 Diez Vistas Trail, Port Moody, Marlene Ford photo
Whether you will be exploring as part of a guided tour or as an independent hiker, Vancouver's provincial, regional and municipal parks offer a range of well-marked trails catering to all levels of ability.
Local bookstores stock an array of books for the self-guided traveller, while Visitor Info Centres and park entrances offer trail maps.
Learn about hiking trails in Vancouver:
Rules and Safety
A word or two on your excursion:
- Please leave the area you visit undisturbed and be sure to carry out your garbage
- If travelling with pets, be aware that restrictions may apply
- Obey posted signs and keep to designated trails
A word or two on safety:
- Cougars, bears and other wildlife inhabit the region
- Be aware: mountain weather may change suddenly
Choose a Trail
Easy
- Cypress Provincial Park: The Yew Lake Trail is a short, wheelchair-accessible trail that loops through meadows past several small lakes.
- Lynn Canyon Park: This municipal park features a vast network of trails from easy to moderate. Something for everyone!
- Capilano River Regional Park: The park offers trekkers a 26-km (16-mi) system of trails along Capilano Canyon.
- Lighthouse Park: This park's well-developed trail system includes the option of completing an invigorating 5-km (3-mi) circuit through centuries-old Douglas-fir and cedar forest.
- Pacific Spirit Park: With 50 km (30 mi)of walking trails to explore, this park offers an easily accessible, forested retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Intermediate
- Cypress Provincial Park: The Eagle Bluff Trail leads hikers up Black Mountain, through forest and past small lakes before reaching a rocky bluff and opening to breathtaking views of Howe Sound.
- Mount Seymour Provincial Park: The Dog Mountain Trail is an excellent choice for families. It winds through towering cedars and firs before reaching open views of Vancouver.
Advanced
- Baden-Powell Trail: Savour breathtaking views of Vancouver as you traverse through densely forested trails past trickling streams and rocky bluffs.
- Cypress Provincial Park: The rugged Howe Sound Crest Trail leads experienced (and well-equipped) hikers on an overnight journey from the ski-area parking lot to the shoulder of the 1,654-m (5,427-ft) Lions then continues past Deeks Lake before descending to Highway 99.
- Grouse Mountain: The Grouse Grind™, a trek up the face of the mountain, is often referred to by locals as "Mother Nature's Stairmaster."
- Mount Seymour Provincial Park: Follow Mount Seymour Trail through sub-alpine meadows before a steep ascent to the 1,449-m (4,754-ft) summit of Mount Seymour.
Hiking Trail Highlights
The 42-km (25-mi) Baden-Powell Trail is the main route in the large system of North Shore Mountain trails. It extends all the way from Horseshoe Bay (west) to Deep Cove (east). Because it is not intended as one long hike, but rather as several shorter ones, it can be accessed from several points.
Beginning from the trail's most westerly point, hikers ascend about 1,140 m (3,740 ft) to the top of Black Mountain in Cypress Provincial Park. From there, the Baden-Powell gradually descends toward the charming village of Deep Cove. Savour breathtaking views of Vancouver as you traverse through densely forested trails past trickling streams and rocky bluffs.
For an abridged version of this journey, hike the trail from Deep Cove to the high bluff overlooking Indian Arm.
Attributes
- Rated: advanced, with some moderate and easy sections
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: March - October (lower portion) and June - October (western portion)
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A 20-minute drive from downtown, North Vancouver's Capilano River Regional Park offers trekkers a 26-km (16-mi) system of trails along Capilano Canyon. The canyon itself is a deep slice engulfed by granite cliffs and second-growth forest.
Known as the Capilano Pacific Trail, the main route runs 7.5 km (4.5 mi) each way along the west side of the rushing Capilano River - the entire length of the park. There are a number of shorter trails in the vicinity of the Salmon Hatchery. One of these, Second Canyon Viewpoint Trail leads hikers to incredible views of the canyon and Cleveland Dam spillway. A return trip via Giant Fir Trail will bring you face-to-face with Grandpa Capilano, a massive, old-growth Douglas-fir tree.
The park is located 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
Attributes
- Rated: easy
- Approximate time required for Capilano Pacific Trail: 4 hours
- Approximate time required for Second Canyon Viewpoint Trail: 45 minutes
- Capilano Suspension Bridge is not accessible from the park trails.
> Capilano River Park website > Back to the top
Cypress Provincial Park has been one of the Lower Mainland’s most popular hiking destinations for over 100 years. The 3,000-ha (7,413-ac) park is thick with western red cedars and yellow cedars, while wildlife such as coyotes, deer, black bears and squirrels plus a wide variety of birds call it home. Sparkling mountain lakes are found below the park’s peaks of 1,454-m (4,770-m) Mount Strachan, 1,217-m (3993-ft) Black Mountain and 1,325-m (4,347-ft) Hollyburn Mountain. Cypress offers stunning vistas of Vancouver.
Cypress Provincial Park is located in the North Shore Mountains, a 40-minute drive from Vancouver. The ski-area parking lot is accessible by a road that winds its way up to a 900- m (2,953-ft) elevation.
Attributes
- Rated: easy to advanced
- Best Time: While the park is open year round, the most ideal times for hiking are from late-April to mid-October
- Approximate time required: varies by route
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Just a 25-minute drive from downtown, Grouse Mountain presides majestically over North Vancouver. The Grouse Grind™, a trek up the face of the mountain, is such a popular hike in Vancouver that it's even been trademarked. Locals often refer to the 2.9 km (1.8 mi) slog up 853 m (2,800 ft) as "Mother Nature's Stairmaster."
Something of a cult classic among fitness buffs, the trek is more aerobic than scenic until you get to the top. The prize for huffing and puffing your way up is a glorious, panoramic view of downtown Vancouver, Washington's Mt. Baker, the Pacific Ocean and - off in the distance - Vancouver Island.
If your energy level hasn't completely crashed, consider an easy stroll along the trails starting in and around the mountaintop.
Grouse Mountain is located 25 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
Attributes
- Rated: advanced
- Approximate time required: 1.5-2 hours
- Best time: late spring - October
- Proper footwear is a must
- The trail is free (many pay the fee to ride the aerial tram down)
> Grouse Mountain website> Back to the top
The entire family will enjoy this wilderness escape at the mouth of Burrard Inlet. Hidden on the outskirts of West Vancouver, the well-developed trail system includes the option of completing an invigorating 5-km (3-mi) circuit through centuries-old Douglas-fir and cedar forest.
To the east, enjoy fabulous views of English Bay, Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver's iconic skyline. To the west, you'll see Bowen Island and, further on, Vancouver Island.
The park itself boasts a multitude of large, smooth rocks, ideal for relaxing in the sun or enjoying a picnic. Of course, no trip to the park is complete without a look at its namesake, 1912's Point Atkinson Lighthouse.
Lighthouse Park is located in West Vancouver, 25 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
Attributes
Lynn Canyon Park 250-ha (164-ac) is a municipal park located at the foot of the North Shore Mountains. It features pockets of second-growth coastal rainforest; sheer canyons; creeks; natural pools; a suspension bridge and a café. Vegetation includes Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western redcedar and 40 types of moss. Visit the Lynn Creek Ecology Centre, near the parking lot, for more information about flora and fauna in the park.
The first thing most people do when they enter the park is cross the Lynn Creek suspension bridge adjacent to the parking lot. The bridge hangs 50 m (164 ft) above the creek and sways and springs underfoot. Once across, you can walk upstream 10 minutes to 30 Foot Pool or downstream to Twin Falls, a 15-minute walk. You can also link to trail networks in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve and Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. The reserve features a short loop around Rice Lake and Fisherman’s Trail, which runs alongside the Seymour River. The regional park has trails that extend deep into the mountains.
Many trails have steep stairways, roots and rocks, so exercise caution in slippery conditions.
Lynn Canyon Park is located in North Vancouver, 35 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
Attributes
- Rated: easy–moderate
- Time required: varies by route
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Located within the University of British Columbia's Endowment Lands, Pacific Spirit Regional Park offers walkers an easily accessible, forested retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
With over 50 km (30 mi) of walking trails, the park traverses rainforest, deep ravines and marshlands en route to the Pacific Ocean and Fraser River.
Nature enthusiasts will wonder at the assortment of trees - including maple and alder - in this forested haven. Wildlife buffs are sure to spot bald eagles soaring overhead, while harbour seals and sea ducks are frequent visitors to the park's shorelines.
Visitors can also explore the 12,000 year-old Camosun Bog. A walk across its boardwalk reveals a rich array of vegetation, including sphagnum moss, cloudberry and sundew.
Many of the trails are multi-use, so be prepared to share the trail with cyclists and equestrians. Please note that pedestrians are required to yield to horseback riders. Some of the routes are pedestrian-use only and some permit dogs off-leash. There is heavier trail use on weekends.
First-time visitors are recommended to start their journey at the Pacific Spirit Regional Park Centre on 16th Avenue near the university.
Attributes
Mount Seymour Provincial Park has been a popular hiking destination since the 1920s. Trails in the 3,508-ha (1,420-ac) park lead hikers through awe-inspiring old-growth and second-growth firs, cedar and hemlock; past meadows and small lakes; as well as by towering rock faces en route to panoramic views of Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Indian Arm and the Coast Mountains. Look for wildlife along any of the trails such as coyotes, deer, black bears and cougars as well as a wide variety of birds.
Mount Seymour Provincial Park is located in the North Shore Mountains, a 40-minute drive from Vancouver. The park is accessed by a paved, winding road that ends at the downhill ski area parking lot at an elevation of 1,020m (3,346 ft).
Attributes
- Rated: intermediate to advanced
- While the park is open year round, the most ideal times for hiking are from late-April to mid-October
- Lower mountain trails are shared with mountain bikers; upper mountain trails are restricted to hiking
- Routes vary in length and difficulty
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