Came here to do some "winter" camping after we tried going to our usual Squamish Riverside Rec site and our sedans bottomed out :D There were a few cars in the lot when we arrived from day-use hikers but due to the cold weather and impending cold snap we were the only group (crazy enough) to stay overnight in our tents. The road up has lots of potholes as mentioned, but the worst dip right before the hill appears to have been filled and it was no issue for our cars to make it up. Beautiful lake, outhouses were clean and not too smelly, likely due to lack of use in the winter. Tons of fallen trees and branches from the windstorm a few months ago that needed to be cleared from paths, but still very manageable. We used the bear caches but saw no signs of wildlife. It was extremely windy and chilly mid morning and with more trees swaying and branches snapping we decided to leave shortly afterwards. The dock nearest the parking lot is partially sunken and someone has placed a wooden plank down so you can still access. Two wheelbarrows at the parking lot Family Day weekend, not sure if there are usually more than that. It's such a beautiful site, it's a shame that it gets taken over by rowdy party groups in the summer (based on the other reviews). I would definitely come back to visit! read more

Cat Lake - Half frozen lake during Family Day weekend! - Beaches Near Me - Squamish, British Columbia

Had a very bad experience with the curly blond lady that works on the campsites, Yelling at me at the beach in front at everyone in a very rude way, because she blamed me for leaving food out, there was a group of 9 people on our camp site, I left for a walk with my dog, where everyone was still at the camping site, so I wasn't aware of anything that was happening there and before that she also cut off my Husband with her cad while he was walking coming back from the parking lot to the site and also yelled at him , and apparently all the other people were in the camp site inside their tends . My husband and I was hoping to have a peaceful weekend and we had to leave a few days before we were planning because of the upsetting situation . read more

Showed up Saturday with no camp spot but met some cool new friends on the lake and were welcomed into their campground. Park Ranger gave us some hassle about it but we paid our $13 per car and he let it slide. The place was pretty packed, despite serious bear warnings and half the campground being closed due to a roaming and pissed off mama bear. We were super meticulous about food prep, putting everything back into the cars (a 10min walk away) when done. Since a baby bear had tore up a tent a few days earlier (in our exact spot!), and was sadly shot because of it, warnings were strict about what to keep in the campground, though not everyone around was taking the directions seriously enough. We put away our cooking stove, gas canisters, soap, lip gloss, sunscreen, even the clothes were wore to cook - as advised. Once we had this back under control we could kick back and enjoy this great site. A couple graveley beaches fill up fast with sun seekers while others float by on blow-up toys and meandering logs. Great relaxing weekend overall. Have to say we were the loudest group, even though music was off at 10PM. Seemed everyone may've been tired from too much sun and turned in early. read more

Cat Lake - Beaches Near Me - Squamish, British Columbia

Love, love, love Cat Lake! It's $15/site each night. If there isn't a fire ban then you can buy wood from the Rangers by the arm-load ($8) or wheelbarrow ($25). There's a 2km logging road off of the highway to get to the parking lot. The road is kind of rough, so it's a good idea to take it slow. The road is best suited to trucks/Jeeps/SUV type vehicles but can be driven up in a car if you take it easy. The parking lot often fills up fast, but there is an overflow lot as well as parking along the road. You can't drive in to the sites, so be prepared to carry in your gear. There are sites 5min from the parking lot, but they get claimed quickly and you could find yourself walking most of the way around the lake. The camp provides a few wheelbarrows to help with packing in/out, but you can't count on getting one if it's busy. If you camp at Cat Lake you need to be Bear-Aware. There are bears in the area, and they have had serious problems with campers and bears in the past. All food items, cooking supplies, toiletries, clothes worn while cooking should be kept either in your car or in one of the many bear caches provided. Garbage and recycling should be disposed of in their respective bins and not stored in the caches. It takes a little bit of extra time to keep your site bear safe; however, when a bear's life (and your safety) depend on it, then it's not a big thing to take time out of your routine to do. The lake is fantastic for swimming May-September. There are a few docks and a rope swing. Cat Lake has a reputation for being a party site. Rangers are trying to change that, and in the 10+ years I've been going there I've noticed that it has gradually become much more family oriented. I'm not sure if that's due to the effort of the Rangers, the fact that the partiers of the past are coming with their young families now, or some combination of the two. Bring toilet paper! The outhouses are almost always out of toilet paper. Most campers at Cat Lake are friendly and the overall feel is very fun and relaxed. read more

Cat Lake - Cat Lake! - Beaches Near Me - Squamish, British Columbia

Things to know about Cat Lake: Atmosphere: It is still very much a party site. Sometimes you can luck out and get a spot in the 'quiet area' but inevitably, someone will party in it. If you're cool with that, then this is the place for you, it's not a place to get some peaceful shuteye. We did meet a few nice people that were just trying to camp and chill, but we were definitely outnumbered. If things get out of hand, the site keepers will call the police, so go easy and don't argue with the rangers. When to get there: Anytime in the summer you need to get there on a Thursday to get a spot. This is a no reservation site so it's first come, first serve. Basically you get there, find the first spot you can get and then eventually a person will come to your site for payment. Your wheels: You can get there by car, just go super slow and be careful. There are a lot of big potholes to navigate around, but it can be done. Parking can be a bit tricky so be prepared to hunt for a spot. Amenities: Outhouses, garbage bins, and lake water. There are no water pumps with potable water, so be prepared to boil your lake water if you need to wash dishes, or pack your water in. Like others have said, bring your own TP! Don't forget: Bug spray, a small lock, and a lake floaty. I've never so many inflatable swans, donuts, unicorns, etc... in my life. Bears are a very real thing at this lake so you WILL have to put your food and scented items in a bear cache. There are small lockable boxes, big boxes, and buckets. Definitely don't keep your food in your tent. read more

Great campsite but there are a few things to know before you get there: - they have been clamping down on the partying here. Apparently Cat Lake has a reputation for partying, but it no longer applies. Boy the Rangers were serious, giving us the ground rules from the get go, and even visiting on Saturday night to provide reminders. - it should be a requirement that you have a truck / suv / jeep to drive to the campsite. It is a real rocky ride to get there, and your station wagon / civic might not survive the trip. The car beside us ended up with a flat tire. - It might be a big of a trek to get to your camp site (about 10-15 minutes) and while there are a few wheelbarrows available, it might be hard to get one if you come at a busy time (and the closer sites are taken), so you'll have to carry all your coolers and supplies with you for a not insignificant walk if you plan on comfort camping. Otherwise plenty of space on the campsite with table benches and a fire pit at each one, beautiful lake nearby that isn't too too cold, not that many bugs, and outhouses that aren't that horrible if you really have to go there. Give it a try! read more

Beautiful lake, but disrespected by its visitors. Shame to see people littering and throwing their empties in the lake, more trash on the paths around the lake. It's definitely a party destination, not a place for families or nature lovers to relax. read more

Fantastic spot...had a bear visitor though so make sure you use the caches for your food....he was pretty big too! Go down to the lake at night and shine a flashlight and watch the lake come alive! read more

Cat Lake - Beaches Near Me - Squamish, British Columbia

Cat Lake itself is very nice and a pretty good campsite layout. Stayed there Monday to Wednesday. During the mornings and nights it's beautiful and very quiet. However during the afternoon many local kids from Squamish come up with the dogs and become loud. Dogs run wild and fight and cause problems on beach. Campsite itself is not maintained so there were several sites with garbage left over from weekend kids and all garbage cans and bins were overflowing. No service for firewood as stated on government site however no one collected for fees either. Road access is good and its a 5 - 15 min hike to campsites depending where on the lake you want to be. Some are secluded and others are right on the trail. One main dock at north end and smaller ones at south and east. Beach at east side too. Water was perfect temp in June. If this site was maintained and patrolled it would be a great family location. read more

We just came back from camping at Cat Lake and had a wonderful experience! Some things you should know: - The 2km road to the Cat Lake parking lot is full of pot holes. If you have a small vehicle, take the road up very slowly to avoid flat tires or potential car damage. - The ranger was a lovely woman; you buy firewood from her in the parking lot and pay your $15/car/night to her. - There are also wheel barrows around to help you carry things to your site. Try to remember to return them to the parking lot so that other people can use them when they arrive. - The lake is small (you can walk around it in no time at all) and there are 4(?) dock sites for use, plus a rope swing at one point! - The campsites are walk-in so you are surrounded by wilderness and each site is very close to the lake. VERY BEAUTIFUL! - Some campsites are within a "quiet area" for those who enjoy extra tranquility. - Each campsite has a picnic table, fire pit, and there are food cache's available. - Lastly, There are bears in the area so make sure you NEVER LEAVE FOOD OUT! There was a curious bear at the Lake this weekend and the rangers told us they'd shot it with rubber bullets to re-instill its fear of humans. Then in the middle of the night (4:30am) we heard multiple shotgun-like noises (not sure if it was fireworks, bear bangers, rubber bullet guns, etc), which were a little alarming to wake up to.. read more

Absolutely beautiful lake and weather was wonderful! That being said we would definitely NOT go back again. We have 2 young kids and this camping place is not appropriate at all for a fun family weekend getaway. Alice Lake recommended it because they were full but it's not suitable at all for kids or for those that like sleep. Loads of young party campers, 24 hr drinking and pot smoking on sites, beaches, on lake, on trails and everywhere. Music was loud on Friday night from 11pm until about 4am. Saturday was even worst with an organized (but surprise to us) rave from 11pm until the cops arrived at about 2am after multiple complaints about noise. We didn't feel safe leaving in the middle of the night with our kids otherwise we would have abandoned ship! It's too bad so many young partiers are destroying such a beautiful place with drinking, drugs, litter and toilet paper all over in the bushes! ugh! read more

I have been coming to cat lake for 6 years now with my friends. The camp itself is beautiful and the lake is amazing. Every year we have been getting worse attitude from the lady who runs the camp, Lorraine. She assumes the worst out of ALL young campers. She came down to tell us our camp was "too messy" and there had been complaints, but we had been keeping our site clean, and then she said we can not have our speaker and demanded she see it be put in the car. At the time it was not playing, and we turned it off at 11 when asked the night before. On Sunday morning she came to tell us there were too many noise complaints and we were being evicted. The entire camp was loud, but my site was out at at 11pm, the quiet time. Completely disrespectful and unacceptable. I would have understood if we were being too loud but we were not. I would love to see her have more respect for campers who come to have fun weekend with their friends and follow the rules. Don't assume we are all there party. I'm 25 now and know what a messy loud party site is, and we were not that in the slightest. read more