Blue Lake Trail

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Road Conditions: Gravel road - not maintained.   Trail Length: 2-1/2 hours to the upper lake from the upper parking lot. Four-wheel drive is necessary to drive to the upper parking lot. Otherwise you will have to hike from near the start of the road which adds over one hour up and one hour down.
Directions: 59.6 km north on Highway 16 from Main St in Smithers or about 8 km south of New Hazelton. Turn west on the Mudflat Creek road. Ignore the two roads to the left and the gated road to the gravel pit on the right. You will see a trail sign and the road straight ahead. Two-wheel drive vehicles will have to park within one km of the highway. Four-wheel drives can park about 3 km further. Stay on the most travelled road.   Features: This is one of the best trails in the area, very picturesque and with a varied forest cover from large hemlock and cedar to a tall stand of balsam. The first lake is far below the trail in a narrow valley. The second lake has a couple of good camp sites and even a picnic table nearby. For experienced hikers, access to the high ridges beyond the second lake is possible by staying on the small treed ridge on the right side of the lake basin. There is a glacier in the bowl above the upper lake. Use a four-wheel drive on the road or be prepared to be passed by four-wheel drive vehicles that may or may not be courteous enough to offer a ride. Pick a sunny day to hike this trail - the lakes do not show as well on a dull day and the trail is wetter than many in our region.
The first of two blue-green lakes is far below the trail
The second upper lake is fed by a small glacier in a basin high above. Trail is in the trees on the close side of the lake.