 Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, JF Bergeron photo
Local bookstores offer an array of books for the self-guided traveller. Trail maps are available from Visitor Info Centres and many park entrances.
Learn more about the Vancouver, Coast and Moutain Hiking Trails:
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
Choose a Trail
Easy
- Alice Lake: Four Lakes Trail takes walkers through canopied Douglas-fir and western redcedar forest.
- Manning Park: Lightning Lake Loop skirts the shoreline of the first of four lakes in the Lightning Lake Chain.
- Skookumchuck Narrows: The relatively flat walking trail leads hikers to the view point at Roland Point where they can witness the powerful waters pulsing through the narrows connecting Sechelt Inlet to Jervis Inlet.
- Sunshine Coast Trail: Hikers of all abilities will enjoy exploring part of this 180 km (112 mi) trail through old-growth forest.
Moderate
- Manning Park: Manning's spectacular sub-alpine meadows provide a wide range of hiking opportunities.
- Joffre Lakes: The steep, mountainous trek to Upper Joffre Lake can be challenging, but the reward is a sweeping view of rugged peaks, icefields and cold, rushing streams beneath the Matier Glacier.
- Sunshine Coast Trail: Hikers of all abilities will enjoy exploring part of this 180 km (112 mi) trail through old-growth forest.
Difficult
- Stawamus Chief: Hikers who make the steep roundtrip to the first summit are treated to views of Howe Sound and the Squamish Valley.
- Garibaldi Provincial Park: Musical Bumps to Singing Pass is famous for its panoramic views of surrounding glaciers and Cheakamus Lake. The park also features an overnight hike to Black Tusk, a volcanic cone remnant.
- Stein Valley Nlak'pamux Heritage Park: The Stein Trail is known for its First Nations sites of interest.
- Sunshine Coast Trail: Experienced and well-equipped hikers can trek the length of this 180 km (112 mi) trail through old-growth forest. Free wilderness camping is available.
Hiking Trail Highlights
Alice Lake Provincial Park
A popular camping, fishing and swimming destination, Alice Lake offers numerous picturesque trails from which to choose. The gently winding trail around the lake itself makes for a leisurely after-dinner stroll. Another popular route is Four Lakes Trail, a 2-3 hour circuit which takes walkers through canopied Douglas-fir and western red cedar forest past four charming woodland lakes.
Watch and look for wildlife here: the calm of Alice Lake is balanced by the musical chirrups of warblers, Steller's jays, robins and chickadees. Raccoons, squirrels and chipmunks play in the trees.
Access
Alice Lake is accessible by car. It is situated off Highway 99, approximately 10 minutes north of Squamish.
Attributes
- Rated: easy
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: March - October
- Trail information: there are 10 trails of varying lengths in the park
> Alice Lake Park website
Garibaldi Provincial Park
Garibaldi offers over 90 km (56 mi) of established hiking routes, making it a favourite destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The park's rich geological history, diverse vegetation, iridescent lakes and streams as well as abundant wildlife guarantees a memorable journey.
Musical Bumps to Singing Pass is famous for its panoramic views of surrounding glaciers and Cheakamus Lake. Begin at the top of the Whistler Mountain Gondola where the route extends past three summits before reaching Singing Pass, a spectacular alpine meadow. Complete the trip by either backtracking or following a trail that descends to Whistler Village. This 21-km (13-mi) trek takes 7-8 hours roundtrip.
A popular day hike is to glacier-fed Garibaldi Lake, an 18-km (11-mi) roundtrip of approximately eight hours. Backpackers often camp for the night at the lake's wilderness campground before continuing to the summit of Black Tusk, a volcanic cone remnant. The hike to Black Tusk from Garibaldi Lake is a 14-km (8.7-mi), six-hour roundtrip.
The southwestern region of Garibaldi, also known as Diamond Head, is a blending of heather-covered meadows, serene lakes and astounding mountain vistas. The 22-km (14-mi) roundtrip hike to Elfin Lakes requires about eight hours.
Access
Garibaldi Park can be accessed by car from five entrances along Highway 99 between Squamish and Pemberton, starting just one hour north of Vancouver. The trailheads are anywhere from 4 km (2.5 mi) to 16 km (9.9 mi) from Highway 99.
Attributes
- Rated: difficult
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: July - October
- Trail Information: 90 km of established hiking trails
- Wilderness camping: permitted
> Garibaldi Park website
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
Summertime, and the hiking is easy -and strenuous- in this park. First, the easy climb: a short, pleasant stretch to the first of three aqua-blue lakes. Enjoy the lovely natural setting. If you carry on, the steep, mountainous trek to Upper Joffre Lake can be challenging, but the reward is worth it: a sweeping view of rugged peaks, icefields and cold, rushing streams beneath the Matier Glacier. Hikers who tackle this trail in the summer months may catch some spectacular floral displays as well. Don't forget to bring a camera.
Equip yourself well before attempting to conquer this 11-km (6-mi) roundtrip through wilderness.
Access
Joffre Lakes Park is located off Highway 99, just over one hour north of Whistler.
Attributes
- Rated: moderate
- Approximate time required: 6 hours
- Best time: July - October
- Trail information: 11 km (6 mi) roundtrip wilderness hiking; 400 m elevation gain
- Wilderness camping: permitted
> Joffre Lakes Park website
Manning Provincial Park
Manning has 70,844 ha (175,000 ac) of magnificent parkland welcoming hikers of all levels. The area's marvels include mountain summits covered in heavy green forest, alpine meadows, deeply sliced valleys as well as cool lakes and rushing rivers. Hikers will appreciate the park's well-developed system of backcountry trails. Two of the more notable ones are the Sub-Alpine Meadows and the Lightning Lake Loop.
To reach the Sub-Alpine Meadows, take the winding road just opposite Manning Park Resort. From the meadows, you can enjoy a panorama of the surrounding splendour as well as an up-close perspective of summer wildflowers. Routes from the meadows range in length from 20 minutes to several days. Hiking is at its best July - September.
Visitors in search of a stroll through gentle wilderness will value the Lightning Lake Loop, which skirts the shoreline of the first of four lakes in the Lightning Lake Chain. The nine-km (5.6-mi) loop takes approximately 2-3 hours and is at its best May through October.
Access
Manning Park is located along Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton, three hours east of Vancouver.
Attributes
- Rated: easy to difficult
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: May to October
- Trail information: details on park website
- Wilderness camping: permitted; fees apply
> Manning Park website
Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park
The word "Skookumchuck" is Chinook for "powerful waters." That about sums up what hikers in Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park will encounter.
On a 3-m (9.8-ft) tide, 909 billion litres (200 billion gallons) of water pulse through the narrows connecting Sechelt Inlet to Jervis Inlet. The result is a crescendo of turbulent rapids renowned for their astounding whirlpools and whitewater.
There is a relatively flat walking trail from the site's parking lot to the viewing point at Roland Point. Time your jaunt through this coastal forest trail so that you arrive when the tidal surge is at its strongest - you won't soon forget the strength of these incredible rapids. Access
The park is located off Highway 101 near Egmont, one hour north of Sechelt. Access thr trail from the parking lot.
Attributes
- Rated: easy
- Approximate time required: 2 hours
- Best time: year-round
- Trail information: 8 km (5 mi) roundtrip
- Consult with the tide table or Sechelt Visitor Info Centre for best viewing times
> Skookumchuck Narrows Park website
Stawamus Chief
Dubbed "the Chief" by locals, this jagged beauty is a favourite weekend hike for many Vancouver residents. One of the largest free-standing monoliths in the world, the Chief rises 652 m (2,140 ft) above Howe Sound - fit hikers are in for a rewarding workout. The steep roundtrip to the first summit is six km (3.6 mi). Rock climbers also gravitate to the Chief, unable to resist the magnetic pull of its granite face.
At the summit, hikers and climbers alike are in for a breathtaking vista of Howe Sound, the Squamish Valley and mountains as far as the eye can see. Access
The Chief is located in Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, just five minutes south of Squamish via Highway 99. The trails are accessed from the day-use parking lot.
Attributes
- Rated: difficult
- Approximate time required: 3-4 hours
- Best time: March - November
- Trail information: 1.5-1.8 km; elevation gain 500-750 m
> Stawamus Chief Park website
Stein Valley Nlak'pamux Heritage Park
Vast, 107,191-ha (264,874-ac) Stein Valley Nlak'pamux Heritage Park is the spiritual home of the Nlak'pamux Nation and one of BC’s premier areas for multi-day wilderness backpacking. Terrains, elevations and temperatures vary dramatically. Expect dry heat in the lower Stein Valley and snow (even in late summer) between Stein and Lizzie Lakes, near the 2,954-m (9,750-ft) summit of Skihist Mountain. Traversing the entire park takes at least eight days. Native wildlife species include grizzly, cougar, mountain goat, deer and salmon.
There is a variety of hiking trails to explore but accessibility varies depending on the snow pack. One of these, the Stein Trail, features a number of Aboriginal pictographs (rock paintings) and Asking Rock, where some Nlak'pamux still stop to pray for safe passage through the valley. Please do not touch the pictographs. The Lizzie Lake to Stein Lake trail is located in a steep, high-elevation area at the western end of the park.
Access
Stein Valley Nlak'pamux Heritage Park is located in the Coast Mountains, between the Fraser and Lillooet River Valleys. Its main trailhead is near the community of Lytton - a 10 minute drive.
Attributes
- Level of difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
- Time required: single day – 8 days
- Best time: April-October (lower trails); July-September (higher elevations)
- Trail information: 150 km (93 mi) of wilderness trails to explore: terrain and elevation gain vary
- Wilderness camping: permitted
Sunshine Coast Trail
The Sunshine Coast Trail winds its way along the upper Sunshine Coast from Saltery Bay in the south to Sarah Point on the shores of Desolation Sound. Experienced and properly-equipped hikers can trek the length of the trail through towering, old-growth forest as well as by gentle lakes, crashing waterfalls and sublime seascapes.
Day hikers can easily cover a much shorter block of ground.
Access
The Sunshine Coast Trail is located on the upper Sunshine Coast near Powell River. No matter where you are on the trail you are never more than 6 km (3.75 mi) from vehicle access.
Attributes
- Rated: easy to difficult
- Approximate time required: varies by route - entire trail requires about 10 days
- Best time: April - October
- Trail information: 180 km (112 mi); elevation gain varies
- Wilderness camping: free sites found along the trail; off-trail lodging with transportation also available.
> Sunshine Coast Trail website
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