I’ve been living in British Columbia for almost 11 years now. Every 2 years I compile a list of my top 10 favourite hikes in Southwestern BC during that period. This means that I have almost 300 hikes in my overall hiking log and 50 hikes in my “favourites” list. I decided to create one more ultimate top 10 list using only the trails from my last 5 compilation posts (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5). Most of these are very well known hikes, with good reason, though there are a few slightly lesser known trails. After a decade living on the West Coast, these are the trails that I’ll never stop recommending!
The Howe Sound Crest Trail is a quintessential hike located just outside of the lower mainland. It is a very challenging hike, but iconic due to its proximity to the city and the towering Lions mountains. The hike leaves from the top of Cypress Mountain and hikes 30km of ridgeline parallel to Howe Sound, ending at Porteau Cove. It can be done in a single day as a trail run, but it’s a very technical and challenging hike and I recommend at minimum, 1 night on the trail (I did 2 nights). The trail passes through the Lions and then hikes up and down several peaks to the halfway point at Magnesia Meadows. From there, you can summit both Mount Harvey and Mount Brunswick, before continuing back in the forest to campsites at Brunswick Lake and Deeks Lake. It’s a beautiful trail, but there is a lot of elevation gain and it should not be underestimated. (30km, 1500m elevation gain, 2-3 days)
There are tons of hiking trails available in South Chilcotin Provincial Park and it is a great place to escape the crowds. Day hiking definitely isn’t possible here, but if you really want to escape out of the city and spend an extended period of time in nature, this is a great choice. The route I took involved hiking into the park along the Tyaughton Creek Trail and doing a loop around the park. Highlights included hiking up to the top of Lorna Pass and over Deer Pass. There are some beautiful lakes on the south side of the park. I did a 90km route over 6 days and I’m already dying to go back and explore more of the park. (30-90km, 2-6 days)
#8 Cheam Peak
Camping isn’t allowed on Cheam Peak, so this hike can only be done as a day hike. It’s extremely popular, but notoriously difficult to access. 4WD and high clearance are definitely required to get to the trailhead, so don’t even try to take a small vehicle up there. There are a lot of water bars and they start early, so don’t try and park on the road either as it will only create more barriers. But if you can find a ride to the top, this is a truly iconic hike in the Fraser Valley. The entire hike is in the alpine and you start by hiking into a grassy meadow before a steep slog up the mountain to the top. From the top, you can see the entire Fraser Valley on one side and the sweeping backcountry on the other. I’ve done this one twice and always enjoy it, despite the crowds. (10km, 650m elevation gain, 1 day)
#7 Mount Price
Mount Price is the secret version of Panorama Ridge. I haven’t done this hike since 2018, so it may have gotten more popular since then, but when I visited, it was empty compared to the crowds in the rest of the park. Similar to Panorama Ridge, this trail is located in Garibaldi Provincial Park and can be completed in a day, but is best done overnight at the lake. While the Panorama Ridge trail goes up the north side of Garibaldi Lake, the Mount Price Trail goes up the south side. You walk along the lake doing some light bushwacking, before you hit a large boulder field that you have to scramble up to the large flat top of Mount Price. From there, you can admire the Garibaldi backcountry in every direction! Enjoy the gatorade blue hues of Garibaldi Lake, the towering glacial peaks of Mount garibaldi, and the iconic Black Tusk, home of the Thunderbird. (29km, 1400m elevation gain, 1-3 days)
#6 Russet Lake
Mount Price is only one of many breathtaking hikes in Garibaldi Provincial Park. Another gorgeous hike can be found along the High Note and Musical Bumps trail to Russet Lake. In theory, this could be done as a day hike, but I really recommend it as an overnight hike due to the length and late opening time of the gondola. The Russet Lake trail starts in Whistler and can be accessed from either the top of Peak Chair (which comes with a hefty price tag, but is worth it in my opinion), or from the base of the mountain along the Singing Pass Trail. The Singing Pass Trail is free, but is mostly in the trees and involves a lot of elevation gain. The route from Peak Chair follows the High Note Trail to Flute Summit, before merging with the Musical Bumps Trail. The entire trail is in the alpine and breath-takingly gorgeous, but it does involve doing several mini summits, so it is still a very tiring trail. It’s highly worth the payout! (24km, 550m elevation gain, 2 days)
I’m just realizing how many of the hikes on this list are in Garibaldi Park! I don’t think this hike needs any introduction. Panorama is the crown jewel hike of Garibaldi and one of the most iconic hikes in the entire province. I admit that I am a bit resentful of this hike because of the huge number of people it attracts, but I’ve still made the trek up there on more than one occasion to admire the views. Lots of people do it as a big day hike, but I’ve always camped at the lake. My preferred way to visit Panorama Ridge is to thru hike from Garibaldi Lake to Helm Creek and stop at Panorama Ridge along the way. Helm Creek is another stunning area of the park and makes for a fantastic thru hike. If you want to avoid some of the crowds, you could enter the park from the Cheakamus Lake entrance and day hike Helm Creek, since most people come via the Rubble Creek entrance. (30km, 1500m elevation gain, 1-3 days)
We’ve almost concluded the Garibaldi Park hikes, so let’s talk about my other favourite park, E.C. Manning Provincial Park. I absolutely adore Manning Park, which has always attracted less visitors than Garibaldi Park, but the crowds are definitely increasing in recent years, especially in the Fall on the Frosty Mountain Trail. But the Heather Trail is where I’d rather spend my time. If you just want to do a day hike, drive to the top of Blackwall Road and hike out and back to 3 Brothers Mountain, which captures a lot of the highlights of the trail. You do most of the elevation gain in the car, so most of the hike is located in the alpine and is very well known for its alpine wildflowers. But I like to extend the trip by backpacking the Heather Trail, which continues further to Nicomen Lake. From Nicomen, you can turn around and hike back to your car, or continue on the Grainger Creek Trail and thru hike to Cayuse Flats, which is what I did. (38-42km, 1000m elevation gain, 2-3 days)
As much as I love the Heather Trail, the Skyline II Trail is my favourite trail in Manning Park! It gets less crowds than the Heather Trail, but it is becoming more popular in recent years. If you just want to do a day hike, follow the trail up to Snow Camp Mountain and back, which features a breaktaking viewpoint before Despair Pass, and beautiful alpine meadows after the pass. The most iconic mountain on this trail is Hozomeen Mountain, which is located just across the border. My preferred trip is to backpack to Mowich Camp and then do a day hike to Hozomeen Ridge on the second day. I returned to my car along the same route, but you can thru hike the Skyline II Trail down the other side of the mountain into Skagit Valley Provincial Park if you have two cars. (17-40km, 500m elevation gain, 1-3 days)
#2 Elfin Lakes
Elfin Lakes is the last hike on my list from Garibaldi Park. It’s also a very popular hike, but not on the same level as Panorama Ridge. That said, of all the trails in Garibaldi Park, this one is by far my favourite and I keep returning to it year after year (I think I’ve been up there 7 times now)! This trail can be done as an overnight or a day hike, in all seasons (although there is some avalanche risk in the winter). You can either tent or stay in the shared hut. The reason I love this hike is because the views from the tent are absolutely phenomenal and it’s great for stargazing. Plus, there are several options for day hikes from the campsite and I’ve had a lot of fun exploring the Gargoyles, Opal Cone, and Mamquam Lake over the years. I never get tired of this hike! (22-42km, 600m elevation gain, 1-3 days)
The Sunshine Coast Trail will always top my list and is a very sentimental trail to me. It’s a 180km trail that can be done in sections or as one large thru hike. I did it in 2 sections in 2022. I did the first 50km with my sister, and the second 130km alone. It remains the only trail I’ve ever backpacked on my own. The trail has a large system of huts that you can stay in and is maintained by a committed network of volunteers. While the trail does have a number of gorgeous viewpoints, it is a lot of forest walking. I can’t quite pinpoint what is so special about this trail, I think it’s a combination of all the elements of the experience, but it will always have a special place in my heart. The highlights for me included Sarah Point, Manzanita Bluff, Appleton Canyon, Inland Lake, Tin Hat Mountain, Walt Hill, Rainy Day Lake, and Fairview Bay. So basically, the entire trail! (180km, 7-12 days)
The Road Goes Ever On 