With ocean all around and mountains looming to the north, it’s hard to escape Vancouver’s natural splendor. But don’t just sit back and admire the view, get out there and check it out for yourself. In Vancouver, a good hike is never too far away!

Vancouver Hikes

Stanley Park is really a place for strolling and people watching along the seawall but there are some short, easy hikes into the interior.

Pacific Spirit Regional Park next to UBC, offers plenty of flat, forested trails and is close to a couple of beaches.

North Vancouver Trails

There’s barely a flat spot on the North Shore and it is the favoured playground of Vancouverites. The Lynn Valley suspension bridge in North Vancouver is not only free, it’s a great starting point for river and alpine hikes that range from gentle to gruelling.



UBC (bottom left) & Lynn Valley - North Vancouver BC

Cross the suspension bridge and look down to see the cascading water fizzing below before picking up the circular trails that take you along the river’s edge. You can pick up the Baden Powell trail and head east for 12km to Deep Cove or north for 10km to Grouse mountain.



More challenging trails start from the adjacent Lynn Headwaters Regional Park which merges into complete wilderness.

Lynn Valley is 20 minutes from downtown and regular buses run to the suspension bridge from the Seabus terminal at Lonsdale Quay.

West Vancouver Hiking Trails

The drive along Marine Drive to Lighthouse park is worth it for the views and the spectacular homes that hug the rocky coastline. The park features lots of easy to moderate walks through old-growth forest out onto an exposed granite outcrop.

As you admire a panorama that takes in Downtown Vancouver, UBC and Stanley Park, look out for the scattered arbutus trees with their distinctive peeling red bark.

The Lions – the twin peaks that dominate the mountain skyline of Vancouver – are within easy reach of Vancouver and can be climbed in a day.

Situated north of Lions Bay, off the Sea-to-Sky Highway, The Lions offers one of the best hikes in the region. You will need to be quite fit as it’s a strenuous hike with no plateaus or downhill sections before you reach the summit.


It takes around 7 hours there and back. On a clear day the views will make you gasp.

Video - Hiking the Lions, North Vancouver BC

Lighthouse Park can be reached on buses heading out to Horseshoe Bay, but you’ll need a car to get to The Lions trail head.

The ski hills Grouse, Seymour and Cypress also have plenty of marked trails that are well-marked and easily accessible in the summer.

Tips: After dark, Stanley Park is a favoured gay cruising spot and you may stumble across some unexpected wild life activities.

Always take a cell phone, food, water and some warm clothing. It really is wild out there and hikers get themselves into trouble every year because they forget these basics.