Dennet and Munro Lakes
Introduction
A very beautiful trail going up from Coquitlam. It is rarely hiked considering it's proximity to the city, but it is well worth it. It is a great dayhike that you can do well into fall, as it is not at a high elevation and does not require an entire day. You may get some views of the city through the trees on the way up, but don't expect any stunning panoramas. You do get to go up to 2 wonderful lakes, in which it is always excellent to cool off in. Also, the quantity of blueberries around the lakes is infinite. Watch out for horseflies though as there are quite a few of them up there.
Route info
High point: 955 meters
Elevation gain: 860 meters
Trail length (round trip): 10 km
Time to complete: 5 hours
Difficulty: easy~moderate
Technical difficulty: easy trail walking
Directions
Turn north off of Lougheed Highway (Hwy 7), onto Coast Meridian Road. Continue until Apel Road and take a right and then right again on Victoria Drive. When Victoria Drive splits, stay on the left fork. Follow the signs to Minnekhada Provincial Park. Keep going straight, and eventually the road's surface will turn into grave (Quarry Road). From the entrance to Minnekhada, it is approximately 3.5 km to the trailhead where you should see a large sign. The trailhead seems to be some sort of garbage dump, but don't get thrown off as the rest of the trail is quite clean and nice.
Trail description
Follow the road for around 5 minutes, and then make a right onto the marked trail. From here on, the route is fairly well marked with signs and ribbons. About an hour into the hike, the trail becomes less steep and levels out quite a bit. Soon after, you will enter an area of old cedar trees and mountain hemlock. Bring gaiters as this section of the trail tends to be quite muddy. Then you will reach a junction marked with orange signs. Go straight as the left will take you to an old ski village and you will get to Munro Lake. To continue to Dennett Lake, make your way around the east side of Munro Lake. Watch for the flags that mark the turnoff for Dennett Lake. Continue for about 1 more km, in which you gain another 160 meters of elevation. Here, have a nice break, eat your lunch, and maybe even go for a swim and then retrace your steps back to your car.
