Cat Lake is the easy yes. A small, warm lake tucked into the forest in north Squamish, a few minutes’ walk from the parking, with a beach, a dock, and water that heats up early in the season. It’s the lake you bring kids, floaties, and a paddleboard to. As water sports in Squamish go, this is the gentlest place to start.
You reach it off Cat Lake Road, a short gravel road just off Highway 99 north of town. There’s day-use parking, picnic spots, and a small walk-in campground — first-come, first-served — that makes it a favourite for a low-effort overnight. The walk from the lot to the water is short and flat.
The draw is the warmth and the calm. Cat Lake is sheltered and shallow enough to be swimmable well before the bigger lakes, and the flat water is ideal for a beginner on a paddleboard. It gets busy on summer weekends — come early or midweek for the quiet version.
Sheltered and shallow — swimmable earlier than the bigger lakes.
An easy spot to set up, swim, and launch a board.
First-come, first-served. Fill fast on summer weekends.
Flat, small, sheltered — an ideal beginner SUP lake.
A few minutes from the lot. Easy with kids and gear.
It’s no secret. Come early or midweek for the quiet lake.
Dropped at the Cat Lake parking for the short walk in. Paddles and PFDs included, up to three paddlers per canoe.
Book a canoeCat Lake is the perfect first-timer SUP — flat, warm, and small. Boards delivered to the lot, ready to carry the short path in.
Book a boardCat Lake sits off Cat Lake Road, a short gravel road leaving Highway 99 in north Squamish. The road is drive-up for normal vehicles, with a day-use parking area at the end. From the lot it’s a short, flat walk to the lake, the beach, and the walk-in campsites. Arrive early on summer weekends — the lot and the sites fill, and parking on the shoulder is discouraged.
Cat Lake is small and loved, which means on a hot weekend it’s full — full lot, full beach, full campsites by mid-morning. If you want the calm version, that’s a weekday or an early start, not a Saturday at noon.
The campsites are walk-in and first-come, so there’s no booking to fall back on. Pack out everything, keep dogs leashed near the beach and sites, and respect the quiet for the people camping. This is Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation territory.
Take Cat Lake Road, a short gravel road off Highway 99 in north Squamish, to the day-use parking at the end. It’s drive-up for normal vehicles, and from the lot it’s a short, flat walk to the lake.
Very. It’s small, sheltered, and shallow, so it warms up earlier than the bigger lakes and stays calm. There’s a beach and a dock. No lifeguards, so watch kids in the water.
Yes — there’s a small walk-in campground, first-come and first-served, which is why it’s a popular low-effort overnight. There’s no reservation system, so the sites fill fast on summer weekends. Arrive early.
It’s one of the best beginner SUP lakes in the area — flat, warm, small, and sheltered, so a fall just means a short swim back. Kayaks and canoes are equally at home.
Yes. Canoe and paddleboard delivery meets you at the Cat Lake parking, so you don’t need to strap anything to the car — just carry it the short path to the water.
Yes, on leash. Keep them leashed near the beach and campsites out of courtesy to other families and campers, and pack out after them.
Late spring through September. It warms early and stays mild into fall. Go on a weekday or arrive early on weekends — it’s a popular, busy little lake.
More easy swims on the Sea to Sky Trails: Alice Lake and Brohm Lake.