small pullout where you can park. Follow the forestry road for about 200m and you will see the trailhead on your right.

Details

The objective of this hike is small and attractive Dennett Lake on the east side of Burke Ridge. The main trail from Quarry Road climbs 800 meters in elevation through second and old growth forest. As the trail levels out, it becomes increasingly muddy. After the trail levels out and begins a gentle downhill grade, there is a three-way fork. A muddy and boggy Ski Village Trail joins from the left and heads southwards. The original trail continues a short distance following a wide shallow gulley to a small pond south of Munroe Lake, this trail can be muddy and boggy and has quite a bit of blowdown on it. There is a new trail, which travels to the east of the original trail that is clear of blowdowns and remains mud free year round - this trail is much quicker and easier to follow than the original trail! From the first small pond, you can either follow a vague trail along the west side, or circle the first pond to the east and cross the marsh and continue on to Dennett Lake, another 130m uphill. Or travel on the east side of the marsh northwards and reach Munro Lake after a short 15 minute hike.

For the energetic, Burke Ridge summit can be reached from this point. It adds 5 kms to the return trip and a further 260m in altitude.

* Follow the old logging road for 200 meters, watching for the trailhead on the right.

* Trail is very steep right to the top of the ridge

* A little over 250 meters from the true trailhead, the trail enters a more "open" type of forest - not enough trees to form a full canopy. The terrain is bushy, with a mixture of salal, tall ferns, and salmonberries.

* 400 meters later re-enters normal forest and switchbacks steeply uphill.

* At approximately 500 meters in elevation is a small clearing that used to serve as a viewpoint. It's mostly overgrown but you can peek through the trees down toward the Pitt River.

* At 600 meters is a small scree field clearing.

* At 700 meters in elevation a new trail cuts off to the left, leading a short distance to the "South Viewpoint" on a rock bluff. Great views of Surrey, Coquitlam, and Pitt Meadows.

* Past the lookout the trail is less steep - normal grade!

* At 850 meters in elevation (550 meters horizontal past South Viewpoint) the trail completely levels out as it reaches the top of the plateaued ridge.

* Continue past trail to "Ski Village Road" (aka Village-Lake Trail?)

* Short distance later reaches shore of Munro Lake.

Photographs

GPS Waypoints

Trailhead	N49.32241 W122.68877	10U 522617 5463344
Trail leaves old road	N49.32207 W122.69161	10U 522411 5463306
Start of open / bushy forest	N49.32396 W122.69189	10U 522389 5463516
End of open / bushy forest	N49.32656 W122.69298	10U 522309 5463804
Overgrown viewpoint	N49.32998 W122.68993	10U 522529 5464185
South viewpoint	N49.33269 W122.69248	10U 522343 5464486
Trail becomes less steep	N49.33394 W122.69107	10U 522444 5464625
Trail levels out	N49.33738 W122.69158	10U 522406 5465008
Village-Lake Trail junction	N49.33952 W122.69103	10U 522445 5465246
Munro Lake	N49.34257 W122.68976	10U 522536 5465585
Former site of Munro Lake dam	N49.34584 W122.68026	10U 523224 5465951
Junction with side trail to Munro Lake Overlook	N49.34833 W122.69587	10U 522089 5466224
Munro Lake Overlook	N49.34547 W122.69485	10U 522165 5465906
Dennet Lake	N49.35024 W122.69796	10U 521937 5466435
Junction with connector to Village-Lake Trail	N49.34934 W122.69984	10U 521800 5466335
Junction with Burke Ridge Trail	N49.35101 W122.70685	10U 521291 5466518