Discover Vancouver

Hiking in and around Vancouver

As you top the summit the snow glows sparkling white, the wind blows around you, the smell of pine needles fills your nostrils and the sun shimmers off the ocean thousands of feet below – this is hiking in Vancouver.

Vancouver is one of the best cities is the world for enjoying the outdoors just a short drive away. With the Lions, Crown, Strachan, and Seymour mountains all towering over the city, it’s easy to see why Vancouver offers great opportunities for hikers. The popularity of the outdoors has increased immensely over the past few years as more and more people realize what they have in their back yard. Fortunately, most people respect the wilderness and leave only their footsteps behind when they exit the woods. Many hikers have been lost in the hills around Vancouver and, sadly, some of them have perished. So, at the risk of sounding motherly, it is important to know where you are going. Don’t go beyond your limits, and in case problems should arise let someone know where you will be hiking that day.

There isn’t space to describe in detail every hike around Vancouver; entire books have been written on the subject. This is an overview of the area, and I would highly recommend purchasing a guidebook before attempting any hike.

Local Mountains
The Grouse Grind is a local racetrack for summit seekers in Vancouver. This hike heads up beside the Skyride route of Grouse Mountain, usually featuring a long line of hikers treading up the hill like ants on the march. If it’s solitude and peace you’re looking for, this is not the place. But! If you want a killer workout with the promise of cold beer at the top, then the Grind is perfect.

There are many other beautiful and less crowded hikes, although most local mountains get fairly busy on the weekends. All the mountains around Vancouver offer great trails, with pristine views of the oceans and the coastal range. The closest hikes are the local ski hills, Seymour, Grouse and Cypress. Other great hikes include Deeks Creek, The Lions, Harvey, Brunswick and the Chief in Squamish. All these hikes are day trips but they require knowledge of the outdoors and fitness.

Seymour Mountain
This hike starts from the parking lot of Seymour Mountain. You can follow the ski run up at first, then follow the well-marked trail to the top.

Cypress
Park in the ski hill parking lot. You can either head up to the south peak (on your left with your back to the parking lot), or Strachan, the north peak. The trail to Strachan is also the way to St. Marks, another fun, but longer hike.

Deeks
This trail is just off highway 99 about 15 minutes past Horseshoe Bay. The trail follows Deeks Creek up, through bluffs to Deeks Lake.

The Lions, Harvey and Brunswick
These hikes all take about 9 hours going at a reasonable pace for fit hikers. They all start at the same place in Lions Bay. If you’re going to try these hikes it’s a good idea to get a hiking guidebook.

Whistler/Squamish
The Whistler/Squamish areas are a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. There are hundreds of mountains with just as many hikes. This area is great if you want to get away from the crowds of Vancouver and discover some amazing terrain.

A short popular hike, The Chief, is a great day outing. Most people start this hike beside cascading Shannon Falls (on Highway 99) and take about an hour or two to the top depending on fitness. If you’re looking for longer hikes there is the always beautiful Garibaldi Park, and Black Tusk.

Past Whistler the mountains just keep on going, and the opportunities are endless for trekkers looking for an adventure.