Joffre Lakes Provincial Park has become one of the most iconic destinations in BC. Those impossibly blue lakes, surrounded by glaciers and old-growth forest, draw visitors from around the world.
The campsites? Gone in minutes.
Whether you're hoping to wake up at Upper Joffre Lake or spend multiple days exploring the area, here's how to actually secure a spot.
Why Joffre Lakes Is So Hard to Book
Joffre Lakes only has a small number of campsites at the Upper Lake campground. With millions of people now aware of the park thanks to social media, demand has exploded while supply has stayed the same.
BC Parks releases sites three months in advance. On release day, everything typically disappears within the first few minutes — sometimes seconds.
The Two Ways to Get In
Method 1: The Day-Of Rush
Log onto the BC Parks reservation website at exactly midnight on the day your target dates open (three months prior). Have your payment info saved and your party details ready. This works, but requires perfect timing and a lot of luck.
Method 2: Cancellation Monitoring
This is the strategy more and more BC campers are using. People cancel reservations all the time. When someone cancels their Joffre Lakes site, it becomes available again immediately — but only for a few minutes before someone else grabs it.
Campgetter monitors Joffre Lakes availability every 5 minutes around the clock. The instant a cancellation appears, you get an email with a direct booking link. No more refreshing the website manually.
Which Campsite at Joffre Lakes?
The main overnight camping is at the Upper Joffre Lake campground, which requires hiking the full trail (approximately 10 km return with 370m elevation gain). There's no drive-in camping in the park.
The campground has tent pads, bear caches, and pit toilets. No fires are permitted — bring a camp stove.
Day Use vs Camping
If camping isn't working out, Joffre Lakes also has day use parking reservations. These open up closer to the date and are easier to get. You won't get the sunrise over the lake, but you'll still see those incredible turquoise waters.
Tips for Booking Joffre Lakes
- Mid-week is easier — Tuesday through Thursday campsites are much less competitive than weekends
- Shoulder season — late September and early October offer stunning fall colours and far less competition
- Set up multiple alerts — if you have a flexible schedule, monitor the entire summer window
- Book the moment you get the alert — Joffre Lakes cancellations disappear within minutes
Getting There
Joffre Lakes is located about 160 km northeast of Vancouver near Pemberton. The drive takes approximately 2.5 hours from Vancouver. The trailhead parking lot is small — arriving early on day use visits is recommended.
Bottom Line
Joffre Lakes is absolutely worth the effort. Set up a cancellation monitor, stay flexible, and be ready to book fast when the alert arrives.