An avid hiker could spend weeks exploring Chilliwack's numerous hiking trails. The community's setting amid the Cascade Mountains in the Fraser Valley is spectacularly diverse, with lakes, rivers, wetlands, creeks, and lookout points to discover in the backcountry. The difficulty level for hikes ranges from easy strolls to challenging vertical treks.
Highlight Hikes Near Chilliwack
Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve
For example, at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve (5100 Sumas Prairie Rd), visitors can enjoy a relaxing hike of up to 5 km (3.1mi) while viewing the nesting grounds of this magnificent bird.
Learn more about bird watching in Chilliwack.
Cultus Lake
Another easy option is at Cultus Lake (Exit 104 off the Trans-Canada Highway), where a one-hour, 2km (1.2mi) hike culminates with a viewing of a giant 800-year-old Douglas fir, the oldest tree in this popular provincial park. The distance is roughly the same for hiking to Bridal Veil Falls (Exit 135 off the Trans-Canada Highway), which is Canada's sixth-highest waterfall.
For a challenging day trip or overnight hike, hardcore outdoors lovers head to Pierce Lake and Mount MacFarlane in the Chilliwack River Valley (Exit 119A off the Trans-Canada Highway). Budget 10 hours for a hilly 21km (13mi) odyssey that includes reaching the summit of Mount MacFarlane, admiring an Alpine lake, and roaming through forests and meadows.
Sleese and Memorial Trails
Two nice middle-of-the-road hikes are Slesse Memorial Trail and Lindeman Lake, both also located in the Chilliwack River Valley.
Slesse Memorial Trail commemorates those who perished in a nearby 1956 plane crash, and the three-hour, 8km (5mi) route mostly follows an old road with awe-inspiring mountain panoramas en route to a memorial plaque set up in 1995. Lindeman Lake is a popular three-hour, 3.4km (2.1mi) trek that meanders through old-growth forest, with great views of a local creek and the lake, which is home to various species of trout.
Practical Points
To get detailed directions for these and other hikes, visit the Tourism Chilliwack Visitor Centre at 44150 Luckakuck Way (next to Exit 116 off the Trans-Canada Highway) and pick up the printed Chilliwack Hiking Trail Guide, or download a copy from Tourism Chilliwack's official web site.
When hiking or walking in this region, be aware of bears or other wildlife. Come with appropriate hiking shoes, jackets, food, water, and maps, and monitor changing weather conditions. Hikers should always hike with someone else, and inform others about their proposed destination before departing.