Brandywine Falls

12 Easy Dog-Friendly Hikes near Vancouver

/ Maria / Leave a comment

I hike a lot, but something I haven’t focused on much on this blog is dog friendly hiking. I have a 6 year old Australian Shepherd named Sadie. She sometimes features on my posts, but she’s always a consideration when I’m planning a hike, sometimes coming with me, sometimes staying behind. Unfortunately, she is a reactive dog, which for her, means that she is afraid of other dogs and will usually “react” if forced into close proximity with them. Her reactions mostly look like barking and pulling at her leash, unless we can successfully distract her. 

We’ve spent a lot of time training her to focus on us when presented with other dogs, and if we see the dog in advance, we can usually be successful at this by stepping off the trail and giving her with treats. For this reason, we stick to on-leash trails because it’s very hard to control her reaction when off-leash dogs approach her. If you’re taking your dog to dog-friendly trails, please make sure to respect the on/off leash rules. I personally don’t fault people for letting their dogs off-leash when there’s no one around, but please don’t let your dog approach any person or dog off-leash if you are on an on-leash trail. And please don’t let your dog off-leash if they do not have good recall or you cannot get them to go back on-leash when required.

Please also make sure to pick up after your dog. Dog poo is not natural and carries lots of harmful bacteria that has been proven to lead to e.coli in waterways. We live in a very populated city and these trails all see frequent use. If people don’t clean up after their dogs, it is death by a thousand cuts and it will impact the experience. So those are my PSA to dog owners, thanks for respecting trail rules! Here’s some great trails within a few hours drive that make for an easy hike with your furry friend!

Brandywine Falls/Nairn Falls

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Location: Brandywine Falls Park/Nairn Falls Park (Whistler/Pemberton)
Season: April – November
Terrain: 1.5km, flat
Leash rules: on-leash
Description: These are both flat and easy trails located off the Sea to Sky highway around Whistler and Pemberton. Great if you love waterfalls. Do not try to hike to the base of Brandywine Falls, it is not permitted.

Starvation Lake

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Location: Starvation Lake Rec Site (Squamish)
Season: most of the year
Terrain: 6km, 130m elevation gain
Leash rules: recommended to keep on leash
Description: This is a nice trail to a beautiful lake, fantastic for swimming in the summer. It doesn’t get a lot of visitors and can be accessed from Paradise Valley Road or the Sea to Sky highway.

Brohm Lake

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Location: Brohm Lake Forest (Squamish)
Season: most of the year
Terrain: 6km, 200m elevation gain
Leash rules: a mix of on and off leash trails
Description: This is a great trail for a forest walk in gloomy weather, or for a swim on a hot and sunny day. It is very popular in the summer and the parking lot fills up quickly. You cannot park on the road, so plan accordingly.

Jug Island/Admiralty Point

A photo of Jug Island and Indian Arm on a sunny day in Belcarra, BC.

Location: Belcarra Regional Park (Belcarra)
Season: year-round
Terrain: 5km, 150m elevation gain
Leash rules: on-leash
Description: This is a great year round hike along the ocean. Both trails leave the parking lot in opposite directions. They are similar in length, but Admiralty Point is the easier trail with scenic views along the way, while Jug Island has a beautiful beach at the end of the trail.

Woodland Walk

A photo of a forested trail in Pinecone Burke Provincial Park on a sunny day near Coquitlam, BC.

Location: Pinecone Burke Park (Coquitlam)
Season: most of the year
Terrain: 7.5km, 250m elevation gain
Leash rules: on-leash
Description: This is a lesser known park that is very close to the city. It attracts a lot of mountain bikers, who share the uphill access trail, but otherwise, you won’t encounter a lot of people. There is a shooting range nearby if your dog is bothered by loud noises. Access from the top of Harper Road.

Hunter Road

Three hikers and their dog pose at a viewpoint with the snow capped mountains and Stave Lake in the background at Hunter Road, near Mission, BC.

Location: Mission 
Season: most of the year
Terrain: 8km, 250m elevation gain
Leash rules: on-leash
Description: This is the only trail on the list that’s not in a park. The trail follows an old logging road to a scenic viewpoint of Stave Lake and it isn’t very busy in the off-season.

Lindeman Lake

The blue green hues of Lindeman Lake on a sunny day in summer while people lounge on the water with the mountains in the background in Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park in BC.

Location: Chilliwack Park (Chilliwack)
Season: year-round, spikes are needed in the winter
Terrain: 4km, 200m elevation gain
Leash rules: on-leash
Description: This is a short but steep trail to a beautiful lake and campground. It is very busy year-round and the parking lot has been targeted for theft, so plan accordingly.

Falls Lake

Location: Coquihalla Summit Rec area 
Season: year-round, but snowshoes are required in the winter
Terrain: summer – 2km, 70m elevation gain; winter – 4km, 100m elevation gain
Leash rules: on-leash
Description: This is a short trail that can be completed in the winter with snowshoes. However, the access road is not plowed in the winter, making the approach twice as long. 

Lightning Lakes

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Location: E.C. Manning Park 
Season: year-round, but snowshoes are needed in the winter
Terrain: 5-8km, flat
Leash rules: on-leash on trail, but off-leash at the dog beach
Description: This is an easily customizable trail where you can hike around one or two of the lakes. In the winter, it is usually possible to snowshoe across the lake, but return to the trail near the bridge as the river usually doesn’t freeze.

Skookumchuck Narrows

A female hiker stands next to a fence, looking out at the fast moving water of Sechelt Inlet near Skookumchuck Narrows, with the mountains in the background on a sunny, summer day, on the Sunshine Coast, BC.

Location: Skookumchuck Narrows Park (Sunshine Coast)
Season: year-round
Terrain: 9km, 150m elevation gain
Leash rules: on-leash, especially near the rapids!
Description: This is a forested trail to the Skookumchuck Narrows, a natural phenomenon that occurs during certain tides as the water funnels in and out of the channel. Check the best timing before your visit so you can watch adventure enthusiasts playing in the rapids.

Lower/Upper Myra Falls

Little Myra Falls cascades over bare rock and into Buttle Lake on a sunny day in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Location: Strathcona Park (Vancouver Island)
Season: April – November
Terrain: Lower – 1km, 50m elevation gain; Upper – 8km, 150m elevation gain
Leash rules: on-leash
Description: These are two separate trails with different access points, but both are located at the far end of Strathcona Park. Lower Myra Falls is the more scenic and easier trail, but the Upper Falls makes for more of a hike. 

San Josef Bay

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Location: Cape Scott Park (Vancouver Island)
Season: year-round
Terrain: 6km, flat
Leash rules: on-leash, highly recommended due to the presence of wolves
Description: This is the only part of Cape Scott Trail where dogs are permitted. It’s a short flat walk to the beach where you can camp or explore the sea stacks. Check the tides and visit at high tide to walk around the sea stacks to the second beach.

18 Scenic and Easy Hikes in Southwestern BC

/ Maria / Leave a comment


I’ve featured a lot of hikes on this blog and while I try to write about all kinds of hikes, I have a tendency to focus on my big, backcountry trips. But I believe hiking is for everyone and I’ve done lots of great, short, easy hikes that I want to feature in this post. Just keep in mind that no matter where you’re hiking or how short the hike is – always be prepared. Check out my post on personal safety to learn more about trip planning and the 10 essentials.

Without further ado, here are all my favourite short hikes by region:

Sea to Sky

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Brandywine Falls (1km, 0m gain) – Located right on the Sea to Sky highway before you get to Whistler. Walk out to this amazing waterfall viewpoint! You can extend the hike down to the bottom of the falls, but wayfinding skills are required as it’s not well marked.
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Brohm Lake (4km, 100m gain) – Located just past Squamish on the Sea to Sky highway. Do the circuit around the lake, or extend the hike up to Tantalus Lookout or Brohm Interpretive Forest. A great place for swimming in the summer.
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Alice Lake (1.5km, 0m gain) – Located in Alice Lake Provincial Park, just past Squamish. Hang out at the day use area and go for a stroll around the lake. Great for swimming in the summer.

North Shore

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Lighthouse Park (6km, 0m gain) – Located down by the water in West Van, make your own adventure in this park! Hike to the lighthouse and hang out on the rocks or explore the many forested nature trails.
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Bowen Island Lookout (4km, 110m gain) – Located in Cypress Provincial Park, you can do this trail all year, just use snowshoes in the winter. The trail is a little steep, but has amazing views of Howe Sound and Bowen Island.
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Dog Mountain (5km, 0m gain) – Located in Seymour Provincial Park, this is another hike that can be done in summer or winter. The trail has great views of the city – add a kilometre and hike to Dinkey Peak on the way down for mountain views.

Tri-City Area

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Belcarra Regional Park (5km, 0m gain) – There are two hike options in Belcarra: Jug Island and Burns Point, which leave in opposite directions from the parking lot. Both are 5km, but Burns Point is the easier hike. Jug Island hikes up and down while Burns Point follows the coast.
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Crystal Falls (7km, 0m gain) – Located in Coquitlam, this is one of the longer hikes on the list, but it’s totally flat and has rewarding views of the falls at the end! Wear appropriate shoes – this one can be muddy!
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Minnekhada Park (4km, 100m gain) – Located near Pitt River in Coquitlam, there are two lake loops that are ~4km each, or if you’d like more of a challenge, hike 7km up to High Knoll for a view of the valley. Great for birdwatching.

Heading East

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Gold Creek East: Lower Falls (5.5km, 0m gain) – Located in Golden Ears Park, it’s a beautiful, flat hike along the river to Lower Falls. Extend the hike by continuing on to Viewpoint Beach.
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Bridal Veil Falls (1km, 50m gain) – Located just off Highway 1 past Chilliwack, a short hike to a huge waterfall cascading down over the rocks!
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Paintbrush Trail (3km, 0m gain) – Located in Manning Park, it’s a bit of a drive, but Paintbrush Trail has the most amazing views of the surrounding mountains and at the right time of year, is bursting with beautiful alpine wildflowers.

Coastal and Islands

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Bowen Island Sea Walk Trail (2km, 0m gain) – Located at the Southwest end of Bowen Island, this short there-and-back hike to Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse has beautiful ocean views.
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Smugglers Cove (3km, 0m gain) – Located on the Sunshine Coast, Smuggler’s Cove is a beautiful coastal trail that winds through wetland and rocky coast outside Halfmoon Bay.
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Mount Norman (2.5km, 200m gain) – Located on South Pender Island, Mount Norman is the steepest hike on the list, but has beautiful views of the Gulf Islands. Extend the hike to Beaumont Campsite (6km) to make this a truly coastal hike.

Vancouver Island

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Mystic Beach (4km, 65m gain) – Located past Sooke on the far south of the Island, this is a great way to sample one of the highlights of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Hike through the woods to a beautiful sandy beach.
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Little Qualicum Falls (3km, 65m gain) – Located just off the Alberni Highway in Little Qualicum Falls Park, this short loop takes you along the river to several beautiful waterfalls!
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Tonquin Beach Trail (3km, 65m gain) – Located in Tofino, Tonquin Beach is a great place to watch the sun set, hang out on the golden sands, fish, or have a campfire. Just bring your headlamp for the hike back.