Belcarra Regional Park is home to the Sasamat Loop Trail. Sound tough? It's totally not - you could do it in flip-flops, with a hibachi tucked under your arm! Have a leisurely stroll around the lake, then roast some weenies on the beach and take a dip in the lake!
If you're coming from Vancouver, this one may be a little out of the way, and I wouldn't recommend taking the bus (who wants to get back on a bus after a day at the beach? You're sweaty and sticky from sunscreen, and they run the OOOOOLD buses out there, where the windows only open one or two centimetres... bad bad badness...). But if you're in the 'burbs and you've got a car, go check it out!
And if you're in the area, why not check out Buntzen Lake as well? This lake has a variety of hikes: there's a nice easy one that just goes around the lake (keep in mind this lake is MUCH larger than Sasamat!), or there are difficult trails like the Diez Vistas, which will reward you with a view that stretches right to Deep Cove. The trail that goes around the lake will lead you to the walk-in beach at roughly the half-way point, so you can stop for lunch and a quick dip before going the rest of the way.
One word of warning: know where you're going! Every summer, a couple of tired, cold hikers need to be rescued from these trails after getting lost. Sounds scary! I'd rather not be that hiker, myself, so I always go prepared.
Happy hiking!
