9 Spring Hikes near Vancouver

April 30, 2025April 29, 2025 / Maria / 1 Comment

Spring is one of the most challenging seasons in the backcountry. It gets really nice in the city, which can trick hikers into thinking that it’s a good time to return to the mountains. Any time is a good time to be in the mountains, but you have to manage the risk accordingly. Snow will not melt at high elevations and in the alpine until the end of June and sometimes even as late as mid July. Spring is particularly dangerous because the rapid melt can create unseen hazards under the snow. What looks like a flat snowy trail may have creeks hidden under thin layers of snow that can easily collapse under your weight. So the safest approach is generally to stick to lower elevation hikes. Fortunately, there’s lots of those available in BC as well! Here’s a few of my favourites within close driving distance of the lower mainland.

Jug Island/Admiralty Point Trail

A photo of a yellow kayak resting on the beach in front of Jug Island on a sunny, blue sky day in Belcarra, BC.

Belcarra is a gorgeous coastal location for Spring hiking. If you park at the lot in Belcarra Regional Park, you can do a short, but scenic hike along either end of the peninsula. If you head south from the parking lot, you’ll follow the Admiralty Point Trail along the water, with lots of little viewpoints along the way. If you head north, you’ll hike inland along the Jug Island trail to a beach viewpoint. Both trails are approximately 5.5km long round trip, but Jug Island is more challenging because it hikes up over the headland and then down to the beach. Both trails can usually be hiked year-round.

Hunter Road

Hunter Road is an easy trail in Mission that can be done during most of the year. The trail starts from the end of Roach Street and is an easy hike along an old forestry road (Hunter Road). Eventually the trail loops back around on itself to climb up to the summit of a small overlook where you can enjoy views of Stave Lake and the surrounding backcountry. It’s a there and back trail, approximately 7.5km in length, 250m in elevation gain.

High Falls Creek

A female hiker nears and smiles at the camera from the High Creek Falls Trail with a view of the snow capped mountain peaks and forest of the Squamish Valley in the background, near Squamish, BC.

High Falls Creek is one of two hikes on this list that can be found along the Squamish River. It’s a more challenging hike than some of the others, but is great for Spring when the rivers are flowing at high capacity. The trailhead is located approximately 26km up Squamish Valley Road. The hike can be done as an out and back, but if you want to make it a bit longer, you can turn it into a loop hike by continuing up to Branch 200 FSR and hiking back along the road. The trail to High Falls is a bit technical, with some scrambling over rocky sections, so make sure to go on a dry day. It’s 1km each way to High Falls Creek, but if you do the loop, it’s 9km with 500m of elevation gain.

Crooked Falls

Crooked Falls is the second hike along the Squamish River. It’s a similar distance from Squamish, but you take a left turn over the bridge off Squamish Valley Road and onto the Ashlu River FSR to get to the trailhead. The hike to Crooked Falls is approximately 5km round trip, with 400m of elevation rain. The waterfall is especially impressive in the Spring and makes for a fun day trip. If you want to extend the hike, you can continue along the Sigurd Creek trail to a small outcrop with a gorgeous view of the area. This hike is much harder and is approximately 12km round trip, with 900m of elevation gain. It may not be totally snow free in the Spring.

Woodland Walk/Sawblade Falls

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

Woodland Walk and Sawblade Falls are two lesser known hikes in Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. They’re super easy to access from Harper Road in Coquitlam and I think they’re very underrated for how close they are to the city. Woodland Walk is a leisurely 7km loop walk through the woods and is great for a rainy day. It only has 200m of elevation gain and makes for a fun forest adventure. It’s easy to extend the loop to also include Sawblade Falls, which is approximately 9km in length. My advice is to be familiar with using GPS maps if you explore this park. There are so many trails through the forest, I usually go and just make my own adventure.

Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls

Two hikers flex their muscles in front of the big cedar tree on the Kennedy Falls trail in North Vancouver, BC.

It’s been a long time since I did this hike, but it sticks out in my mind as a great Spring hike on the North Shore. It’s a bit on the longer side at 10km, and it climbs up and down, so it has a surprising amount of elevation gain (500m). The trail leaves from the Mount Fromme trailhead and is great for variety as it hikes through the forest to a large big cedar tree, and then on to scenic Kennedy Falls. The trail is more technical, with lots of climbing over tree roots, so it’s a good option for more advanced hikers.

Norvan Falls

Another option on the North Shore – Norvan Falls is a classic Vancouver hike. The trail leaves from the end of Lynn Valley Road and is the longest trail on the list at 15km round trip. The trail hikes along Lynn Creek and then through the forest along the Hanes Valley Trail to Norvan Falls. There’s 600m of elevation gain along the trail, but there is an option to do a little loop through the forest along the way to make the hike more interesting. This is a great option in the Spring when the rivers are running full. The waterfall drops to a trickle in the summer and can be less impressive after the Spring snowmelt.

Stawamus Chief

Two female hikers lie back and relax and smile from the top of the bare rock of The Chief's second peak, with Howe Sound and the Tantalus Mountain Range in the background near Squamish, British Columbia, Canada.

I’d be remiss if I left the Stawamus Chief off this list. The Chief was the first trail I ever hiked after moving to Vancouver and it draws crowds at any time of year. It’s a challenging trail, as it’s mostly a stairmaster to the top, with lots of sketchy sections with ropes, ladders, and scrambling. The full trail is 11km, but it consists of 3 peaks, so people rarely hike all 3 at once. I’ve done the first and second peak, but I still have yet to return for the third peak. I recommend the first peak, because it’s the easier option and has incredible views of Howe Sound. This is a real bucket list hike that is worth the hype, but don’t do it on a rainy day or if you’re afraid of heights.

Widgeon Falls

A hiker stands on the edge of a rock next to Widgeon Creek with the forest and mountains in the background on a sunny day

This hike is a little trickier because it includes paddling, but it’s such a fun adventure, I wanted to include it! In the Spring and Summer, you can rent canoes or kayaks to cross the Pitt River and paddle up Widgeon Creek to the Widgeon Falls trailhead. It takes approximately 1.5 hours each way to paddle to the trailhead at the Widgeon Creek Campsite. From there, you can do a 5km loop trail through the forest up to Widgeon Falls. It’s a beautiful trail and makes for a really unique experience. That said, navigating the Pitt River can be a challenge depending on wind and current conditions, so don’t attempt this adventure without the proper research and experience. I have a full blog post on my experience if you’re looking for more information.

Favourite Hikes in Southwestern BC: Part V

December 4, 2024November 15, 2024 / Maria / 1 Comment

It’s been over 10 years since I moved to British Columbia, so every 2 years I compile a list of my favourite hikes from the past 2 years. You can view my other favourite hikes in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. This collection is my favourite trails that I hiked in 2023 and 2024. It’s always a mix of day hikes and backpacking trips!

Two hikers lay on Starvation Lake on floating pads with the mountains and forest in the background on a warm, sunny day in Summer, near Squamish, BC.

#10 Starvation Lake

This hike is super easy and accessible, but chances are, you’ve never heard of it. The alpine snow was pretty slow to melt in the summer of 2024, so one day in July we decided to check out some of the lesser known trails in Squamish. We wanted to stay at a low elevation and take advantage of lake swimming season. We had Brunch at Fergie’s and then continued to the end of Paradise Valley Road to start this hike. The trail follows the Cheakamus River before a gentle hike uphill on the Sea to Sky Trail. We hiked as far as the Starvation Lake Rec Site and spent several hours lounging around and swimming in the warm water. You can continue hiking further to connect with the Sea to Sky highway (if you have two cars), but we enjoyed a round trip from the lake. (6km roundtrip, 130m elevation gain)

A group of snowshoers head downhill in winter on a snowy mountain with snow covered trees and a view of Vancouver city in the background from Brockton Point in Seymour Mountain Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada.

#9 Brockton Point

Brockton Point is well known among the skiing and snowshoeing crowd. It’s a hike I’ve done several times, but I only started to appreciate it in the past few years. I recommend doing it in the winter, just make sure to book a free parking pass for Mount Seymour Backcountry or you’ll be denied access. Recently I’ve been ski touring up to Brockton Point and then skiing back down through the resort trails, but it’s also a really nice snowshoeing trail. The trail starts at the back of the parking lot and hikes parallel to the ski run. Most users continue past Brockton Point to Pump Peak, but this takes you into avalanche terrain, so don’t go further without the proper gear and training. I always stop at Brockton because the view is great there anyways! (6km roundtrip, 270m elevation gain)

A photo of a tent in a meadow just before sunrise, as the sun turns the surrounding mountains orange on a clear sky day overlooking the alpine and forest around Jade Lake in Mount Revelstoke National Park in BC.

#8 Jade Lake

In line with my other posts, I’m not afraid to stretch the boundaries of what is considered “southwestern BC”. Jade Lake is located 6 hours away from Vancouver in Mount Revelstoke National Park, so it’s definitely a bit of a stretch to include it in this list, but it’s a great hike! Eva and Jade Lake can be done as either a backpacking trip, or a long day trip. It’s a little over 20km round trip if you want to do both lakes in a day, so I opted to visit overnight. The hike starts from the top of Mount Revelstoke and meanders through beautiful alpine meadows. After Eva Lake, the hike climbs up the pass for a beautiful view of Jade Lake. Most people stop at the Pass, but it’s definitely worth it to add the extra 2km down to Jade Lake, which is a gorgeous alpine lake that receives limited visitors compared to the rest of the park. (20km roundtrip, 525m elevation gain)

#7 Widgeon Falls

Widgeon Falls is a really unique hike because it’s only accessible by boat! In the summer, you can rent canoes from Pitt Lake and paddle across the Pitt River and up Widgeon Creek to the Widgeon Campsite (~1.5 hour paddle). It’s a pretty safe paddle, but you definitely want to be prepared if you’ve never canoed before. The Pitt River is tidally influenced and can become pretty fast moving, so research the current conditions before visiting. I think the best time to go is early spring or early summer. Avoid freshet, which causes high flows in the river, but also avoid late summer because then the flows in the creek can get too low. From the campsite, you can hike through the forest and along the river to Widgeon Falls. It’s an easy hike, but makes for a great adventure! (9km roundtrip paddle, 6km roundtrip hike)

A photo of Palmers Pond on a summer day, with the green meadows, forest, and mountains in the background, on the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC Trail) near Hope in British Columbia, Canada.

#6 HBC Heritage Trail

If you know me well, you might be surprised to see this hike on the list. I did not have a great time on this hike. It’s 80km long and me and Carolyn completed the entire trail in 3 days, resulting in a foot injury. I was quite miserable along a lot of the trail, but it was definitely a type 2 kind of fun because I still think about this trail all the time. Like the name suggests, it’s a heritage trail that connects Hope to Tulameen and was used during the fur trade and by First Nations. The trail has a lot of forest walking and is not for the faint of heart after the 2021 flood caused a lot of blowdowns and washouts. Most of the trail has now been repaired by amazing volunteers, but the real reason you do this hike is for the solitude. We encountered a lot of people when we passed through Lodestone Lake Rec Site, but otherwise, we didn’t see a single person on the trail in the entire 3 day weekend we were hiking. Despite the challenges, I think this is a really special trail and you will be rewarded with views at Conglomerate Flats and Palmer’s Pond. It’s a great option if you like a challenge! (80km, 3300m elevation gain, 4-6 days)

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.

#5 Skookumchuck Narrows

This is a small and easy trail on the Sunshine Coast, but I really enjoyed visiting it. After you take the ferry to Langdale, drive all the way north to Earls Cove and take the turn off to Egmont. It’s a relatively easy hike, so make a day of it and visit the small village of Egmont and go for a swim in Waugh Lake on the way back. There’s a tiny cafe along the trail, so you can reward yourself with a little treat. The trail hikes through the woods to a series of viewpoints at the Sechelt Rapids. The main reason to visit is to see the series of rapids that develop during tide change, which are popular among kayakers and whitewater enthusiasts. The views of Sechelt Inlet are gorgeous, and it’s really fun to watch the thrill seekers playing in the rapids! (9km roundtrip, 150m elevation gain)

A female hiker floats in an alpine lake while swimming at Blanca Lake, with the mountains in the background on a blue sky, sunny day, north of Squamish, BC

#4 Blanca Lake

Blanca Lake is still a relatively little known hike, but it is quickly becoming popular. It’s located really far down the Squamish River FSR, off the Elaho Mainline on E300 line. 4WD is required to get to the trailhead. You could try taking a car partway up the E300, but it’s 10km long and completely exposed. We picked up a few hitchhikers who were getting ready to quit from the heat. If you make it to the trailhead, it’s a short but steep hike up to the alpine. There’s a steep climb in the first 1.5km, but then the incline is more gentle for the remaining 3km up to the lake. You can visit as a day hike or an overnight. We stayed one night and there is a lot of space for tents. If you have the time, stay 2 nights to explore the surrounding alpine area. There’s no trails, but there’s lots of terrain to explore! (9km roundtrip, 500m elevation gain)

A landscape photo of the trees, mountains, and ponds, from the top of Mount Steele in Tetrahedron Provincial Park on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada.

#3 Tetrahedron Park

Tetrahedron Park is located on the lower Sunshine Coast and has an amazing hut system that can be utilized all year round. Drive to Sechelt and take Sechelt Inlet Road out to the Gray Creek FSR. A normal car will get you to the lower parking lot, or with 4WD, you can save 1km extra and drive to the upper lot. You can visit Tetrahedron as a day trip, but I really recommend overnight to take advantage of the huts (great for beginners). There’s ~30km of hiking and 4 huts. Batchelor Cabin is best for families, Edwards Cabin is a good base camp for day hikes, and the cabins at Mount Steele and McNair Lake are great for more adventurous hikers. I highly recommend summiting Mount Steele, but exercise caution in the winter and watch for avalanche terrain.

A photo of the hiking trail in South Chilcotin Provincial Park that runs to Lorna Pass. The trail is covered in yellow wildflowers in the middle of the forest, with the mountains peaking out in the background on a cloudy day in British Columbia.

#2 South Chilcotin Provincial Park

South Chilcotin is a huge park with so many options for hiking. It’s definitely not a trip you can do for a day, unless you’re a mountain biker, but it’s great for multi day backpacking trips. I visited the park in mid-summer and did a 90km loop around the core area of the park, from Tyaughton Creek, over Deer Pass, to Spruce Lake. Other trip options include exploring the park via the Castle Creek trail or through adjacent Big Creek Park. For a price, you can take a float plane into the core area of the park and stay at fancy mountain lodges with full catering. What’s really nice about this park is the limited number of people and we had the backcountry sites to ourselves most nights.

A photo of Russet Lake with the grassy meadows and the mountains in the background on a smoky summer day in Garibaldi Provincial Park near Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.

#1 Russet Lake

I decided on Russet Lake as my favourite hike of the last two years. It’s a popular hike in the Garibaldi backcountry, but due to trail length and campsite maximums, it’s hard to do as a day hike and not as busy as other trails in the park. You can access the lake via the Singing Pass Trail (free from Whistler base), or take the gondola and peak chair up to the top of the mountain and hike via the Musical Bumps trail (this is what I did). There’s a lot of up and down along this trail, but you’re in the alpine the entire time and it’s absolutely breathtaking! Once you reach the lake, you can pay more to stay in the very beautiful Kees and Claire Hut, or you can stay in the BC Parks campsite at the lake. Stay an extra day if you want to explore the surrounding area. (24km roundtrip, 550m elevation gain)

Kayaking Widgeon Creek

July 10, 2024July 11, 2024 / Maria / 3 Comments

Widgeon Creek has been on my bucket list for a long time! It’s a paddling route that leaves from Pitt Meadows, starting with a crossing of the Pitt River, and then meanders up Widgeon Creek through Widgeon Marsh and Pinecone Burke Provincial Park.

It’s only a half hour drive from my house, but the reason this sat on my bucket list for so long is because I was afraid of crossing the Pitt River. You have to cross the river at the entrance to Pitt Lake, which can get pretty windy, and the Pitt River is tidally influenced, meaning you can get some pretty fast currents coming in and out of the lake. Even though I know people cross the river all the time, in all manner of vessels (many of which are much less robust than my 16 foot sea kayak), I found the idea of crossing the Pitt River pretty intimidating.

But I finally decided to go for it on a gorgeous day in early April. I didn’t want to go during freshet, when the flows increase from snow melt, and I didn’t want to go during the summer when it’s highly trafficked, so the conditions seemed to align in April. Now that I’ve done it, I’m kind of wondering what I was so afraid of! I know my risk aversion keeps me safe, but it was much less intimidating than I imagined.

We got up early on a Saturday morning to beat the crowds. Fortunately, the creek wasn’t very busy at this time of year and we had no trouble crossing the Pitt River. There was definitely a current when we crossed and a headwind when we returned, but it was very manageable in our kayaks. I’d probably be too nervous to cross the river on a SUP, but there were some people doing it in the afternoon. Although I find it shocking the number of people who go out without a PFD!

The water was very calm when we crossed and the creek was almost completely still. I’ve heard the creek can run dry or very low in some sections during the hot summer, but we crossed near high tide and had no issues in either direction. It was such an enjoyable paddle on the way up the creek that me and Seth kept remarking that we had to spend more time exploring the area in the future (our go-to trip is generally paddling to Jug Island).

We didn’t see any other paddlers on our way up the creek since it was still pretty early in the morning. You paddle through Widgeon Marsh, which is a regional park, and eventually cross into Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. I think this is so cool because I love Pinecone Burke – it’s such a large and underrated park – and I’ve now explored it from 3 different entry points. The most common entry is from Harper Road in Coquitlam, but I’ve also entered the Park along the trail to Seed Peak (east of Squamish), and now via Widgeon Creek.

The final destination by kayak is the Widgeon Creek campsite. There were a few boaters here who had come in the previous day and were camping overnight. We hauled our kayaks up on the shore and then re-packed our bags for a little hike to Widgeon Falls. The paddle to the campsite takes about 75 minutes, and it’s a 6km round trip hike from the campsite, so it makes for a nice day trip with a variety of activities. You can hike to the Falls mostly along an old forestry road, which is faster, but we opted for the detour through the forest, which is much more scenic.

The Falls are really nice and we hung out for an hour enjoying our lunch. We were the only people there, although we passed some other hikers along the way. We took the road back to the campground and then paddled out from there. We encountered more paddlers on the way back and the wind definitely picked up in the early afternoon. The hardest part of the day was crossing the Pitt River because we had a headwind, but it was very manageable in our kayaks. I wouldn’t want to do it on a SUP, and I did wonder if the people crossing on SUP realized they would have a pretty substantial headwind on the way back.

But overall, I absolutely loved everything about this trip! I’m keen to go back and I don’t think I’ll be quite as hesitant in the future. Since it’s a short paddle, it’s easily doable on a Friday night, so maybe we’ll come back some day and stay at the campground. You can also continue the hike up to Widgeon Lake, though I’ve heard it’s a bit of a slog, as the trail is not well maintained and usually has snow on it until July.

Definitely play it safe if you’re planning on doing this trip and plan around the wind and current conditions, but it was a much less intimidating trip overall than I thought it would be. In the summer, you can rent kayaks from the parking lot, so it’s pretty accessible if you want to check it out! I think parking can get challenging though because this is also the parking lot for people recreating at Pitt Lake, so I recommend going early because then you can easily find parking and take advantage of the early morning calm on the water!