Sasamat Lake is a small, popular lake in Belcarra Regional Park. In the summer, the overwhelming traffic is on-par with that of Buntzen Lake, its big brother just 15 mins drive away.

We tried to visit Buntzen Lake on a sunny weekend in July, only to find that the park entrance was closed because it was full. We hopped over to Sasamat Lake, and luckily grabbed one of the only parking spots left. They closed the entrance soon behind us.

Most people who visit Sasamat Lake congregate around White Pine Beach, which consists of two small sandy beaches close to the parking lot, with washrooms, picnic tables, grassy patches, and acts as the main access point to the water.

The parking lot is several hundred meters away from the lakeshore, up several flights of stairs. Pumping up the paddleboard by the car and carrying it down is doable but not the easiest.

There was little chance to keep 2m away from people, so I walked past as quickly as I can to launch my board.

The paddle itself is pretty straightforward. It’s a very small lake surrounded by trees and gentle hills, so the water is very calm. It’s also one of the warmest lakes close to Vancouver. It’s only 2.3km to go around the entire lake, and the view is fairly limited. Being so calm, clean, warm, and close to the city, it’s an excellent place for a beginner to practice (if you can avoid the crowd).

• Difficulty – easy, very friendly for beginners.
• Boat traffic – no motor boats.
• View – typical of a small lake in the woods
• Facilities – flush toilets, sandy beach, hiking trails, picnic tables.
• Overall score – 6/10 (9/10 for beginners)