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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Road Goes Ever On 