Hiking
Two hikers admiring the views (Picture BC photo)
From casual walks along the beach amid coastal breezes to heart-pounding hiking treks through tall firs and cedars, the Sunshine Coast is a hiking mecca, and Gibsons is true to form.
Gibsons also offers easy access to other Sunshine Coast locations with excellent hiking terrain.
Hiking around Gibsons
Between Gibsons and the Langdale ferry terminal lies Soames Hill, which boasts 39ha/97ac of parkland to roam with 4.2km/2.6mi of trails amid second-growth forest. After a 40-minute climb, take in great views of Gibsons, Keats Island, Bowen Island, and the Strait of Georgia. To get there from Gibsons, take North Road towards the ferry terminal, turn right on Reed Road, and go left on Chamberlin Road. Follow the signs to Bridgeman Road, and take it to the parking lot where the trail begins.
More good hiking near Gibsons exists at the well-marked Mount Elphinstone Heritage Trails, which follow old logging roads and are graced with old-growth forest and lots of mushrooms.
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Alternatively, head north to Cliff Gilker Park off Highway 101, halfway between Gibsons and Sechelt, which are just 23km/14mi apart. Wander through 5km/3mi of forest trails, crossing Roberts Creek and admiring numerous waterfalls. Cliff Gilker Park is adjacent to the Roberts Creek golf course.
More Sunshine Coast Hiking
Backcountry hikers can head up to Dakota Ridge, a 620ha/1,532ac plateau north of Gibsons, to explore the rolling, forested terrain. Enjoy a panorama that includes Vancouver Island and Mount Baker in Washington State. In the winter, Dakota Ridge offers groomed cross-country skiing trails, snowshoeing, and other facilities.
Drive about 30km/18.6mi north on Highway 101 from Gibsons, and explore the 2km/1.24 mi hiking trail at Smuggler's Cove Marine Provincial Park. This route abounds with diverse scenery and habitats: views of South Thormanby Island and Malaspina Strait, bluffs festooned with arbutus and fir trees, and marshy areas spanned by boardwalks and full of bird-watching opportunities, from ducklings to red-winged blackbirds.
Hiking near Egmont and Pender Harbour
These are just a handful of the stimulating hikes in this region. Numerous trail systems interconnect on the Sunshine Coast. Try the steep 2.5km/1.6 mi ascent of Mount Daniel just north of Madeira Park for a spectacular view of Garden Bay. To get to Mount Daniel, turn at Garden Bay Road at the gas station and left after the first dirt road after Oyster Bay Road.
Pender Hill Park also gives hikers a great view of the Madeira Park/Pender Harbour area. Green thumbs will appreciate the rocky, arbutus-laden terrain's abundance of wildflowers in spring: Indian paintbrush, nodding onion, and Mimulus are among the colourful varieties.
The Suncoaster Trail Route offers 33km/20mi of trails to explore between Homesite Creek and Klein Lake, including a 21m/68ft bridge over Sakinaw Creek. And don't miss hiking in Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park, where sensational views of the fastest-moving saltwater rapids in North America are available near Egmont (74km/46mi north of Gibsons).
For more information about hiking on the Sunshine Coast, check with the Gibsons Visitor Centre.
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