Like to hike? Head for Squamish, just an hour from Vancouver.
One hour north of Vancouver, the mountain town of Squamish is a popular destination for all sorts of outdoor activities. It’s got great breezes for wind-surfing and kite-boarding, and there are numerous places to go hiking, too, so if you’re thinking about a foot-powered exploration in the mountains north of Vancouver, these tips on where to hike in Squamish can help you get started.
Shannon Falls Provincial Park
A short easy trail just off Highway 99 on the south side of Squamish leads to British Columbia’s third highest waterfall: Shannon Falls, in the provincial park of the same name. From the parking lot, it’s just a quarter-mile (400-meter) walk to the falls.
Hikes from the Sea-to-Sky Gondola
If you ride the Sea-to-Sky Gondola to its summit, you’ll not only enjoy spectacular views of Howe Sound and the surrounding mountains, you’ll also have several opportunities for hikes that range from simple strolls to serious climbs.
Two easy trails start at the gondola summit. The Spirit Trail is a quarter-mile (400-meter) loop that includes interpretive panels about the area’s First Nations’ heritage. If you walk the one-mile (1.6-kilometer) Panorama Trail, also a loop, you’re rewarded with great views of the Stawamus Chief, Squamish’s iconic mountain peak.
The one-mile (1.6 kilometer) Wonderland Trail has a few slightly steeper sections as it goes in and out of the forest, where it circles the small Wonderland Lake. It’s considered a “beginner/intermediate” hike that should take 30-60 minutes.
Several other more challenging trails for experienced hikers start from the gondola summit, including the moderate Shannon Basin Loop Trail (six miles, or 9.7K), the difficult Al’s Habrich Trail (7.5 miles, or 12K), and the advanced-level Skyline Ridge Trail (15 miles, or 24K).
The Sea-to-Summit Trail
Think that riding up the gondola is for softies? Then you can hike from the parking lot to the summit of the Sea-to-Sky Gondola on the 4.5-mile (7.5-kilometer) Sea-to-Summit Trail. It’s a steady climb – allow three to five hours – but when you reach the top, you can enjoy a beer on the deck before riding the gondola back down.
The Chief
One of Squamish’s most visible landmarks is the Stawamus Chief, a towering rock face that you can see right from Highway 99. A popular, but steep, day hike climbs up from the base to the top of the cliffs.
The Chief actually has three summits; your climb can include just one or all three. First Peak is at 2,000 feet (610 meters), Second Peak is 2,150 feet (655 meters), and Third Peak is 2,300 feet (702 meters). Tourism Squamish has more details about hiking the Chief to help you decide if this adventure is for you.
– Contributed by Carolyn B. Heller
