Whistler Golf Course 4.8k - Whistler Trail Running

For half of the year in Whistler, from mid November to April, jogging and trail running becomes difficult due to snow.  During this time there are only a few areas of the Valley Trail system that are plowed consistently.

The beautiful 4.8k route around Whistler Golf Course is a great, scenic and convenient option to run year round, and right in the Village.  Convenient and free parking can be found at the dead end of Lorimer Rd near Whistler Village.  If you are staying in Whistler Village you can reach the trail via the underpass under the Sea to Sky Highway near the Conference Centre in Whistler Village.

This trail is very convenient from Whistler Village and you can easily start and finish your run from your hotel in the Village and continuously run on pedestrian only or Valley Trail paths.  The map above shows the 4.8k Valley Trail that runs around the Whistler Golf Course.  The blue shows the Valley Trails that branch off the Valley Trail to and from the Golf Course.

As you run around this beautiful golf course you will run through a magnificent grove of ancient cedars, see jaw dropping views of Rainbow Mountain, Whistler and Blackcomb as well as Wedge Mountain in the distance.  Also, with the exception of the winter months you will likely spot a bear along the trail or on the golf course.  They frequent the area from April to September, especially early morning and late in the day.

Whistler Golf Course 4.8k - Convenient Parking

Excellent signs direct you after you park your car.  You will immediately see a Valley Trail sign that points to Rainbow Park one way, Meadow Park another, and Whistler Village a third way.  Follow the trail sign that aims for Whistler Village and in about one minute you will disappear into the forest and see the golf course.  The trail runs continuously around the beautiful Whistler Golf Club (bear right at the first junction).

More Whistler Trail Running

Whistler is an absolute paradise for running.  You can find easy, relaxing, paved running routes.  Challenging, narrow and zig-zagging runs.  Runs that take you along spectacular rivers and unbelievable sunsets over amazing lakes.  In Whistler, you can even find a run that winds its way through a menagerie of decades old, train wreckage incredibly brought to life with elaborate paintings.  You can even find runs that can safely be classified as brutal.  The Wedgemount Lake 14k trail run is difficult, steep, rugged, yet takes you to a lake high above Whistler that will take your breath away.  The unnatural, turquoise colour, the stark ruggedness of the valley and the spectacular glacier sliding down toward the lake all make the brutality of the run an unforgettable experience.  Other runs are less traumatic, yet just as amazing.  The Singing Pass 22k run takes you from the top of Whistler to Whistler Village by way of a staggering array of incredible views.  Skirting the edge of Whistler Mountain, this running route is an exhilarating set of viewpoints.  One after the other they open up to you as you run.  The trail extends away from Whistler until it reaches Singing Pass.  Singing Pass abruptly takes you down from the endless mountain views and ascends continuously and straight for twelve kilometres to Whistler Village.  Singing Pass cuts between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains and you find yourself running under the Peak to Peak Gondola far above.  Another brutal, yet popular running route in Whistler is known as the Rubble Creek Classic.  This 25k linear run takes you from the Cheakamus Lake trailhead up into Garibaldi Park, past Helm Creek, Black Tusk, Taylor Meadows and Garibaldi Lake and finishes at the Rubble Creek trailhead.  This is a running race that takes place in September every year and attracts quite a few locals as well as regional, trail running athletes.  A less brutal and still very challenging run is the Rainbow Lake 16k.  This wonderful, deep forest trail takes you high into the alpine to the beautiful, Rainbow Lake.  Located across the valley from Whistler and Blackcomb, the views are amazing.  Along the run to the lake you pass by several waterfalls, cross a few bridges, run through a meadow on a boardwalk and then hit the magnificent alpine lake ringed with more potential running routes.  The Rainbow Lake 16k is definitely a challenging run as you gain 850 metres in just 8k to the lake.  This is just gradual enough to be enjoyable and just as importantly, the 8k return is just gradual enough to not kill your knees.  This of course cannot be said of the Wedgemount Lake run or the Singing Pass run.  Both of these brutalize even the strongest knees.  There are of course a beautiful array of relaxing running trails in Whistler.  The Cheakamus Lake trail is definitely one of the most amazing, moderate runs around.  You can run various lengths on this one.  The trailhead to the start of Cheakamus Lake is 3k, so you can have a very enjoyable 6k run that has winding hills and river views though a forest of giant trees.  If you extend the roundtrip to 12k or 14k, you will be following the trail along the edge of this beautiful lake.  Always in the midst of the impressive forest of giant cedars and hemlocks, there are constant vistas that keep the run exciting and entertaining.  Of all the runs in Whistler, Cheakamus Lake gives you the best views for least effort.  Overall there is little elevation change, yet constant short and gradual ups and downs, and non-stop sights to take in.  The Whistler Train Wreck is a 5.4 kilometre running route that has become a secret favourite for weekend visitors.  This route is very convenient on the drive in and out of Whistler.  The trailhead parking is located on Alpha Lake Road in Function Junction (8k south of the Village on the Sea to Sky Highway).  From your car you run through the forest away from Function Junction, under the highway overpass and eventually across the train tracks to the amazing Cheakamus River.  The trail continues past a few beautiful river viewpoints then forces you back toward the train tracks where you skirt a bend in the river.  Past the bend you, once again run left into a trail, this time leading to the elaborate and expansive train wreck.  The amazing paintings inside and outside of the wrecked train cars are extraordinarily beautiful.  Combined with the amazing river viewpoints make this run impossible to do without stopping a few times to marvel at the sights.  It is because of this convenience and beauty that has made this a popular run to do a 5k lap, or two laps (10k), or three laps (15k) through just before arriving at your hotel in Whistler to start your weekend.