Trail: Mike Lake
Date completed: March 2021
Distance: 2 km
Elevation: Minimal
Location: Maple Ridge, BC
Distance from Vancouver: Approximately 1 hour
Directions: Click here for Google maps
Adults: 1
Ages of Children: 4, 6, 9, 13
Stroller friendly: No
Dog friendly: Yes, on leash
Bathrooms: No
Cell service: No
Jellybean Rating: 2/5
There are a lot of hikes in Golden Ears park and Mike Lake has definitely become a favorite for us!
If you’re going up the main road in Golden Ears park you’ll see a sign indicating a turn off to get to Mike Lake. Take a left at the sign and you’ll take another left up a dirt road.
The road to Mike Lake isn’t terrible, but it is a bit bumpy and has a few potholes.
Drive to the very end of the road. There is a small parking lot area before theparking lot, but it’s usually full. Once you’re in the parking lot head to the yellow gate at the end. Go up this way along the trail. After a short bit you’ll see a sign for the Malcolm Knapp UBC trail that keeps going straight or another sign that says “Lake Trail”. You’ll want to follow this one.
Mike Lake is definitely not stroller friendly! A good portion of the trail is exposed root and it gets MUDDY! It’s mostly flat with some areas of minimal elevation.
Okay, let’s get back to this mud for a second. It’s pretty darn impressive, really! We went in March, so things were pretty wet in general but this trail took the cake for muddy trails.
There is also a boardwalk and a few interesting bridges that keep things entertaining.
Near the end of the trail you’ll reach a fork that heads back or goes towards a bridge. Go towards the bridge.
Once you cross that bridge you’ll reach that spot that is first mentioned at the top of this post. You can cross the road and head up yet another trail, or go right on the road back to your car.
At the parking lot, you can head down to the floating dock on Mike Lake. If you’re so inclined, grab your fishing rods from the car (or make your own from a stick)- Mike Lake is a stocked trout lake!
Jellybean Summary for Mike Lake
Mike Lake in Golden Ears is FUN! It’s one of those trails that you want to visit again and again. There’s something new to see every time you go and the terrain (and MUD) sure give the kids their own natural playground!
Have you been to Mike Lake? Do you have an update from when we went in March?
Let us know in the comments below!