Weekend Hike Vancouver

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Hey guys!

Now that summer is over(almost), my husband and I are looking forward to some more good hikes this year before it starts getting colder.

We are looking forward to a day hike, between 15-20 km’s round, with possible waterfall chasings/scenic views in and around Vancouver area.

if any of you know of any secret/hidden spots, please share them.

Thanks much guys!

Enjoy the beautiful weather while it lasts, ofcourse with precautions!

-Megh

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Hey @MeghReddy ! Welcome to Local Guides Connect! Glad to hear that you and your husband are looking into some hiking - one of our fantastic Connect Moderators, @Shirley , is actually based out of VC and can probably provide you with some ideas to fit what you’re looking for.

As you’re new here, I would recommend introducing yourself to our community and also reviewing some of these helpful tips for making the most out of our site as well. Hope this helps and hope you enjoy the great outdoors!

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Hi @MeghReddy :

Have you checked out Norvan Falls? This is in North Vancouver and it is just at 14km and you will be rewarded with a nice view. I would bring a meal/snacks and then enjoy it at the water falls. Here’s my photo.

Norvan Falls (Jun 2018)
Norvan Falls (Jun 2018)777×1036 348 KB

I’m not sure what hikes you’ve done before, so if you can perhaps narrow down the area, then perhaps I can make some more recommendations as well.

Would you do a day trip to Sunshine Coast? I’ve spent some time there this summer and have some great ideas for that too! Let me know :slightly_smiling_face:

Thanks @SP31 for the tag!

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Absolutely gorgeous, @Shirley :heart_eyes: .

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Hey @SP31 . Thank you for a quick response and recommendation.

I will brief down a quick intro as suggested.

As you already know, I am pretty new to the platform here. Trying to contribute and make the most of it.

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Hi @Shirley , thank you so much for the recommendation.
We did not hike down the Norvan falls, would definitely consider it.

We are pretty newbies here, moved from Toronto recently. Have hiked a few trails like Lynn peak, and the shorter trails as well in the area, the lighthouse, deep cove, golden ears trails so far. We don’t mind an hour drive, but would love spending about half a day on hike. I’d consider ourselves intermediate level hikers(can conveniently hike up trails ranging from 20-30kms with varied elevations), with medium fitness at the moment.

Sunshine coast has been on our list, we would love a day trip. Please do share your ideas and experiences, I’m sure it will help us tailor our trip.
thanks much :slightly_smiling_face:

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You’re welcome @MeghReddy !

To be honest, I don’t do that much hiking. I know there is a reputation that everyone in Vancouver hikes, but I’m one of the exceptions! I spend more time in the water swimming or recently with COVID more time on a bike. But here are some other hikes that I think you may be interested in:

  • St. Marks’ Summit: This is right by Cypress Mountain. I snowboard up at Cypress, so I can tell you that the views are amazing.
  • Stawamus Chief: There are three peaks here right by Squamish. A bit of a drive, lots of elevation. I believe you can take the Sea to Sky Gondola to come down but check into it.
  • Garibaldi Lake: Almost at Whistler, but this hike is much longer and you’ll be rewarded with this gorgeous lake.
  • Brandywine Falls: This one is just outside of Whistler too. The distance isn’t very much on this one, but I think getting to the bottom of the falls is much more worthwhile than seeing the falls from the top. It’s not technically a marked trail, but it is definitely doable. Here’s my photo from the bottom.

Brandywine Falls (Oct 2017)
Brandywine Falls (Oct 2017)691×518 195 KB

As for Sunshine Coast, if you choose to do a one day trip, make sure you reserve your ferries well ahead of time. I went a few weeks ago and arrived around 6:30am for the 7:30am ferry without a reservation, ended up missing that one and had to wait for the next one. I don’t know if Sunshine Coasts has hikes quite as long as what you’re looking for but here are some of the highlights:

  • Skookcumchuck Narrows Trail: This is about 9km return, probably more of a walk than a hike but at the end, there is an area where these rapids develop and it’s pretty fun to watch kayaks make their way around them. You should check to see what the tide schedule is for the best view times.
  • Hidden Groves: There are a bunch of routes in here, they’re not very long but all completely in the shade. When it was one of the hottest days in August, I was wandering around here for about an hour, not hot at all. You’ll also see some really old trees and a few view points.
  • Cliff Gilker Park: Another through the forest kind of walk with a number of waterfalls (some smaller than others) and really well shaded too. Probably more of a wander through the forest to see the trees kind of walk rather than a hike.
  • Soames Hill Park: This is the Grouse Grind of Sunshine Coast. Great views, the actually distance isn’t quite what you’re looking for, but the view is quite worth it.
  • Roberts Creek Pier: Not a hike, but a really nice salt water beach. The water in mid August was actually really warm.
  • Ruby Lake: Another not a hike, but fresh water lake that is a bit tropical like. Great place to swim!

In addition, Sunshine Coast is known for their breweries if that is of interest. BC Ale Trail has a good list for the breweries plus a few other things. The only thing missing in my opinion is Bricker Cider Company.

Hope this helps! Enjoy and stay safe for the last bit of summer, supposed to be super warm for the long weekend!

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