12 Fall Hikes on the West Coast

September 14, 2025August 21, 2025 / Maria / Leave a comment

As someone who grew up on the East Coast, Fall was a very beautiful season. I love living in Vancouver and I would say that seasonally, the west coast is nicer than the east coast in almost every season (winter and spring for sure, summer less so with the forest fires), but Fall is conclusively better on the East Coast. At least, compared to Southwestern BC. If you want sweeping forests of red, yellow, and orange, you likely won’t find it here – there’s too many Douglas Firs and Cedars, but there are still some gorgeous views to explore, especially with a mountain backdrop. Here’s a few of the trails I’ve discovered over the years that really shine in the Fall:

Fall Colours near Vancouver

Mount Strachan – 8.5km, 600m gain

I wouldn’t say Mount Strachan has the most outstanding fall foliage, but it’s the closest hike to the city on this list, which makes it very accessible! The colours on this trail mostly come from the changing colours of the shrubs and it’s a great hike on a crisp Fall day. Get on the Baden-Powell Trail from Cypress Resort and hike parallel to Collins ski run. Then follow the sky chair up to the top of Mount Strachan to enjoy beautiful views of Howe Sound. From here, you can continue back the way you came, or you can make it a loop and hike down through Christmas Gully to catch up with the Howe Sound Crest Trail, checking out the views from Bowen Island Lookout on your way back. Make sure you pick up a free backcountry pass from the BC Parks lodge (at the back of the parking lot) before starting your hike. Take care on Christmas Gully when descending from Mount Strachan, it is easy to get lost or injured here. (photo taken in mid-November)

Flatiron – 11km, 800m gain

The Flatiron hike is located in the Coquihalla Summit Rec Area and shares 80% of the trail with Needle Peak. Both trails could be done in a day if you’re ambitious, but I’d avoid Needle Peak if there’s any snow or ice. It’s a very steep hike up the side of the mountain from the highway, but once you reach the branch to Needle Peak, it levels off. There’s a nice lake below the flatiron and in the Fall the shrubs all turn bright red along the mountainside. It’s relatively bare at the top, but the view of the surrounding mountains is amazing! (photo taken in early October)

Elk/Thurston Mountain – 9-15km, 1000m+ gain

This is a more traditional Fall trail and there are deciduous trees that will be changing colour as you walk through the forest toward the summit. Most of the hike is in the trees, but you eventually pop out along the ridge. It’s a steep hike near the end, but you can see all the way to Mount Baker, with bursts of colour in the forest below. I really like continuing a few kilometres along the ridge towards Thurston Mountain, but the peak itself is pretty uninspiring, so I usually turn around when I hit the forest. The hike is 9km to Elk Mountain and back, and 15km to Thurston. There’s over 1000m of elevation gain, so it’s a good workout! (photo taken in mid-October)

Illal Meadows – 16km, 750m gain

This trail is a bit of a drive and makes for a long day as a day hike, so start early! Illal Meadows is located off the highway along the Coquihalla Summit Rec Area and involves an extra half hour of driving along the Tulameen FSR. The trail starts with a 3km hike up a decommissioned road, and then it’s a steep ascent through the meadows to the alpine. There are lots of small trees and shrubs changing colour and the meadows turn yellow and red. Continue to the base of Jim Kelly Peak, where you have the option to do an additional ascent (it’s a scramble!) or head back the way you came. (photo taken in late September)

Snow Camp Mountain – 17.5km, 900m gain

This is a beautiful hike any time of year. In the summer, the meadows are filled with wildflowers, and in the Fall, the meadows turn yellow and have gorgeous views looking out over the Manning Park backcountry. The trail starts from Strawberry Flats and hikes steadily uphill for 5km. There’s a fantastic viewpoint at the top of Despair Pass, but continue on through the trees to reach the ridge going up to Snow Camp Mountain. I find this trail doesn’t get crowds in the Fall and is a really gorgeous hike. (photo taken in mid-September)

Larch Tree Hikes

If BC isn’t known for it’s Fall colours, it’s definitely known for the larch trees! Larch trees have needles like a pine or fir tree, but these needles turn yellow in the Fall and fall off. There are some really beautiful larch tree hikes on the West Coast. Most of them are located in the Rockies or Washington State, but if you’re willing to drive a little distance, you’ll be rewarded! In the interest of transparency, the only hike in this section I’ve actually done in the Fall is Mount Frosty, the other trail descriptions are based on trips I took in the summer. That’s why my photos don’t show any Fall foliage.

Frosty Mountain – 18-22km, 1000m+ gain

This is probably the most well known larch hike in the province, mostly by virtue of the fact that it’s close to Vancouver, so it attracts very large crowds. Definitely arrive early in the morning to get parking and get ahead of the mass of people (or go on a week day). The larch trees generally only turn yellow over the span of 2-3 weeks, so you can expect it to be busy during that time. Frosty Mountain itself is a really big hike, but you don’t have to go all the way to the summit to see the larch trees. After a big climb up to the campsite, you’ll eventually pop out in the larch meadow. But continue to the top of Mount Frosty for some really epic views! (photo taken in late September)

Sentinel Pass – 8-12km, 500-700m gain

The Sentinel Pass trail is a really popular trail in Banff National Park and requires a bit of advance planning to visit. The hike starts from Moraine Lake, which is one of the most popular locations in Banff. You can no longer drive to the lake, so you need to arrange to take the Parks Canada shuttle. From the lake, hike up a set of switchbacks to reach the larch meadows and continue on towards Minnestima Lakes. You don’t have to hike to the top of Sentinel Pass, but it’s a nice add on to enjoy the views looking back towards the lake and the surrounding Mount Temple area. It’s roughly 3.5km to reach the meadows, or 12km round trip if you go to the top of the pass and back. (photo taken in early August)

Floe Lake – 28km, 1000m gain

I would say that Floe Lake is the Moraine Lake of Kootenay National Park. It’s extremely popular, though much less accessible as you can’t drive all the way to the lake. This is a big hike for a single day, so I’d recommend camping one night at Floe Lake if you’re able. That said, it’s a big uphill to the lake and would likely be considerably faster with only a day pack. The larches are actually located above Floe Lake, so you’ll be rewarded with the beautiful view at the lake, but need to push another 3km uphill after the lake to be rewarded with a view of both the larch trees and Floe Lake. In total, be prepared for an almost 30km day, so leave before sunrise. (photo taken in late August)

Lake O’Hara – 7km, 200m gain

Of all the hikes on this list, Lake O’Hara is probably the most exclusive. There’s a permit lottery for bus shuttle passes up and down the 11km access road. You can hike all the way from the base if you’re prepared for an almost 30km day (like Floe Lake), otherwise, the shuttle saves you a lot of time. From the bus stop, you can do a 7km loop around the lake and up to the Opabin Prospect Lookout, which is the most renown view in the park. If there’s no ice, you could also consider hiking the famous alpine circuit, but I wouldn’t attempt it on a slippery day and you might prefer to have more time to enjoy the larches around the lake. (photo taken in early September)

Hiking Near the North Cascades

One of my favourite things to do in the Fall is cross the border and go hiking in the Mount Baker Wilderness area of Washington State. If you drive a little further into the cascades, there’s some really awesome larch hikes like Maple Pass, Blue Lake and Easy Pass. I haven’t done any of these yet, because there are so many colourful hikes to explore closer to Vancouver by Mount Baker.

As a disclaimer: I wrote this blog post at the end of last Fall season. I personally have decided not to travel to the US right now (but I really hope to feel safe doing so in the future). It’s out of my personal comfort zone right now, but no judgement either way, here are some of my favourite Fall hikes south of the border.

Chain Lakes/Ptarmigan Ridge – 12-19km, 600m gain

These two trails share a trailhead from the ski parking lot at Mount Baker. Grab a parking pass online before crossing the border, or pick one up from the visitor centre. If the road is open all the way to Artist Point, park at the top and do the Ptarmigan Ridge hike. If the road is already closed for the season, park at the base and do the Chain Lakes Trail. Both hikes go up towards Artist Point and cross a ridgeline into the backcountry. The Ptarmigan Ridge trail heads out towards the base of Mount Baker, while the Chain Lakes trail goes behind Table Mountain and climbs to the top of a saddle before heading back down to the base. Both hikes are incredibly scenic and colourful in the Fall. Chain Lakes is a 12km loop trail, while Ptarmigan Ridge is 19km out and back to the Portals viewpoint. (photo taken in mid-October)

Yellow Aster Butte – 13-15km, 700m gain

Yellow Aster Butte has gotten incredibly popular in the past few years. Pick up a parking pass online or at the visitor centre, and then drive up a gravel road to get to the trailhead. There’s limited parking, so get there early to avoid the crowds. The trail climbs up through the trees for 3km before you reach the alpine and the beautiful yellow aster meadows. It’s 3km further to get to the sub-peak, and another 1km from there to the true peak. This area can get snow early, so plan accordingly. (photo taken in early October)

Winchester Mountain – 5km, 400m gain

Winchester Mountain is the final hike on the list, and the only trail that requires 4×4 to reach the trailhead. This trail starts at the campsite for Twin Lakes and hikes up to the peak of Winchester Mountain, where there’s an old fire lookout. The trail is only 5.5km round trip and is located past the parking lot for Yellow Aster Butte. So if you don’t have 4×4, you could add on 3.5km to hike up the road each way (or try and hitch a ride on the way up). The entire trail hikes through colourful meadows while the trees change colour. It’s an easier hiking option with a huge payout. (photo taken in early October)

Rockwall Trail Backpacking Trip Part II

October 11, 2023July 11, 2024 / Maria / 2 Comments

To read Part I, start here.

Day 3 very much felt like the second half of the journey to me. The total length of the trail is 54km (though we tracked 58km in total on my GPS). By the end of day 2, we had done 34km of 54km, so we had two much easier days ahead of us. Unfortunately, the weather was supposed to deteriorate on Day 3.

I checked a ton of weather forecasts before we left and they often contradict each other, so we weren’t sure what to expect. The original forecast had said a 60% chance of showers, but when I got a weather update from my inreach, the POP had increased, but wasn’t starting until 1pm. So we got up early to try and finish the 10km hike to Floe Lake before the rain started.

It was overcast when we started hiking, but looking pretty good. It drizzled on us for a few minutes mid-morning and I put my backpack cover on, but then it didn’t bother us again for the rest of the hike. The trail from Numa Creek to Floe Lake ascends up through Numa Pass, with an elevation gain of ~800m. It was the biggest uphill of the trip, but similar to other parts of the trail, it was largely switchbacks, so it’s never overly steep. We made good time hiking up and decided to stop for a break at the top of the pass.

Coming up to the pass is very beautiful, with lots of larch trees. Before you get to the top of the pass, there’s a fantastic view looking back at the Rockwall and where you’ve come from, so that’s where we decided to stop. The downside is that it’s also the highest point of elevation across the entire trail at 2,336m, so it was quite cold up there. The rain was still holding off, but it’s very barren and nothing grows, it’s just a lot of rock, so it can get a bit windy.

We continued on to the top of the pass, which is where you get your first view of Floe Lake! If you have the time, definitely linger in the pass for a while because it is incredibly beautiful in all directions. We took some photos with Floe Lake, but then continued on in an attempt to warm up.

While my plantar fasciitis was doing quite well, I was battling a second foot problem on Day 3. I’ve been wearing trail shoes for the past 2 years (meaning they’re short and have limited ankle support), so I switched to my mid-ankle hikers for the Rockwall Trail. They were fine for my injury, but I think I’ve been overcompensating with my left foot and my ankles got used to short shoes, so I ended up with a very large bruise on my left ankle from rubbing against the shoe. It was actually quite painful and resulted in a bit of a stabbing pain with each step on the downhill sections.

It’s all downhill to Floe Lake from the Pass, which is only a few kilometres, but it was quite painful on my ankle. I was really concerned about Day 4, which is all downhill for 11km, but after a bit of workshopping, I figured out it was less painful if I didn’t tie up my boots past my ankle and rolled my socks down to create a bit of a cushion. But I dumped the mid-ankle shoes after that and switched back to my short ones for the rest of my trip.

There’s no where to swim on the Rockwall Trail aside from Floe Lake, so me and Carolyn were pretty keen to swim there. The problem is that it was quite cold and we weren’t convinced it would be warm enough to strip down to our swimsuits. Fortunately, we worked up enough of a sweat on the way down that we decided to immediately make a swim attempt. We didn’t look for a campsite, but walked directly to the lake to immediately strip down and run in the water. Unfortunately, we didn’t pick the best swim spot, because it was very muddy and we sunk ankle deep into it, but we went in anyways and had a quick refresh before going to set up camp (obviously it was freezing).

Floe Lake is by far the most popular campsite on the trail and because it’s only 11km from the trailhead, lots of people visit as a day hike. That said, it was not at all busy when we were there. It was mid week and the weather was dicey, so it was a pretty quiet. The cooking area at Floe Lake is right by the lake and really nice. There’s 2 campsites with lake views, but the rest are way up in the woods, so we spent most of our time just chilling at the lake. The layout of the campsite is a bit odd and don’t rely on the site maps provided because they aren’t accurate. The outhouses are far up in the woods and there’s a few tent pad clusters around. The campground wasn’t full when we were there, but not too many empty sites.

Because I didn’t have to carry a tent on the trip (I shared Brandon’s), I decided to bring my tarp for Floe in case it rained. We caught up with our new friend, Jason, and set it up on the beach for lunch. It did drizzle on us a few more times, but later in the afternoon it actually started to clear up and we got a few glimpses of the sun poking out from behind some clouds. So we spent the rest of the afternoon just hanging out and doing a few photo shoots.

It was by far our most relaxing time on the trail and we hung out for several hours. Floe Lake is just another extension of the Rockwall, with lots of glaciers sitting up on the rock. They’re quite active and you can regularly hear and see bits of ice falling off the glacier. It was kind of nice to listen to it while you sleep, but at one point in the middle of the night it sounded like half the mountain had fallen off into the lake!

While relaxing we did spot a black bear on the other side of the lake. He was moving pretty quickly and we think he got scared by a few hikers that decided to hike around the lake. They never ended up seeing him at all though because he took off so fast and ran the entire length of the lake. We decided to start preparing our supper around 6pm, but our timing was bad because the wind picked up at the same time. It got really windy and it felt like the weather was getting ready to shift back to rain, so we ate and tidied up everything really quickly to get back to our tents before the it started.

We decided to all hang out in Brandon’s tent for the evening and I went there while Carolyn did a quick run to the outhouse. The rain never did materialize so I started doing a bit of journaling. But I was alone for a long time and I began to wonder where Carolyn and Brandon were. Eventually, Brandon showed up at the tent laughing to himself and started to gleefully tell me that Carolyn had a REALLY good story for me. He made it sound really ominous and I was convinced that she got cornered in the outhouse by a bear or something while I was obliviously writing in my journal. Brandon said they’d be back soon and I kept waiting for them with no sign of anything.

Eventually I gave up and went looking for them. I had to walk through the entire campground before I finally found them coming back from the lake with Jason. Carolyn looked mortified. It turns out, in her quick trip to the outhouse, she made a grave mistake. She keeps all her stuff for camp in a cross-body bag, including her toilet paper, and when she leaned down to close the toilet seat lid after using it, her inreach and kindle both slipped out of her open bag and fell in the outhouse!

I have to say, the outhouse at Floe Lake was particularly disgusting. It looked older and it was really dirty on the inside. She immediately had a panic attack after they fell in because she was alone and had to address the problem immediately lest someone else come along and poop on them. To her credit, Carolyn was more worried about the Leave No Trace aspect of her electronics in the outhouse than the actual monetary value of them. The outhouse wasn’t that deep (by which I mean, the gap between the seat and the waste wasn’t that far, maybe 5-6 feet). She managed to fish out her inreach fairly easily with a stick because the inreach has a carabiner and it was sitting on top of mostly toilet paper. She obviously sanitized it, but overall it wasn’t too dirty.

The kindle was another issue. You can imagine her relief when Brandon happened to show up at the outhouse with the intention of conducting his own business. Apparently her first instinct was to tell him to go and get me immediately, but then she reconsidered and said, “wait, no, Maria can’t help me. I need help now, you’ll have to help me!” For which I am grateful!

It took 3 tries, but the two of them were able to fish out the kindle using a pair of giant stick chopsticks, but Carolyn did have to go almost shoulder deep in the outhouse to reach it. They double bagged the kindle to deal with later, but she ended up washing it (and her jacket) in the lake because at the end of the day, she cared less about whether she would still be able to use the kindle and more about just not leaving it in the outhouse, even if she ultimately disposed of it.

So yes, it was incredibly gross and I think most people’s instinct would be to just leave it in the outhouse, but I do respect her for actually going in after it. It was mostly to assuage her guilt, but as Jason pointed out, “guilt fades, shame is forever”. That said, Carolyn claims that if she could go back in time, she would probably still do the same thing, but she’ll never be making that mistake again! However, we have stumbled upon a few articles since then about other people who have fallen into outhouses and got trapped while trying to retrieve items, and S&R recommends against this risk! So you do get a pass to just leave it if this happens to you. We spent the rest of the trip sizing up the depth of every outhouse we used to assess ease of retrieval!

After that the rest of the trip was somewhat uneventful. It didn’t rain all night, but then started to pour around 6:30am on Day 4. It rained for about an hour. We waited it out and then I got up as soon as it stopped to grab our stuff for a tent breakfast, but it didn’t rain again after that. We packed down our camp and readied for our final 11km descent back to the parking lot.

It’s pretty steep for the first 3km, but there’s still lots of switchbacks and it levels out a lot after that. It’s a decently nice hike back down through the valley with views across the mountain, but it’s all one massive burn zone, which puts a bit of a damper on the hike and is fairly exposed. It would be pretty rough on a hot day hiking uphill because there’s limited shade. The burn zone is from 2003, so it actually has 20 years of growth in it, but it’s still very obviously a burn zone because it takes years for the burned tree trunks to finally fall down. Knowing that the rest of the province was burning at the same time made for a somber hike.

We only stopped once for a break on the way down and did the whole 11km in 3 hours. We loaded everything in Carolyn’s car and drove back to Paint Pots to get Brandon’s car. There’s a few picnic tables there, so Carolyn cooked us some ravioli for lunch and then we drove to our hotel in Radium to shower before going for a proper post-hike burger and ice cream in Radium.

So overall this was one of the most fun hikes I’ve been on in a long time. I don’t think it was as stunning as Mount Assiniboine, which I did in 2021, but I had a lot more fun on this trail and it is still incredibly beautiful. The Rockwall is a really unique feature and I loved hiking along it for 3 days. Even though this is a very popular hike and it’s hard to get permits, it doesn’t feel busy at all because it’s a long trail and the permit system greatly reduces the traffic on the trail. I could see it being busy at Floe Lake on a nice weekend, but mid-week really eliminates a lot of the crowds. I really think Kootenay National Park is underrated in the Rockies and we had a great time exploring the trail and the region! Definitely recommend!