Hiking
Two hikers admiring the views (Picture BC photo)
Atlin has some beautiful hiking areas where visitors can spot diverse wildlife such as Caribou, Grizzly Bears, and Moose, as well as stunning plant life and forests. Take an easy trail or challenge the Llewellyn Glacier route.
Monarch Mountain Trail
The Monarch Mountain Trail is one of the most popular routes amongst visitors. The trail heads through sub-alpine to a great viewpoint of Atlin Lake, Teresa Island in the middle of the lake, and Mount Birch on Teresa Island, the tallest mountain in fresh water in North America.
The trail is approximately 6.5 km/4mi long and takes about 3 hours round-trip. The elevation gain is about 700m/2,296ft. To get there, head down Warm Springs Road. About 5.5/3.4 kms along the road, look for the sign on the right and park.
Llewellyn Glacier
A not-to-miss hiking experience near Atlin that is a little harder to get to is the Llewellyn Glacier. The sediment from this melting glacier is what gives Atlin Lake is aqua colour.
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Access the glacier from the Llewellyn Inlet, which can only reached by boat. It takes about 30 minutes to get there by motorboat and about two hours by canoe or kayak. The walk to the glacier, there and back, takes about four hours. It's flat, therefore could be considered easy, but part of the hike requires walking on large rocks, which is hard on the ankles.
The best time to visit the glacier is in July and August. It's best to go with someone experienced with the route, and preferably owns a boat. However, it's possible to hire a water taxi to get to the start of the trail, or rent a kayak or canoe.
More Hikes
Other hikes in the area include Atlin Mountain, Ruby Mountain, El Dorado Creek and many others. The difficulty levels range depending on the hike. More experienced hikers, interested in longer trips, should check out the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tatshenshini-Alsek Park, to the west of Atlin. Local company Schell Tours also offers multi-day hiking trips into the remote wilderness.
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