After living four months in Vancouver, we prepared the ultimate list of the best one-day hikes near the city if you want to see more than it’s beautiful parks.
The list of the best hikes in the surrounding of Vancouver is based on our experiences from the short four-month stay in Canada. That means that we may have missed many interesting trails. We hiked most of them in September so you can imagine how intense this month was. Full of new adventures and discovering amazing landscapes only to discover even more beautiful vistas on the next hike! Anyway, check them out! All of them are great hikes worth your time and effort!
7. Hannegan Peak
That was our first hike together in the States! It’s a long drive from Vancouver and border crossing might take time, but it’s worth it. It’s a very easy hike, at least in the beginning. The trail goes slowly up in the valley and one can enjoy great views to the peaks. In our case, we had beautiful autumn colors in the valley, but couldn’t see that much peaks, because of clouds. But sometimes we could spot something. After the saddle, a steeper climb on switchbacks started. That time we were already in clouds, so no views, but a lot of yummy blueberries!
Check out the detailed description with pictures (GPS track included) of the hike here
Transportation time from Vancouver: 2 hours (car, smooth border crossing)
Distance: 20 km
Elevation gain: 1000 m
Average hiking time: 5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
6. Heliotrope Ridge
Like the Hannegan Peak hike, this trail is also in Washington. It’s in the same area around Mt Baker. Again an easy trail, but with some attractions. You have to cross several creeks running down from the glacier. When the water is high, there is no way to cross with dry feet. The trail leads straight to the glacier which you can touch and enjoy refreshing ice and snow on a warm summer day.
Check out the detailed description with pictures (GPS track included) of the hike here
Transportation time from Vancouver: 2 hours (car, smooth border crossing)
Distance: 10 km
Elevation gain: 600 (to the first viewpoint), 800 to the higher end of the glacier
Average hiking time: 4-5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
5. Stawamus Chief
The first Canadian hike on the list. It is close to Vancouver next to Sea-to-Sky Highway. Stawamus Chief has three peaks, all connected by the trail. The trail to the first peak is well maintained and by far the most popular, but each peak has great views. When hiking pay attention to an unofficial path that leads to the edge of the vertical rock. From there you can see the highway and the sea that are hundreds of meters below you.
Except for the hiking trail, there are some chains and ladders in one rock (between first and second peak) where you can walk in a bit more exposed area. The hike is a good idea for a quick escape from the city. Be there early in the morning to avoid crowds. If the weather is good on the weekend, families and “Sunday tourists” occupy the trail and will make you wait in lines on stairs or in narrower passages on the rocks.
Check out the detailed description with pictures of the hike here
Transportation time from Vancouver: 1 hour (car)
Distance: 9 km
Elevation gain: 800 m
Average hiking time: 4-6 hours
Difficulty: Easy
4. Frosty Mountain
This hike is to the east of Vancouver. Relatively far and accessible by car only. The effort to travel is worth it. As we were there in the fall we experienced sunshine, rain, and snow. It was snowing in the higher areas and ground was quickly covered with white flakes. What was now on the top, was rain in lower parts and as there was some sun, we saw a strong and clear rainbow.
The area is well known for its larch meadows. There are 2000-year-old larches growing around 2000 meters a.s.l. Very interesting to see it, because the larches grow quite big despite the elevation. Pines and spruces so high are not tree size, but rather one meter tall or smaller bushes. Unfortunately, we were there too early to see the larches in yellow cover.
Check out the detailed description with pictures of the hike here
Transportation time from Vancouver: 2 hours
Distance: 24 km
Elevation gain: 1200 m
Average hiking time: 7-10 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
3. Wedgemount Lake
The only hiking trail on the list leads to the lakeside, but on the podium not only due to cool watercolor in the lake. The main reason the hike is so high on the list is the proximity of the glacier to Wedgemount Lake. So where the official trail ends, you can easily continue a bit around the lake and you will see a beautiful glacier stretching from where you stand almost up to the peaks.
The melting of the glacier created a small lake at its foot. There is also a hole in the glacier’s ice so don’t fall into it! Oh, and the hike got so high also because of the extra steep approach to the lake. Some sections in the forest were very steep. And just before the lake above there was a not so easy, slippery path with many moving rocks.
Check out the detailed description with pictures (GPS track included) of the hike here
Transportation time from Vancouver: 1 hour (car)
Distance: 14-17 km
Elevation gain: 1200 m
Average hiking time: 5-7 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
2. Black Tusk
The Black Tusk requires a long walk, but the views are quite good on the way. However, the best part of the hike is where the official trail ends under the peak. After that, you can enjoy the amazing landscape with the dominant pinnacle of the mountain. The magnificent Black Tusk is a volcanic rock that gets hot even in September sun. While sitting we were warmed up by the rocks and felt the cooling effect of the snow that was a few meters from us.
Already the bottom of the tower has some great vistas to the surrounding landscape with, as usual, several glaciers and lakes, but on the other side, you can see several needle-like formations made of the same rock as the Tusk. Plus some exposure starts here. When continuing to the top, you have to climb a chute that is a bit exposed and in addition, has many loose rocks, so beware of what you hold. A top is a perfect place for sunbathing! And it’s relatively quiet as not many people climb up the chute!
Check out the detailed description with pictures (GPS track included) of the hike here
Transportation time from Vancouver: 1 hour (car)
Distance: 29 km (with Garibaldi Lake)
Elevation gain: 1900 m (with Black Tusk’s top)
Average hiking time: 7-10 hours
Difficulty: Hard
1. The Lions
Only one of the Lions is accessible, but it is a great scramble. Sometimes it actually gets scary. There are a couple of places that are pretty exposed. It is easy to find a spot where you can enjoy the views with your legs hanging above the abyss. When going to the Lions you can choose between two trails from the Lions Bay settlement. The most popular way is an easy hike, but going through Unnecessary Mountain will be a challenge in itself.
Going down that way was fun too. The trail goes mostly through forest, but some parts are overgrown with bushes and seedlings. There are very steep sections where the soil is sliding from under your feet. The hike offers a good look at Vancouver in the far distance and even better look on the sea which seems to be right under you when you look down from the vertical cliffs that are plenty along the way. At least on the way through the Unnecessary Mountain. On the other hand, the more popular approach gives good look to the Lion from the bottom and reminds you where you can end up if you trip or slip.
Check out the detailed description with pictures (GPS track included) of the hike here
Transportation time from Vancouver: 1.5-2 hours (public transit to Lions Bay, $CAD2-3) 30 min (car)
Distance: 17 km (round via Unnecessary Mountain one way)
Elevation gain: 1600 m
Average hiking time: 4-7 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
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Canada is high on our list. Especially after seeing and reading this. Looks AMAZING! Hiking is the best!
It’s the perfect place for outdoors lovers! 🙂
Canada looks so beautiful to hike! It is in my top destinations I have to see!. Great post and alot of information.
BC is a perfect place to start hiking! Then you can head to the Rocky Mountains if you want more!