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Devils Lake in Mission BC – Both Family Fun & Mystical Experience

Perfect Spot to Enjoy Quiet Summer Weekend With Your Kids @ Devils Lake in Mission, BC

Devils Lake has been an accidental find and a truly spectacular gem to our collection of amazing places. Devils Lake is located just outside of Mission BC. It has that mystical feeling from thriller movies… Crystal clear water, the quiet serenity of the surrounding foresty hills ..and NO people! Imagine THAT? Still, we found it to be a perfect little lake to swim, enjoy family weekend picnicking, and even fishing.

Is there a reason people are scared of this place? Or is it just the name?.. We haven't been able to find out why the lake was called Devils Lake – there is not too much information about this location on the internet. Whatever it is, as long as it keeps crowds away, and leaves a perfectly serene stunning place for us – it works for us! 🙂

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Directions

GPS / Google Maps anchor point: Devils Lake Mission, BC V4S1C4

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If you are heading to Devils Lake from Coquitlam Centre, it will take you about an hour to get there. Devils Lake is a little neighbor of famous Stave Lake, so once you are nearing Stave Dam – another 5 min and you are there!

The trail starts along Florence Lake Forest Service Road approximately 4.6 km from Stave Dam. There is no sign, just a small parking pocket off the side of the road. You can park right there – the space is enough for a dozen cars maybe… but once again – NO people! We've always been able to find a spot.

WORD OF CAUTION: Be careful, as we've seen quite a number of quadricycle bikes racing on the road – so keep your kids close to you once you've exited the vehicle.

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Devils Lake, Mission BC – Quick Facts

The whole mini-trip to Devils Lake took us about an hour, that's including the time at the beach. Purely walking time is 10 min one way at most. The trail is wild: no washrooms nor any food options.

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The Trail

The trail to the Devils lake is short and nice to-and-back (not a loop) – merely 350 meters down to the wild beach Devils Lake day-use area. There is no access to the lake via your car – so if you have canoes or kayaks – you'll have to carry those.

The walk is super-kids-friendly. It is well-traveled, well-equipped with wooden bridges over the little streams that are rushing down from the nearby hills into the lake.

The trail is NOT stroller-accessible, so babies will have to be carried.

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The Devils Lake Beach

We've visited Sunday afternoon in late May. Once we got to the beach, we've found a family of campers with their tents put out in the nearby bushes (not sure if official camping? probably not), a pair of kayakers and a pair of fishermen. Otherwise, the beach was completely deserted…

The sand is a wildly-stony type with occasional grass here and there. Not the top grade, but hey! We'll trade it for the absence of crowds 100%!

The water was crystal clear and somewhat warm even in May. From mid-June to late August and even in September still, the lake is perfect for swimming.

ATTENTION: District of Mission warns “Devils Lake has a steep drop-off just offshore. No lifeguards are on duty, so please ensure the swimmers, especially young kids, are properly supervised.”

We've seen people fishing off the shore and actually catching a decent foot-size fish. There have been few canoes and kayaks on the water, also fishing.

To add to the mystery, we've seen something that looks like either some sort of a temple or a ritual location right off the lakeshore halfway to the beach… We hope, whatever it is, it's something positive as there have been few painted stones (just like the one on the picture) with good wishes lying along the trail – the Rocks of Kindness as they are called…

With this find of Devils Lake, I've decided to start a new running list – Top 10 Weird & Mystical Places to explore in BC.

If you know of any interesting places & lakes near Vancouver that “only the locals would know of” – send them our way! Mystical lake, streams, rivers, waterfalls, caves, forests, orchards – anything would work!

Stay SAFE when adventuring outdoors with your kids + Outdoor Ethics:
9 Best Natural Sunscreens For Kids. Organic. Chemicals-Free.
Hiking With Kids: 12 Simple Safety Rules Every Parent Should Follow
Leave No Trace & Outdoor Ethics – Zero Impact Family Adventures

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Fun Family Outdoor Learning

Want to have even more family fun outdoors? Check out our PerfectDayToPlay FREE printable Scavenger Hunt sheets!

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Other Swimming Lakes Near Vancouver

This summer we made it our priority quest to discover as many uncrowded new places, swimming lakes, and kids-friendly trails to enjoy with the family, as possible. May I present to you our first summer report on Lakes Near You: Best Kids-Friendly Swimming Lakes Near Vancouver For Your Awesome Family Summer Experience!

Or if you may be looking for more kids-friendly easy all-season hikes, check out this post: Gorgeous & Easy Winter Hikes Near Vancouver To Absolutely Enjoy

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Things to Do in Mission, BC

There is however much more to see and to do near Mission, BC! Mission, British Columbia, is home to some of the easiest kids-friendly yet most beautiful outdoor adventures:

• Hunter Trail – the hidden gem of Mission, BC hikes locals don’t want you to know about! Easy trail with breathtaking views of Stave Lake and Mt. Baker.
• Hayward Reservoir trail will lead you to breathtaking and easily accessible Steelhead Falls, and if you go further, you’ll eventually hit Ruskin Dam.
• Rolley Lake is one of the warmest and kids-friendly lakes near Vancouver you can enjoy it with your whole family in the summer; it has a little waterfalls hike too!
• Hoover Lake is one of the most serene places we’ve been to; its trail is the perfect place to enjoy the symphony of waterfalls in the spring.
• Check out our guide to hiking near Mission: Top 6 Awesome Hikes in Mission BC to Take Your Kids On This Season

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Concluding notes

Something really sad that jumped right into our faces though was the litter all around. The trail and the beach are not supervised nor maintained, and you can see some garbage lying around here and there. Not too much, but comparing with BC Parks, well… it was noticeable.

Therefore we can NOT stress this enough: if you visit this or any other trail, lake, or park near Vancouver and in our Beautiful British Columbia, or anywhere else in the world – please please please do not litter, pick up and take out your own garbage, and otherwise adhere to Leave No Trace principles.

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Enjoy!

Cheerfully yours,

Alexandra, Alex & Cosmos

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