Williamson Lake

Statistics

Directions

Follow Highway #1 (Trans-Canada Highway) to Chilliwack, taking Exit #119 South. Follow Vedder Road until a three-way stop just before a bridge over the Vedder River. Zero your odometer here and turn left at the stop sign onto Chilliwack Lake Road. At the 28 km mark and immediately after one of the Chilliwack River bridge crossings, turn left onto Foley Creek Forest Service Road. Zero your odometer again here.

Follow the forest service road for 2.0 km, turning right at the T-junction after the bridge over Foley Creek.

The original (lower) trail to Williamson Lake is located off of Airplane Creek FSR. However, this route has been neglected for decades and is difficult to follow in places.

After logging operations pushed further up the mountain, a shortcut trail was constructed. The popularity of the shortcut trail eventually overshadowed the main trail - most people take the newer, upper route to the lake. To get to the upper trailhead, continue following Foley Creek FSR and pass Foley Lake on the left. The road crosses a bridge soon after the lake at approximately the 7.0 km mark and forks. Take the left, downhill fork.

The road will begin to lead up the northern side of the valley, passing a gate one or two kilometers later. It is usually worthwhile to check the status of the gate by asking the community or phoning Tamihi Logging in advance - in recent years the gate has been locked more often than it has been open. Hikers have also been unsuspectingly caught on the wrong side of the gate, leading to difficult situations and extremely long walks out of the Chilliwack River Valley.

Past the gate, the road becomes very rough and switchbacks uphill. The steepness of the road will generally require 4x4 to make it to the top. Originally, the road ended in a bowl valley below the lake. In recent years, the road has had a small land-slide or two, blocking vehicles from driving the last 1.7 km. When you reach a fork in the road, take the left fork.

Edit; Road repaired to the bowl parking area as of Aug 16/08.

Photographs

GPS Waypoints

Small Landslide on 4x4 Road to Upper Trailhead	N49.13674 W121.56925	10U 604360 5443642
Junction in 4x4 Road to Upper Trailhead (go left)	N49.13693 W121.57944	10U 603617 5443649
End of 4x4 Road to Upper Trailhead	N49.13902 W121.58709	10U 603054 5443871
Upper Trail Crosses Williamson Creek - First Part	N49.14124 W121.59020	10U 602823 5444114
Upper Trail Crosses Williamson Creek - Second Part	N49.14138 W121.59069	10U 602787 5444129
Upper Trail Reaches Edge of Forest	N49.14208 W121.59199	10U 602691 5444205
Upper and Lower Trails Meet on Top of Ridge	N49.14238 W121.59644	10U 602366 5444232
Steep, Exposed Avalanche Chute #1	N49.14413 W121.59585	10U 602405 5444427
Steep, Exposed Avalanche Chute #2	N49.14499 W121.59539	10U 602437 5444524