Ancient Cedars is a nice, easy/moderate 2.5 kilometre(1.6 mile) hiking trail on the far side of Cougar Mountain, just 13.1 kilometres north of Whistler Village. A small, untouched grove of huge western redcedars hidden high up in the mountains. They are huge and some are estimated to be a thousand years old.  Most of these giants stretch toward the sky, but some lay along the forest floor giving you an even closer grasp of their size.

• Easy & pretty trail to impressively huge & ancient trees
• A quick, far feeling escape from civilisation
• A relatively quiet hiking trail that is dog friendly!
• Serene backcountry, drive-in camping for free
• Lots of hidden & amazing tent sites
  
• Newt Lake is wild, hidden & serene
  
• Abandoned cabin at Showh Lakes
  
• Lots of mosquitoes in June to August
• ATV's tours in the area are noisy
  
• The access logging road is brutally potholed
  

Whistler & Garibaldi Hiking

Alexander Falls  Ancient Cedars  Black Tusk  Blackcomb Mountain  Brandywine Falls  Brandywine Meadows  Brew Lake  Callaghan Lake  Cheakamus Lake  Cheakamus River  Cirque Lake  Flank Trail  Garibaldi Lake  Garibaldi Park  Helm Creek  Jane Lakes  Joffre Lakes  Keyhole Hot Springs  Logger’s Lake  Madeley Lake  Meager Hot Springs Nairn Falls  Newt Lake  Panorama Ridge  Parkhurst Ghost Town  Rainbow Falls  Rainbow Lake  Ring Lake  Russet Lake  Sea to Sky Trail  Skookumchuck Hot Springs  Sloquet Hot Springs  Mount Sproatt  Taylor Meadows  Train Wreck  Wedgemount Lake  Whistler Mountain

There are three beautiful lakes near Ancient Cedars, the two Showh Lakes and Newt Lake.  Showh Lakes is very close and a well established, though overgrown trail branches off from the Ancient Cedars trail.  The two Showh Lakes are surrounded in forest and wonderfully serene.  Few people visit these lakes and you often have them to yourself.  Newt Lake is even more remote feeling and even quieter than Showh Lakes.  The unmarked trail is found at the end of the Ancient Cedars trail and takes you steeply through the forest for 2.4 kilometres to Newt Lake.  Ancient Cedars, Showh Lakes and Newt Lake are great to visit in the spring and fall months as you often don't see people and mosquitoes. The problem is the trailhead is up a long way into the mountains and snow at this elevation persists until April and sometimes May. Snow, along with the steep access road make driving to the trailhead impossible for most cars until it disappears. Summer is great for seeing Ancient Cedars and Showh Lakes in particular. If you have a 4x4, you can drive right to the shores of Showh Lakes and crack a beer with little chance of humanity disturbing you. If you don't have a 4x4, you can make it to a short walk to the lakes and if you have some sort of inflatable boat or canoe, you will find yourself in paradise. Floating in a mirror under a blue sky, surrounded by deep and wild forest. The Ancient Cedars trail is well marked and well worn and only gradually uphill for the 2.5 kilometre hike, trailhead to ancient forest. At the Ancient Cedars forest there is a short circle trail that takes you throughout the giants then leads you back to the main trail for the return journey.

Ancient Cedars Trail in Whistler

Beautiful Newt Lake Near Ancient Cedars

Beautiful Showh Lakes Near Ancient Cedars

Ancient Cedars Continued...

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