* Easy hike, very peaceful *…read more Just a short hike from the docks this is a beautiful little spot. If you follow the posted signs to the picnic area and stop just a bit short there is a little hidden bench made out of beautifully polished wood (this ain't no ordinary splintery bird poo covered park bench!) that is smooth and makes for a wonderful spot to just lay down, enjoy the view, listen to the ducks, and watch the dragonflies with the mountains off in the distance. Beautiful!

A short stroll, right off the ferry will transfer into the woods of Bowen Island. This well marked…read moreout trail will make you feel like you have walked right into a Canadian jungle.. that's because you have! I have done this walk probably 20 times and it has yet to get boring. I like doing the loop with my parents dog. I can take the dog off leash most of the time, but just be respectable if your dog isn't responsive in off leash situations because you will probably run into other dogs and people. I find most of the times i am actually alone out there and it's so nice. Lots of view points, and benches to take breaks and savor the view. Picnic tables for those people that don't want to grab lunch at a place on the strip or Artistan square. It takes me 45 minutes to complete the loop, but i also drive right to the picnic tables.

One of the best views for intermediate hike! The beginning is very rocky and slippery when coming…read moredown but rest is beautiful forest trail. You can go via black mountain for view of the lions and stop by canine lake for a swim Value 5/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 4/5 Quality 4/5 18/29

Rated as a moderately challenging hike I'd say Eagle Bluffs is a great hike if you want to start…read moretraining your body for other hikes at Cypress like St. Marks Summit. At an estimated elevation gain of over 400m it has a great effort to reward ratio. The first 2kms are always talked about because it's switchbacks that are just dirt and loose rock. I've done this hike a handful of times and i'm always blown away by how many people I see wearing sandals and jeans. Good on them for being able to do it, but I don't recommend it, especially the sandals. The switchbacks on the way down will kill your feet and knees. Also, as much as I love dogs, I'm an owner myself, I wouldn't bring mine with me on this hike. It's just too taxing on their body, especially if it's a hot day. I saw a poor shitzhu yesterday panting like crazy on the way up. The trail can also get very busy and having a dog on a leash can cause a bit of a traffic and also make parts of the hike harder for you. Logistics: - Parking is at Cypress Bowl. - Bathrooms can be found at the lodge at the parking lot - You don't need a pass this year. - You want to take the Black Mountain Trail (aka The Baden Powell). Not the Howe Sound Crest Trail; this will take you to Bowen Lookout, St. Marks Summit, and beyond.

The hike to Garibaldi Lake! This was a difficult one for me, maybe one of the tougher ones I've…read moreaccomplished and I'm saying that because I'm not the most patient of hikers. I'm more of a speed hiker that likes to get in and get out! But to access Garibaldi Lake, (the obvious main event to the park), you must take the Rubble Creek Trail. It's an 18 kilometer out and back hike (or as us Americans would say - "roundtrip")...that is a length of 11.5 miles long. And with that 11.5 miles, the path is all uphill! Everything about it is uphill until you eventually arrive at...Garibaldi Lake! So...for the folks out there who maybe don't hike often, I'd just suggest preparing for the long haul. The hike will be strenuous, but pace yourself, take breaks when necessary and before long...the reward will be worth the grind! And then, you'll be coming back for more! Another thing, I'm always motivated to capture undisturbed pictures in nature. And it's this inspiration that I use to discover what's out there. I want to reflect back on the experience and know I afforded myself ample time during the day to accomplish the sights and sceneries that make for memorable stories. Lol, it's this type of internal mentality that pushes me to strive for greater heights, so to speak, hehehe. Okay so this Rubble Creek Trail to Garibaldi Lake! You must make a reservation 2 days in advance prior to visiting. Just go to bcparks.ca and sign up for a pass. I also used this website for accessing Joffre Lakes Provincial Park situated in Mount Currie, BC. And btw, this Garibaldi Lake is located just north of Whistler, BC. One side note...the parks, lakes and hikes here in Lower British Columbia are simply fantastic! There's a laundry list of things to do. And especially when you speak to locals and they recommend hidden, under the radar places that the public eye doesn't know much about. I thought the Canadian Rockies in Alberta were stunning, but British Columbia nature is really, really scenic! Before arriving at Garibaldi Lake, I suggest taking a short side trek to Barrier Viewpoint for some quick panoramic looks. Also, along the trail you'll pass over a short bridge looking up at a waterfall. It's worthy of a photo. Finally arriving at Garibaldi Lake, at first it may not be so picturesque (even when the sun is out!) but give it a chance. Walk around and explore and you'll find colorful instances where you'll connect with those green and turquoise blue waters. Especially when you're looking back towards the entrance area of the lake, the return hike back down had some of my most fulfilling pictures of the day. It's weird, it's like the angle of the sun can play tricks on you. Be patient and hopefully magical moments will evolve! I tried to walk around the perimeter of Garibaldi Lake, but that wasn't possible. So...I had to relax a little and take my foot off the gas pedal, lol. In fact, some of my best views were simply looking out at the snowcapped mountain peaks. There's a glacier set in the distance as well. A lot of visitors brought their bathing suits with them. And although the lake is glacially fed and freezing, people were still swimming! I even joined in on the fun and took my clothes down to my underwear and hopped in the waters, lol. Granted, it was only briefly, but still, I wanted to leave no stone unturned while here! I'd also point out that since the lake is not navigable 360 degrees around, it sort of took the pressure off me to find the best picture angles. Instead, I really tried to embrace the setting and live in the moment! There's camping allowed here, but again you must make reservations for it. Btw, it's free to book your entry pass to the lake. Parking is free too. One last thing, remember...when you head back towards the entrance of Garibaldi Lake, you'll be pleasantly surprised with the lake colors illuminating from the tree line pathway. I left the lake around 3pm and suddenly, light greens and blues were evident! There are vault toilets at the lake. Interestingly, they ask you to bring your own toilet paper. Never seen that before. Overall, Garibaldi Lake was a wonderful way to enjoy a summer day in the great outdoors. I can't believe I hiked 18 kilometers. And the path through the forest makes for a quiet atmosphere in the woods. I would still rank Joffre Lakes as my favorite BC landmark, but this Garibaldi Lake has its value and major popularity among hikers. Thank you for taking time to read this.

All I have to say is be prepared.. As this is about an 18km hike, I recommend leaving early in the…read moremorning and staying over night in Whistler so you don't feel rushed. This time around when we went, due to the pandemic, we had to book a time slot the day of as they were limiting the amount of hikers. Driving there isn't the problem nor is the parking, it's the length of time but the reward at the end is worth it. I recommend bringing a small bag for liquids, snacks, bug spray, hat and towel as you could swim there but keep in mind you can't throw away your garbage at the site due to bears even though there's a camp site there. The hike isn't super steep and you won't have to climb anything (at least I didn't), you just have to be ready to walk a lot. The path is well marked so you can't get lost. I would say the average round trip if you aren't including staying at the destination to eat and take photos is roughly 4-5 hours round trip at a steady pace. Hike's are always calming and it helps clear your mind from stress and clutter. This is probably one of the best local hikes I've done so far and I would definitely recommend it to anything looking for a challenge and beautiful view. And if you want to be more adventurous, you can also extend your trip to panoramic ridge and black tusk!

This is a great spot for an easy walk beside some lovely waterfalls. It is great for dogs to jump…read moreinto the water. There is ample parking at the top of the hill near the soccer field and the waterfall path is just about 20 steps away from the parking and a public washroom.

Like Roberts Creek isn't un-urban enough, you can truly escape away from it all with a little jaunt…read morethrough Cliff Gilker Park. Well marked trails, easy paths, a babbling creek, waterfalls, bridges and huge, red cedars make this a little sanctuary. And the canopied woods means even if it's raining, you're protected. There's a few "viewpoints" with benches and in the hour that I was "lost" in the woods, I didn't see a soul. Although I should warn, the bear sighting signs didn't sit well with me. I should have brought my dog spray and my whistle. Then I could show them who's boss! There's lots of parking, an outhouse (just jump over to the golf course) and a big map that tells you where you are. If you're staying in Roberts Creek, I'd suggest just walking. It's only another 10 minutes and the trails aren't that long.

I love hiking and have done a lot of hiking over the past couple of years (I started a hiking group…read moretwo years ago), improving my stamina and fitness level. I have been able to do increasingly harder hikes, although my level is solidly intermediate -- I can't do hikes that are 20km, 10 hours, extreme elevation, really rough terrain, etc. The Stawamus Chief, known as "The Chief", is a popular hike that is on many people's bucket list. I was never particularly interested in The Chief, as the description seemed too difficult and being in Squamish, it was not possible to get there as a non-driver. However, this summer, some friends who I met through my hiking group wanted to try The Chief. We went on a Wednesday, in order to avoid the weekend crowd. Seven of us went, and none of us being morning people, we arrived around 11:30am, which is considered late for hardcore hikers. Fortunately, we were able to find a parking spot, although there were very few available at that time. The Chief consists of three peaks, and we only did the first one, which was more than enough. We went quite slowly, taking breaks as needed, and excluding about an hour at the top, taking in the view and having lunch, it took us about 4.5 hours to complete (2.5 hours to the top, 2 hours back down). While I was obviously able to complete The Chief, I didn't particularly enjoy the hike (although I really liked the company and hanging out with my friends), and I have no desire to do it again -- I've done it once, I don't have anything to prove, and there are so many other hikes to do. The trail for the first peak, while relatively short (under 4km there and back) is quite steep, and there are a lot of stairs. The problem is that I am short, and the steps were quite high, so I was extra slow as it took me longer to step up or down each stair, and by the end of the hike, I was exhausted (as were my friends). I had heard that there were chains and a ladder on the rock face that you needed to scramble up in order to get to the top, and this is why I had no desire to try The Chief. While challenging, the chains and ladder weren't so bad, and easier than I had expected. But the scramble up the rock face after the chains and ladder was horrible. I hated the scramble up the rock face, and I was actually pretty terrified -- I almost fell backwards to my death, as with Tunnel Bluffs. Thankfully my friends helped me. In my opinion, there should have been some chains to hold on to. Anyway, I made it up without dying, but I am never doing that again. At the top we could see the second peak, and to me, it looked like a pure scramble up rock face, the part I hated about our hike. I'm definitely never going to attempt the other peaks. We spend about an hour at the top, having lunch and hanging out. There was a cute chipmunk who ate the trail mix that I "accidentally" dropped, and we saw a Peregrine falcon and a raven flying around for over five minutes -- it looked like the falcon was chasing the raven. Overall a great day with my friends, but I did not enjoy The Chief and have no desire to ever do it again. [Yelp collections: Hiking]

I had never been to Stawamus Chief before but I was super excited for it. I had heard that it was a…read morerather difficult hike (which it is) but it's totally doable! We had someone with us who had never done a hike before and she made it to the top so it's doable. Having said that, we only did peak 1 because it was raining that day and we didn't want to risk anything. Peak 1 have lots of rocks and the elevation gain is pretty big. It took us 4.5 hours in total for the hike but if you are someone who is a hiker, it's possible to do it in 3 hrs. I will say that if you decide to do this hike on a rainy day, be prepared to have proper shoes because it does get slippery! Regardless I would say having proper shoes for this hike is important. The top of the hike is mostly climbing with ropes and on flat elevated rocks so it's good to have shoes with good grip. The view from up there is definitely worth it though!

This is a 4km stretch/trail that pretty much leads out to the ocean. The path is divided, I think…read morebikes and pedestrians on the bottom and just pedestrians on the top. It is a gravel on the bottom, not sure about the top. I always bike here. There is I believe a washroom (outhouse) along the way. When you get to the very end there is stairs to a viewing platform where you get some amazing views of the ocean. This is a great place to cycle, walk, walk your dog or whatever.......

Prepare for a long walk ! So here are the specs : 4 km , approx. one hour each way . One can…read moresignificantly reduce the travel time by at least two-thirds if you bike instead so of course that's what we did haha . Amenities along the way include restrooms and 2 rain/wind shelters which will most definitely come in handy cos . . . did I mention it's a looong walk ? Again I'd highly recommend cycling , unless you reeeally like walking .

Also known as Knob Hill but perhaps better monikered as Gibsons Grind or the sunshine coast stair…read moremaster, this is a short, steep hike with rewarding views. Parking can be scarce and difficult to find but we would suggest parking by the dog park nearby and walking the extra block or two. The trail itself starts innocently and is fairly well marked at the trailhead and every junction. One view to the top is rumored to have 400 stairs - luckily we took the other approach with fewer stairs but still steep with loose dirt - hiking poles recommended. Of note there are several other shorter and easier trails within the park if you so choose but without the view. No washrooms or water sources on the trail so be prepared. The views over Howe sound were well worth the effort. At a fair place the hike took roughly an hour return. Well worth doing if you're passing through Gibsons.

I've just had one of the best hiking days of my life…read more Reasons: ~A gorgeous drive up the Sea To Sky past Squamish to the Cheakamus trail head. ~The best group of hiking friends I could ever imagine. ~The trail has amazingly beautiful views of mountain peaks, Starvation Lake and the rushing river with a pebble beach where people fly-fish. I felt like I was watching a fishing show only it was live! I half expected to see bear hunting there. ~A gradual elevation with gravel and well compacted stone on some parts while other parts were carpeted in perfect Autumn coloured leaves. The hike is only a few hours long and about 9k, but you feel you want to stretch it out a bit and enjoying the real wilderness feeling to be had out there. Bring a snack, there's a couple of spots to sit on a Moss carpet with incredible views of snowy peaks. Not only does this easy hike have incredible views of the mountains, but also offers some real beauties for rail-fans. This trail is an in and out, not a loop, and includes a few surprises like the makeshift 'suspension bridge' above the train tracks where there the trail fell away. It's more like a fence laid flat and supported with chain link and re-bar. Safe but a bit freaky! I felt super brave and went first of the 7 of us. One of the best hikes I've had in BC. and anyone could do this one. This has got to be on the best of BC hikes list.

This is a beautiful and easy 8k hike through the woods and along the water to the narrows…read more Tide pools reveal an abundance of sea life including an astounding PURPLE starfish! There's plenty of room to picnic on the rocks and watch the tide rush past. We saw a bear on the far shore and enjoyed it from our safe distance. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water along and especially don't forget your camera! Happy hiking :-)

I have done this hike on several occasions and it never gets old!…read more Located a short drive from Whistler Village near Function Junction. Best to get there early to grab parking though we found plenty of spots at 11am. A short and easy hike through the Sea to Sky Trail, it is easy for all with no steep drops or climbs through a pretty canopied woods! The trail takes you to a beautiful and picturesque suspension bridge across the Cheakakmus river and ends at the Whistler Train Wreck where an accident pulled several cars off the tracks and they were pulled into the woods to quickly clear the trails - they have become curious pieces of art with graffiti artists adding to the designs over the years! Well worth a visit for this unusual art exhibit in the middle of the woods !

A very interesting side trip during our visit to the area. The site is the aftermath of a train…read morewreck in 1956 in which the train derailed while the conductor was trying to make up lost time. A short hike reveals a number of rail cars strewn about the woods. In the ensuing years, the rail cars have been covered in graffiti... some consider it art. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth the visit for history buffs.