Buntzen Lake
A Forest Lake With A Sandy Beach, A Loop Trail Around The Lake, A Suspension Bridge, A Spring Cherry Bloom, Canoeing And A Hiking Route To Diez Vistas Ridge. A Very Popular Summer Swimming And Walking Spot For Vancouver, With A Paid Car Park And A Reservation System On Busy Days · Anmore, British Columbia
Buntzen Lake is a forest-ringed reservoir in the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks system, set in the hills above Indian Arm about 30 km north-east of downtown Vancouver, beside Anmore and Port Moody (confirm distances). The lake was dammed a century ago to feed hydroelectric stations and is named for Johannes Buntzen, an early manager of the electric railway company. Today a sandy beach at the Sunnyside end, a loop trail around the shore, canoe launches and a steep ridge climb called Diez Vistas make it one of the most visited green spaces in the region. The water is cold and tea-coloured, cedar and fir crowd the banks, and the far shore feels remote though the car park is close. Summer weekends bring crowds, so the park uses a free online pass or reservation for parking on busy days (confirm current rules). Plan two to four hours for the shoreline loop, or a long day for the ridge and a swim afterward.
Buntzen Lake Recreation Area, a mountain lake in the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks system about 30 km north-east of downtown Vancouver, near Anmore and Port Moody; coordinates approximate, Anmore, British Columbia, Canada
The recreation area is generally open from early morning until dusk all year, with the gate and car park hours shifting by season (confirm times). On busy summer days a parking pass or reservation is needed for the Sunnyside lot, and the gate may close once the lot is full, so check the Metro Vancouver page the night before (confirm the scheme and its dates). Washrooms and the beach services run mostly from late spring to early autumn. Winter days are short, trails can be icy, and the ridge route is best left until the snow has melted. Last entry is roughly an hour before closing.