Trailreport – Lindeman Lake and Greendrop Lake

This is how Chilliwack tourism brochure or a catalouge migfht describe this trail. And to be honest: there's nothing wrong with that wording. The trail to the two idyllic mountain lakes near Chilliwack Lake, which is probably a little better known, does indeed offer pure nature: thundering waterfalls, coniferous forests, idyllic creeks and challenging boulding experiences.

Key Facts on Lindeman Lake Trail

Length
Elevation
Type of Trail

10.9 km
469 m
In & Out

The Experience

It is Saturday. It's 9:00 am. We are picked up by a friend for the first longer hike in a while. Together we set off for Chilliwack, just under 2 hours away. There we want to explore a hiking trail, which is announced in the relevant hiking guides with the words "heavily trafficked". Loosely translated, this means: There may be other people hanging around! Dogs are allowed here, by the way. In the absence of such, we have decided for above-mentioned friend. The only difference: dogs have to be on a leash, human friends do not.

Getting there

We set off in the MINI. Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park is about 150 kilometers and thus 1.5 to 2 hours away from Vancouver - depending on the route you choose. We follow Highway 1 to Exit 104 (No. 3 Road) and follow for the remaining 50 kilometers the No. 3 Road, the Yarrow Central Road, which turns into the Vedder Mountain Road, which finds its end at a traffic circle and continues from there as Chilliwack Lake Road and Vedder Road. Since our destination is close to Chilliwack Lake, we follow the road of the same name.

The navigation system informs us - charmingly and competently as usual - that we are now entering an area with restricted routing. Or to put it another way: From here on, you have to pay attention yourself, and cell phone reception is low as f, so you better turn that thing off, cuz otherwise your battery will be down to zero within a few minutes. Chilliwack Lake Road winds through a promising landscape along the Chilliwack River. That this is a recreation area can be seen by the density of campgrounds. We leave said comfort accommodations right and left behind us and park the car at the end at the roadside, because the parking lot is already "heavily trafficked".

Getting Up

From the parking lot to Lindeman Lake - the real star of the show - it's a little less than 2 kilometers. The trail winds along a roaring watercourse through a magnificent forest landscape with partly huge mossy rocks, numerous fallen trees and enormous ferns. Less pleasing than the roaring waters are the meters of elevation to be climbed: 238 of them, mostly over stony and rooted paths.

But: Every single step is worth it. Because Lindeman Lake is simply breathtakingly beautiful. It is not only the water, whose colour ranges from emerald to turquoise to royal blue, but also its surroundings: densely forested mountain slopes with jagged mountain peaks jutting out from the upper end.

Most hikers - surprisingly fewer than the description "heavily traficked" would have us expect - only make it to the south end of the lake. Along the south end there are numerous camping spots. Here you'll also find the platform directly on the lake shore where the last photo above was taken (obviously obligatory), and the outhouse - just in case someone should ask.

We also stay here for a short time and try to process the overwhelming impressions. We then head for Greendrop Lake, which is hidden on the other side of the northern shore of Lindeman Lake. The trail takes us up a steep rock formation in the blazing sun. Almost at the top, a thought runs through our swarm intelligence: I wonder if this is the right trail? Well, what can I say. We weren't right. But the views were:

Collectively we glide as elegantly as possible down the rocky stone wall and find the admittedly somewhat very hidden trail extension at the lower end. Numerous makeshift bridges and footbridges show us the way from there to Greendrop Lake.

The trail from Lindeman Lake to Greenbrook Lake first runs along a beautiful and densely overgrown creek, to finally run over several scree walls as well as under and over numerous fallen trees and through lots of ankle-high mud holes. When I asked, "What's the purpose of all this mud?", I did not receive a satisfactory explanation. Which led me to conclude, "Well, so it can go then." Unfortunately, though, we hadn't packed our little mud shovel, which brought my freshly awakened mud-lifting will to an abrupt halt. Anyway - the way is the goal. And if we had not set out without and the place was not already occupied by another, our tent would stand at this point:

Getting down

After a pleasant break at Greendrop Lake we start our way back. As always, it is somehow shorter than the way there. At least it seems so. And so we arrive relatively quickly back at Lindeman Lake, whose shores have filled up noticeably in the meantime. Already from a distance one hears the shrill squieking of young, exclusively female bodies loudly sliping away, as soon as the ice-cold water of the Lindeman Lake closes around the volumes of flesh. Usually followed by, "Take the picture. Take the picture!" - often shouted at the male companion waiting on a rock at the lakeshore. A little further on, loud, slurred shouts of male therapy group participants already drone through the air, apparently unheard by the summoned missing participants, who are either in the outhouse or possibly also want to enjoy the view of the lake and have climbed up the aforementioned rock formation. The number of people scattered along the lakeshore - it's now about 3:30 p.m. - has grown considerably. And on our further way towards the parking lot we meet hordes of people - partly dressed for an outdoor wedding. And suddenly we realize why the trail is considered "heavily trafficked".

Conclusion

The Lindeman and Greendrop Lake Trail is worth a trip. But important is - I have painfully learned - the right footwear. My chosen footwear - though declared by the manufacturer to be hiking shoes - was not able to give me the necessary support. Thus, especially on the way back, every step was an uncertain one, leading to tension in my neck due to a lack of body control, posture and balance. In spite of all the magnificent impressions and in view of the truly breath-taking acrobatics demanding coordination and balance, we close this article with a no less accurate description of the Lindeman and Greendrop Lake Trail:

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