10 best hiking trails around Vancouver in the Summer and the Fall
This is a list of 10 best hiking trails around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, that can be done in the Summer or Fall. Different people have different opinions of what the best hiking trails should be. Some people rate trails by their difficulty levels, by trail conditions, by reward to effort ratio. As an amateur photographer, I rate my best trails by their scenic views and the scenarios encountered along the trails and at the destinations. This page features trails that are usually done in the Summer and the Fall. They may or may not be doable in the Winter. It’s important to understand that certain trails might pose challenges for hikers, so carefully review the provided statistics and descriptions. Without further delay, here are my top 10 hiking trails around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Matier Glacier via Joffre Lakes
#10 Stawamus Chief (The Chief)
Length: 6 km
Elevation Gain: 660 m
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
There are some ladder climbing, rope pulling, and stepping on high steps in this trail. For some people, those things are very tiresome. Fortunately, the trail is short and the views are good at the peaks. Yes there are actually 3 peaks on this trail. I would recommend skip peak 1 and go straight to peak 2 and peak 3 to avoid crowds.
#9 Mount Seymour Trail
Length: 8 km
Elevation Gain: 550 m
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
This is one of my favorite hikes because it is very close to Vancouver, and I can hike this trail on the spur of the moment. Nothing too technical on this trail. There may be some occasions where you need to use hands to pull yourself up some rocks, but nothing exposed. Short and sweet. There are three peaks along the trail. Views are getting better and better after each peak.
#8 Garibaldi Lake
Length: 18 km
Elevation Gain: 970 m
Difficulty Level: Hard
This trail is rated as hard solely because of its length. There are several switch backs at the beginning that can wear you down, but there is nothing technical along the trail. Take frequent breaks if you want. You will get to the lake eventually. The lake is beautiful with blue or green color depending on the time of the year and the angle of the sun. After having enough of the views and rest, you will need to drag yourself back to the packing lot on the same trail you come from.
#7 Joffre Lakes
Length: 8 km
Elevation Gain: 500 m
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
This is another hiking trail that has beautiful, glacier-feed lakes. There are 3 lakes along the trail. The first lake is just a couple hundred meters from the parking lot. There is also a waterfall between the middle lake and the upper lake. Again, reflection of the snow mountains on the green color lake is a sight to be seen to be believed.
#6 Matier Glacier via Joffre Lakes
Length: 12.7 km
Elevation Gain: 743 m
Difficulty Level: Hard
If the Joffre Lakes Trail is not a challenge for you, you can try to continue on to the Matier Glacier. To get to Matier Glacier, you can continue your hike after you reach Joffre Lakes Camp Site. At the Glacier, you can see all three Joffre Lakes in the same view. It’s simply amazing.
#5 Golden Ears Summit
Length: 26 km
Elevation Gain: 1,688 m
Difficulty Level: Hard
This trail is loooong and steep. There is also some scrambling at the end. But you will be rewarded with amazing views on the peak.
#4 Brunswick Mountain
Length: 14.3 km
Elevation Gain: 1,788 m
Difficulty Level: Hard
Brunswick Mountain is the tallest peak in the North Shore of Vancouver. That means you can see all the nearby mountains on a clear day. Other than the steepness, there are some scrambling on the trail.
#3 The Black Tusk
Length: 25 km
Elevation Gain: 1,7108 m
Difficulty Level: Hard
The Black Tusk can be seen from every where, even on the highway where you are driving to the trail head. It’s one of the most recognizable peaks in the Garibaldi Provincial Park, because of it dark color and distinctive shape. Hiking to it is a long and challenging journey. The last few meters to the peak is a vertical rock wall climbing that will challenge your will and strength.
#2 Panorama Ridge
Length: 26 km / 30 km (Depends on if you want to do a side trail to Garibaldi Lake or not)
Elevation Gain: 1,469 m (1,600 m, Depends on if you want to do a side trail to Garibaldi Lake or not)
Difficulty Level: Hard
This is another long and challenging trail in the Garibaldi Provincial Park. The good thing is that you have enjoyable views along the trail. If you come during the peak flower season, Taylor Meadows, the meadows that are in the middle of the trail that you will pass through to get to Panorama Ridge or the Black Tusk, are beautiful with all the wild flowers. At the top you can see the whole Garibaldi Lake beneath you.
#1 Frosty Mountain Trail
Length: 21.6 km
Elevation Gain: 1,245 m
Difficulty Level: Hard
This trail is in Manning Park. It’s rated as number 1 in all of my hiking trails not only because of the endless mountain views at the top (which it offers), but also due to the stunning seasonal display of golden larches. The window for the larches to turn golden/yellow spans only 2 to 3 weeks, typically in late September and early October. Being surrounded by these golden larches is truly a beautiful sight.
The above are the best 10 hiking trails around Vancouver. I have more hiking trails in the following page: George’s Hiking.