Hike to Baby Bedwell & Bedwell Lake

Driving:
From Campbell River, take Highway 28 West to the bridge over Upper Campbell Lake/Buttle Lake. Do not cross the bridge, but take the road down the East side of Buttle Lake. Follow Buttle Lake road south to Jim Mitchell Lake road which is on the left just after the Thelwood Creek Bridge. Follow this dirt road about 7 km to the trailhead. The road doesn’t typically require a 4×4 but it is gravel and somewhat rough so low slung cars might have some problems.

The trail starts out flat at 250m elevation, but quickly starts climbing rather relentlessly through the thick, lush forest. As you near the top of the climb, the trees thin out and the surrounding peaks come into view. At about 4km in you will reach Baby Bedwell Lake, with a stunning lakeside campground and a view of Mt. Tom Taylor. You can opt to stay here for the night, or continue on to Bedwell Lake.

To Bedwell Lake:
Follow the trail past Baby Bedwell and you will soon find yourself climbing up to a viewpoint looking over Bedwell Lake, as well as gaining spectacular alpine views. Continue on to descend several staircases and follow the trail along the east side of Bedwell Lake for ~1km until coming to the Bedwell Lake campground. This site, with new tent platforms perched on the bedrock overlooking the lake, it is worth the effort to pack your tent in and stay for a night or two. By treating this as a base camp, you and can access trails to Cream Lake or along the Bedwell Centennial Trail for day hikes with a lighter load.

Complete with maps, signage, boardwalks over wetlands, suspension bridges and metal staircases the trail itself is both well-marked and well-maintained. The staircases can be steep and slippery in places so use caution, especially with heavy packs.