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Canada

British Columbia

Area C (Puntledge/Black Creek)

Helen Mackenzie Lake – Paradise Meadows loop from Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Canada

British Columbia

Area C (Puntledge/Black Creek)

Helen Mackenzie Lake – Paradise Meadows loop from Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Hard

5.0

(29)

177

hikers

Helen Mackenzie Lake – Paradise Meadows loop from Mount Washington Alpine Resort

05:12

15.6km

390m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: April 22, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Strathcona Provincial Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

35 m

Strathcona Park Visitor Centre

Highlight (Segment) • Rest Area

2.89 km

Canada Jay in Strathcona Provincial Park

Highlight • Forest

Canada Jays are frequently seen in Strathcona Provincial Park, particularly in the Paradise Meadows area. This park provides suitable habitat for these birds. They are known for their tendency to interact with humans.
We encounter two Canada Cays during our rest stop at Battleship Lake. They follow us through the forest until just before Helen Mackenzie Lake. Upon seeing the combination of bands on their legs, we realize this is a different bird.
canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-canada-jayutm_campaignreprintutm_sourcecanadiangeographic

Tip by

3.36 km

Battleship Lake

Lake

6.90 km

Viewpoint

12.2 km

Helen Mackenzie Lake

Highlight • Lake

On our hike from Battleship Lake to Helen Mackenzie Lake and later back to the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre, we cross the rushing mountain stream Piggott Creek several times. We're lucky and, with the help of the Komoot map, find the snow-free wooden boardwalks over the river. On the shore of Helen Mackenzie Lake, we find a dry, flat rock - perfect for our lunch break. (May 12, 2025)
The lake was named after Helen Maud Hutton Mackenzie in 1930. She was the niece of Robert Randolph Bruce, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1926 to 1931.
apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/13314.html

Tip by

13.2 km

Unnamed Lake North of Helen Mackenzie Lake

Highlight • Lake

North of Helen Mackenzie Lake lies a small, beautiful lake nestled in a pine forest. The trail back to the Wilderness Centre runs past the lake to the east. On the Forbidden Plateau, there are countless lakes surrounded by wetlands; this lake (apparently) remains unnamed.

Tip by

13.4 km

Paradise Meadows

Highlight • Trail

Paradise Meadows is part of the large Forbidden Plateau area at the foot of Mount Washington. The Paradise Meadows Loop Trail is approximately 4 km long and leads through subalpine meadows along a boardwalk and gravel path. In summer, the meadows are covered with flowers and heather.
During the winter months and into early summer, a thick, deep blanket of snow covers the area, concealing boardwalks and trails beneath it. Individual signposts guide the way; the Komoot map is helpful, but for the most part, you'll have to rely on the tracks left in the snow by other hikers. Snowshoes may be helpful, but the snow is firm, and you won't sink deeply into it with hiking boots; the surfaces aren't icy, so spikes aren't necessary. (May 12, 2025)
bcparks.ca/strathcona-park/forbidden-plateau-area

Tip by

14.4 km

Snow-covered forest in Strathcona Provincial Park

Highlight • Forest

Western red cedar, various fir species, and western hemlock cover large parts of Strathcona Provincial Park. In the subalpine areas, they give way to subalpine firs, mountain hemlocks, and junipers.
Source: bcparks.ca/strathcona-park/#about-this-park

Tip by

15.0 km

Paradise Ponds

Highlight • Lake

A walk along the Paradise Meadows Loop Trail takes you past several small, beautifully situated lakes. In winter, the lakes are frozen and covered in snow. On our hike in May 2025, we were able to easily locate the lakes on the Komoot map and walked around them.

Tip by

15.2 km

Centennial Loop Trailhead

Highlight • Trail

15.6 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

9.74 km

5.82 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

8.99 km

5.82 km

743 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (1,260 m)

Lowest point (1,080 m)

Weather

Today

Monday 11 May

15°C

1°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 8.0 km/h

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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Helen Mackenzie Lake – Paradise Meadows loop from Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Strathcona Park Visitor Centre

Canada Jay in Strathcona Provincial Park

Helen Mackenzie Lake

Unnamed Lake North of Helen Mackenzie Lake

Paradise Meadows

Snow-covered forest in Strathcona Provincial Park

Paradise Ponds

Centennial Loop Trailhead

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