31 gorgeous fall hikes around Metro Vancouver to do before the end of October
Well, fall is definitely here and soon we’ll all be up in the mountains on snowboards, skis, or snowshoes. But there’s still time to get some hikes in.
To help you prioritize, we’ve put together this handy list of gorgeous hikes around Vancouver that you’ve got to do before the end of October.
Make sure you read up on the dangers of hiking and what to pack before you head out, and have fun out there.
For your own safety, please make sure you are prepared before heading out on your next adventure. Information on how to prepare for your trip and stay safe while on your hike is available from North Shore Rescue and AdventureSmart.
Easier
Dog Mountain
What: This may be a short, easy hike, but it has a spectacular view of Vancouver on a clear day. Watch out for slippery tree roots, as you make your way past a lake, across streams and over wooden bridges, before reaching this rocky outcrop.
How long: 1.5 hours or 3 km
Where: Starts and ends at the parking area of Mount Seymour – 1700 Mount Seymour Road, North Vancouver.
Get there: A 50-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From June to October
Goldie Lake
What: This easy trail meanders through the forest on top of Mount Seymour before opening up to reveal a lovely lake and a great spot for lunch.
How long: 2 hours or 3 km
Where: Starts and ends at the parking area of Mount Seymour – 1700 Mount Seymour Road, North Vancouver.
Get there: A 50-minute drive from downtown Vancouver
Recommended: From June to October
Cabin Lake
What: Cabin Lake is one of the best swimming holes on the North Shore, and can get quite busy in warm weather, with plenty of areas for relaxing and diving spots, if you’re happy with a fairly easy 3.5 km hike to get there.
How long: 2 hours or 5 km
Where: Trail starts and ends at Cypress Mountain parking lot – 6000 Cypress Bowl Rd, West Vancouver
Get there: About 45 minutes’ drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: June to October
Mystery Lake
What: A super easy hike, albeit over tree roots and loose rocks, to a great swimming spot in Mount Seymour National Park.
How long: 1.25 hours or 3 km
Where: Starts and ends at the parking area of Mount Seymour – 1700 Mount Seymour Road, North Vancouver
Get there: A 50-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October.
Bridal Veil Falls–Chilliwack
What: Bridal Veil Falls, near Chilliwack, are accessed with an easy walk and beautiful to behold, named for the veiling effect of the water cascading over the smooth rock face. And while you’re there, make sure you stop for pie in the airport. Trust us, it’s amazing.
How long: 15 minutes or 800 m
Where: On Bridal Falls Road, off Harrison Hotspring Road, east of Chilliwack in Rosedale.
Get there: One hour and 30 minutes driving from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From May to October
Lost Lake Nature Trail
What: This easy hike will take you around Lost Lake, a small lake which features a beach, picnic tables, food trucks, and slackline posts. The trail will take you first along a creek then weaves through the forest before reaching the lake.
How long: 1.5 hours or 5 km
Where: Trail starts and ends behind the Cross Country Connection ski rental shop, on the other side of the creek from Lorimer Road near Blackcomb Way, Whistler.
Get there: One hour and 45 minutes’ drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From March to October
Harder
Eagle Bluffs
What: This intermediate route from Cypress Mountain, past Cabin Lake and Black Mountain, is steep but rewarding, with spectacular views of the Lions and Brunswick Mountain, as well as Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast.
How long: 4 hours or 8 km
Where: Starts and ends at the Cypress Mountain ski area parking lot – 6000 Cypress Bowl Rd, West Vancouver.
Get there: A 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Mount Fromme
What: This intermediate, steep trek takes you through green forest to views of Garibaldi Provincial Park, Crown Mountain, Goat Mountain, and Mount Seymour. Note that at one point, there’s a rope to help you up a steep bank, and towards the end, you’ll have to pull yourself up over tree roots.
How long: 5 hours or 10 km
Where: Starts and ends at the top of St. Georges Avenue in North Vancouver
Get there: A 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, or take the Seabus to Lonsdale Quay, then bus 230.
Recommended: From July to October
Mount Seymour
What: A steep, intermediate hike up one of the mountains you’ll likely come riding down once the snow falls, a couple of months later. Full of wild foliage, wooden bridges and rocky hills, it’s worth the effort, for the incredible view of Vancouver at the top.
How long: 5 hours or 9 km
Where: Starts and ends at the parking area of Mount Seymour – 1700 Mount Seymour Road, North Vancouver.
Get there: A 50-minute drive from downtown Vancouver
Recommended: From July to October
Mount Strachan
A photo posted by Melissa Bowen (@melissabowen18) on
What: A challenging, intermediate hike up one of the three mountains which form the Cypress Mountain ski resort, you’ll pass the historical debris of a crashed Royal Canadian plane on your way to views of the Howe Sound.
How long: 5.5 hours or 10.5 km
Where: Starts and ends at the Cypress Mountain ski area parking lot – 6000 Cypress Bowl Rd, West Vancouver.
Get there: A 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
St. Mark’s Summit
What: Part of the Howe Sound Crest Trail which winds alongside Cypress Mountain, this intermediate hike features a lot of steep switchbacks, so be prepared. At the top, it’s all worth it, for the amazing views of the Howe Sound, the Tantalus Range, the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island on a clear day.
How long: 5 hours or 11 km
Where: Starts and ends at the Cypress Mountain ski area parking lot – 6000 Cypress Bowl Rd, West Vancouver.
Get there: A 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Goat Mountain
What: This is a picturesque, intermediate, steep hike, featuring rocky slopes and switchbacks, ropes and chains, and a scramble to the top. But what a reward when you get there – views of Vancouver, Mount Baker, Vancouver Island, and Garibaldi Provincial Park.
How long: 4 hours or 8 km
Where: Starts and ends at the top of Grouse Mountain – 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver.
Get there: A 30-minute drive from downtown, or take the Seabus plus bus 236 to its final stop, Grouse Mountain – then take the Grouse Mountain Skyride gondola.
Recommended: From July to October
Hollyburn Mountain
What: This intermediate hike ploughs uphill for 450 metres – including a very steep last section. But you’ll emerge to 360-degree views of the Georgia Strait, the Gulf Islands, Vancouver’s westside, the peaks of the Lions and Grouse Mountain.
How long: 3.5 hours or 7 km
Where: Starts and ends at the cross-country ski parking lot of Cypress Mountain (don’t worry, this trail is free, as it’s maintained by BC Parks, not the resort).
Get there: A 45-minute drive from downtown.
Recommended: From July to October
Lynn Peak
What: This intermediate hike is certainly challenging but it offers a spectacular view of Mount Seymour at the top, plus a good cardio workout. The uphill trail can be rocky in parts, but there’s also lush forest and some flatter areas to enjoy too.
How long: 4 hours or 9 km
Where: Starts and ends at the last parking lot in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, North Vancouver.
Get there: A 40-minute drive from downtown, or take the Seabus to Lonsdale Quay then bus 228 to Lynn Valley.
Recommended: From June to October
Crown Mountain
What: This extremely difficult, steep hike takes you down into Crown Pass, then up Crown Mountain. In return, you’ll get amazing views of the Capilano Watershed, the Lions, Vancouver, and the local mountains. But be warned, this hike involves using chains to clamber down slippery rocks, crossing boulder fields, climbing over large trees – and doing it all again in reverse to get home. At the top, be very careful as a fall could be fatal.
How long: 7 hours or 9.8 km
Where: Starts and ends at the top of Grouse Mountain, so you’ll need to take the Skyride up from the parking lot, and return the same way.
Get there: A 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, or take the Seabus to Lonsdale Quay, then bus 236. Grouse Mountain sometimes runs a free shuttle from Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Dilly Dally Loop–Port Moody
What: This difficult hike on the east side of Buntzen Lake takes you around Eagle Mountain, to traverse Tangled Summit and Dilly Dally Peak, and offers spectacular views in a variety of environments. Only for experienced, prepared hikers.
How long: 12 hours or 25 km
Where: Trail starts at Buntzen Lake parking lot off in Port Moody.
Get there: A one-hour drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Lindeman Lake–Chilliwack
What: This intermediate, uphill hike heads into the trees, over Post Creek, and up to beautiful Lindeman Lake, where you’ll find a viewpoint and sandy beach.
How long: 2 hours or 3.4 km
Where: Starts and ends at a trailhead marker on a yellow gate when the paving ends some 40 km down Chilliwack Lake Road, near Chilliwack
Get there: 2 hours and 15 minutes driving from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From May to October
Mount Cheam–Chilliwack
What: This intermediate, uphill hike offers a 360-degree panoramic view of Chilliwack, the Fraser River, Jones Lake, and even Mount Baker. The trail takes you through a lush meadow, along a small creek, and up a series of switchbacks that hug the mountain. Warning–don’t get too close to the edge on your way up or on the top. Rocks have given way in the past, sending hikers to their deaths.
How long: 4.5 hours or 9.5 km
Where: Access point is located along the Chipmunk Creek Forest Service Road near Chilliwack
Get there: A 2 hour 45 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. You’ll need a four-wheel truck to make it down the forestry road to the trailhead.
Recommended: From July to October
Elk Mountain–Chilliwack
What: This intermediate hike offers spectacular views of Chilliwack, Cultus Lake, and the surrounding Fraser Valley area. Although the trail begins in a forested area with a steady incline up a wide path, be aware the top is very steep and can be slippery.
How long: 4 hours or 7 km
Where: Trail starts in a clearing about 10 km down Elk View Road in Chilliwack
Get there: A 1 hour 45 minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From June to October
Lions Binkert Trail–Lions Bay
What: This difficult hike takes you up to the Lions, the iconic peaks overlooking Vancouver. The view is just as spectacular as the Lions themselves, rewarding you with a panorama of Howe Sound, Bowen Island, the Capilano Watershed, and Vancouver. On the way, you’ll have to deal with steep switchbacks, rocks, boulders, and a scramble to the top.
How long: 8 hours or 16 km
Where: Starts and ends at a small parking area off Sunset Drive, in Lions Bay. Be careful to park in the proper place, otherwise your vehicle could be towed.
Get there: A one-hour drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Petgill Lake–Britannia
What: This intermediate hike begins with a steep scramble up the side of a mountain, before levelling out to dips into ravines and switchbacks through the forest. At the end, you’ll be rewarded with the peace of quiet Petgill Lake, and a viewpoint overlooking Howe Sound, Mount Sedgwick, and the Tantalus Mountain Ranges.
How long: 6 hours or 11.5 km
Where: Starts and ends on the other side of the highway from the parking lot of Murrin Lake Provincial Park north of Britannia on the Sea-To-Sky Highway.
Get there: A one-hour drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From March to October
Al’s Habrich Ridge Trail–Squamish
What: This intermediate hike to just beyond Neverland Lake offers awesome views of Howe Sound and Squamish, taking you over creeks, along a granite ridge, and through the forest to the lake. Note that in some places you’l need to haul yourself over large rocks using the ropes provided.
How long: 5 hours or 7 km
Where: Starts and ends at the top of the Sea To Sky Gondola in Squamish, off the Sea-T0-Sky Highway, so you’ll need to take the gondola up and back down again afterwards.
Get there: A one-hour drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Murrin Loop–Squamish
What: This intermediate hike to the Quercus Viewpoint in Murrin Provincial Park may be short, but it is steep. However, after clambering up wooden stairs and trekking uphill through the forest, you’ll get amazing views of the Howe Sound and nearby Browning Lake.
How long: 1.5 hours or 2 km
Where: Starts and ends at the parking lot for Browning Lake and Murrin Provincial Park along the Sea To Sky Highway, just south of Squamish.
Get there: A 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From February to October
Elfin Lakes–Squamish
What: This intermediate hike takes you to two small but gorgeous lakes in the beautiful alpine surroundings of Garibaldi Provincial Park. Expect an ascent to get into the alpine area, before a final descent towards the lakes as they glisten in the sun.
How long: 6 hours or 22 km
Where: Starts and ends at the parking lot in Garibaldi Provincial Park, off Mamquam Road, near Squamish, off the Sea-To-Sky Highway
Get there: A one-hour 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
High Falls–Squamish
What: The intermediate trail to High Falls is aptly named – if you’re afraid of heights, it may not be for you. Do not look down. Use the ropes and scramble over those rocks. In return, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the waterfall and several mountain vistas.
How long: 5 hours or 12 km
Where: Trail begins about 23.5 kilometres down the Squamish Valley Road, off the Sea To Sky Highway.
Get there: A two-hour drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From May to October
Brohm Lake–Squamish
What: Brohm Lake is surrounded by lush, quiet forest full of intermediate trails that climb up to viewpoints over the Cheakamus River and Tantalus Mountain Range.
How long: 5 hours or 7.5 km
Where: Brohm Lake is on the Sea-To-Sky Highway, just north of Squamish.
Get there: One hour and 25 minutes’ drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From April to October
Helm Lake
What: This difficult hike is steep, climbing up a series of switchbacks, then continuing uphill, but offers amazing views of Black Tusk, Cinder Cone, and the surrounding area.
How long: 9 hours or 26 km
Where: Trail starts and ends at Cheakamus Lake signposted parking lot, down a dirt road, just south of Whistler off the Sea To Sky Highway.
Get there: Two hours 15 minutes’ drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Garibaldi Lake
What: Garibaldi Lake is pretty isolated, but this stunning lake is worth the two to three hour, intermediate, steep uphill hike to get there. You’ll feel as though you’ve entered a parallel universe, as you marvel at the turquoise-blue lake lined with glacier-capped mountains and lush green trees.
How long: 5 hours or 18 km
Where: Trail starts and ends at the Rubble Creek parking lot in Garibaldi Provincial Park, just south of Whistler.
Get there: One hour and 45 minutes’ drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Crater Rim Trail
What: This intermediate, uphill hike travels through the gorgeous Whistler Interpretive Forest to an amazing view of Loggers Lake and Garibaldi Provincial Park. The lake is one of the warmest in Whistler, because it isn’t glacier fed and the rocky volcano walls protect it from cold air.
How long: 2 hours or 4.5 km
Where: Starts and ends across from a small parking area on Cheakamus Forestry Road, near Function Junction, Whistler.
Get there: A two-hour drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From May to October
Black Tusk
What: This difficult, scenic hike is best completed over two days, camping overnight at Garibaldi Lake or Taylor Meadows. As you trek uphill, you’ll be able to enjoy lush forest, open meadows, alpine flowers, and views of Garibaldi Lake. Be warned, there is a scramble over loose shale to endure and loose rocks on the cliffs to watch out for.
How long: 11 hours or 29 km
Where: Starts and ends at the Rubble Creek parking lot, off Rubble Creek Road in Garibaldi Provincial Park, off the Sea-To-Sky south of Whistler.
Get there: A one-hour 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
Panorama Ridge
What: This difficult hike offers panoramic views of Garibaldi Lake, Black Tusk, and the Helm Lake area. However, it’s a long, uphill hike, so best completed over two days, camping overnight at Garibaldi Lake or Taylor Meadows. You’ll enjoy a scenic trek through green forest, colourful flowers and along a medley of streams. But be warned, you will need to scramble up the rocky slopes using your hands eventually. Gruelling, but worth it.
How long: 11 hours or 30 km
Where: Starts and ends at the Rubble Creek parking lot, off Rubble Creek Road in Garibaldi Provincial Park, off the Sea-To-Sky south of Whistler.
Get there: A one-hour 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
Recommended: From July to October
For your own safety, please make sure you are prepared before heading out on your next adventure. Information on how to prepare for your trip and stay safe while on your hike is available from North Shore Rescue and AdventureSmart.