While the scrambling sections make the trail a bit of an adventure, it’s doable for most hikers. And since this is a loop hike, you don’t have to go back down the scary scramble sections. Instead, you’ll walk down a logging road that could be boring but actually has great views most of the way.

High Falls Creek is one of my favourite hikes in Squamish – I try to hike every year or two. In this guide, I’ve got everything you need to know to hike the High Falls Creek Trail. It includes:

• Trail stats including how long it takes, difficulty, best time to go, and more
• Tips for hiking to High Falls Creek including what to pack and how to prep
• Trail map that shows all the key locations I mention in this post
• How to get to the High Falls Creek Trail – detailed logging road driving directions
• Step-by-step hiking directions so you know what to expect

This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.

Hey there: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support. -Taryn

High Falls Creek Trail Stats

Here are the basic stats that you need to know about hiking the High Falls Creek Trail in Squamish, BC:

Location: The High Falls Creek Trail is located off the Squamish River Forest Service Road west of Squamish.

Duration: 3-4.5 hours

Distance: 8.3 km loop (although if you track it yourself the canyon walls will cause your GPS signal to bounce around a lot so your GPS track will be about 10 or 11 km)

Difficulty: Moderate/Challenging

Elevation Change: 525 m of elevation gain

Best Time to Go: April to November when the trail is snow-free. Pick a clear day to enjoy the views. Avoid wet weather which will make the trail slippery and dangerous.

Toilets: There are no toilets on the trail or anywhere nearby. Brush up on your Leave No Trace bathroom skills: Bring a trowel to dig a cat hole well off the trail to bury your waste. Pack out your used toilet paper.

Drinking Water: There is no access to water on the trail: Pack all the drinking water you will need. While you are hiking in a creek canyon, the water is not accessible.

Dogs: Dogs are allowed on this trail but due to the steep terrain, roped sections, and sheer drop-offs, this might not be the best trail to bring dogs. You would likely have to carry them in some areas.

Bears: This area has both black bears and grizzly bears. Hike in a group, make noise, and carry bear spray.

Indigenous Context: The High Falls Creek Trail is in the traditional territory of the Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish) Nation. To learn more about Skwxwu7mesh history and culture, visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.

Tips for the High Falls Creek Hike

• Check the weather before you go. City weather forecasts are useless in the backcountry. Use an algorithmic spot forecast for High Falls Creek like Spotwx. (Read my guide to weather apps for hikers for more tips.)
• Check trail conditions online using AllTrails or Instagram. This is especially important in the spring or fall when the trail can be icy or snowy.
• Bring a rain jacket and warm clothing just in case. It can be much colder, windier, and rainier in the mountains than in the city.
• Wear trail running shoes or hiking boots. The trail is rocky and loose in places. Regular running shoes don’t have enough grip or ankle support.
• Bring the 10 Essentials. These are key safety items you should have on every hike.
• Pack out all your garbage. There are no garbage cans here so you must take your garbage home with you. Leaving it on the trails attracts animals.
• Be Bear aware: There are black bears and grizzly bears in this area. Hike in a group, make noise, and carry bear spray. Read my bear safety tips for more info.
• Be ready for steep terrain: If you have a fear of heights, this trail will challenge you. There are lots of areas with steep drop-offs near the trail. And you have to climb up some fixed ropes and scrambly slopes. Since it is a loop, most people (even those who hate heights) are ok going up the steep parts since they know they don’t have to go back down. The first roped parts are the scariest – if you can get up those, you’ll do fine on the rest of the trail.

High Falls Creek Trail Map

Some sections of this trail don’t have very many trail markers and it is easy to get confused when the trail braids. I recommend using a GPS mapping app like All Trails+ or Gaia GPS to stay on track. The trailhead is also not that obvious, and All Trails+ can help with that too.

I made a map of the High Falls Creek Trail for you using Gaia GPS. Click through to zoom in (and download the GPX track).

High Falls Creek Driving Directions

The trailhead is about 1 hour and 45 minutes from Vancouver and about 45 minutes from Squamish. There is no public transportation to the trailhead so you will need to drive yourself. The last section of the drive is on a gravel road that is bumpy, but suitable for all vehicles. You’ll be fine in any 2WD vehicle.

Here are step-by-step driving directions to the High Falls Creek trailhead:

• From Vancouver go west on Highway 1, then switch to Highway 99 north. Drive through the communities of Lions Bay, Furry Creek, Britannia Beach and Squamish.
• Just after leaving Squamish, go left onto Squamish Valley Road at the flashing light. (The turn-off to Alice Lake Road is on the other side of the highway.)
• Follow Squamish Valley Road for a few minutes to the bridge over the Cheakamus River. On the other side, keep left at the fork to stay on Squamish Valley Road.
• Follow the road through lots of twists and turns. About 19 km after the fork, the road becomes gravel and switches names to become the Squamish River Forest Service Road.
• Continue on the Squamish River FSR. Drive past the Cheakamus Generating Station about 3.5 km from the end of the pavement. The trailhead and parking area about about 1 km further, just after a small bridge over a branch of High Falls Creek. (If you go over a second bridge, you’ve gone too far.)

Here are Google Maps driving directions. However, you will lose cell service a few minutes after leaving the highway. I recommend using All Trails+ or Gaia GPS for navigation.

Parking

The trailhead is on the right side and is marked with a small sign that can be easy to miss. There is room for a few cars to park in a pull-out at the trailhead and a few more at a pull-out on the other side of the road.

There are also several other pull-outs back the way you came. You can also parallel park on the side of the road, but be sure to pull over as far as you can.

High Falls Creek Hiking Directions

There are three main parts to the High Falls Creek Trail: the canyon (1.5 km), the forest (1.1 km), and the road walk (5.7 km).

High Falls Creek is usually hiked as a loop since the canyon section of the trail is so steep that descending it can be scary and even dangerous. While the road walk section is long and a bit tedious, it does have great views. And it’s much more enjoyable and safe than making an out-and-back hike that descends back through the canyon.

Key Distances

Canyon Section

The trail begins as a wide path through the forest. But within the first minute, it narrows and crosses a bridge over High Falls Creek. Soon after the flat section ends.

Follow trail markers steeply up a series of rocky bluffs. There are fixed ropes and chains to help you up. This is the steepest section of the entire trail and can be daunting for those with a fear of heights. However, there is no real exposure. Take your time and climb carefully.

Continue following the steep trail upwards parallel to the canyon. There are a few more scrambly sections with more ropes and chains to assist you. In a few places the trail braids – choose the widest, most trodden path to stay on track.

There are also a few faint spur trails to the right with views of the canyon. Most of the views are obscured by trees or the sheer steepness of the drop, but you can get some views of the waterfall that gives the creek its name. Be careful near the edges as a slip would be fatal.

About 0.75 km from the trailhead, watch for an obvious spur trail to the right. This leads to the main view of the falls. You can look along the length of the canyon to see the falls shooting off a ledge.

Continue along the trail as it stays beside the edge of the canyon and climbs up more cables. You will get more views of the falls through the trees here, but the growth prevents you from getting a clear view.

Be sure to follow a trail to the left to a great viewpoint on a rock slab for great views of the Squamish Valley and the Tantalus Mountains on the other side. You can also see Crooked Falls on the other side of the river.

Keep climbing uphill through the forest and patches of rock slabs. Reach a large rock cairn that marks a junction. Go right for a few minutes to reach the Upper Falls viewpoint. You can look down into the pool at the top of High Falls Creek Falls and upstream to a smaller waterfall just above the main falls.

Retrace your steps back to the cairn and stay on the trail as it continues uphill with the help of another rope. Reach another scenic viewpoint on a rocky outcrop 1.5 km from the trailhead.

Forest Section

Follow the trail up a rock slab and into the forest. You have finished most of the climbing. Stay on the trail (marked with orange squares) as it meanders through old-growth forest. Watch for several gorgeous large Western red cedars and Douglas firs. There are also lots of mushrooms in fall.

Reach a junction 2.4 km from the trailhead and turn left. This is a short-cut up to your return route on the road. The original High Falls Creek Trail continues for another kilometre through the forest, but the scenery is similar and not worth hiking. These days most people take the shortcut so the original route is not very well travelled.

Follow the shortcut trail uphill through the forest for a few minutes until you pop out on a gravel road.

Road Section

The remainder of your hike is on gravel forest roads. While the road walking is fairly boring, there are some great views, so it’s worth it. In places the road is steep and loose, but for the most part, it is easy walking.

From the spot where the shortcut trail meets the road, turn left and follow the road downhill through regenerating forest. You are on Branch 200 FSR which sees a little bit of vehicle traffic from hikers and 4x4ers heading to the Tricouni Peak and Cloudburst Peak areas. Listen for vehicles approaching and get out of the way.

About 4 km from the trailhead the road emerges into a talus field. There are great views in this section as you look north down the Squamish River Valley to the glaciers around Icecap Peak.

Ignore Branch 220 going uphill to the right at 4.6 km and continue downhill on Branch 200 as it goes around a hairpin curve. Reach the junction with the Squamish River FSR about 6.8 km from the trailhead.

Turn left and walk along the alder and big leaf maple-lined Squamish River FSR for about 1.5 km back to the trailhead. This road sees a lot more traffic, so be sure to walk on the left facing traffic and stay well to the side. This part of the road can flood during the spring melt or fall storms and is dusty in summer.

You’ll pass the entrance to the High Falls Recreation Site campground halfway between the end of Branch 200 and the trailhead. If you want to go down to the river, walk through the campground and onto the river bank for another great view. (Psst! This campground is on my list of places to camp in Squamish.)

Arrive back at the trailhead and your vehicle about 8.3 km from your start to finish the High Falls Creek Trail loop.

The High Falls Creek Trail is one of my favourite Squamish hikes for spring or fall days when I want great views and a bit of an adventure. If you’ve got any questions about the trail, ask me in the comments.

READ NEXT:

• The Best Hikes in Squamish, BC (From a Local)
• Camping in Squamish, BC: 22 Places to Camp Near Squamish
• 70+ Things to do in Squamish (By a Local)
• Hike to Crooked Falls in Squamish

The post High Falls Creek Hike in Squamish (By a Local) appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

I lived in Gibsons for five months in the winter of 2020/21. The easy trails of Cliff Gilker Park were a short drive away in Roberts Creek. I found myself heading there often for a short nature break. The forest is especially gorgeous on cloudy or drizzly days. (I think it’s one of the most beautiful hikes on the Sunshine Coast.)

I’ve explored all the trails in the park and each of the waterfall viewpoints. That means that I’m able to give you a local’s insider info on everything you need to know to hike in Cliff Gilker Park.

In this post you’ll find:

• A hiking map of Cliff Gilker Park showing all the trails
• Detailed driving directions to the trailhead
• Turn-by-turn hiking directions for my recommended loop around the park

This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.

Basics

Cliff Gilker Park is a small forested park with a network of trails. Roberts Creek and Clack Creek run through the park and both have some beautiful waterfalls, cascades, and sections of gorgeous mossy canyon.

You can use the park map (below) to plan your own trip. But I’ve put together a loop hike for you that visits all the best spots. Stats for my recommended loop are below.

Distance: 3 km

Elevation Gain: 50m

Time: 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy

Season: Year-Round

Toilets: Washroom building with toilets at the main parking lot.

Dogs: Allowed on leash

Cliff Gilker Park Hiking Map

Navigating the trails in Cliff Gilker Park is easy with frequent colour coded markers to show which trail you are on and mini maps at major junctions.

But having a map with you is a good plan to keep you oriented and to help you plan your route.

Here is the official Sunshine Coast Regional District map of Cliff Gilker Park. It shows all the hiking trails, waterfalls, parking, and washrooms.

How to Get to Cliff Gilker Park

Cliff Gilker Park is located along the Sunshine Coast Highway near the village of Roberts Creek. The entrance to the park is just east of the Sunshine Coast Golf & Country Club.

From Gibsons, take the Sunshine Coast Highway west for 9 kilometres. Just after the intersection with Largo Road, watch for the Cliff Gilker Park sign on your right. Turn right into the park and drive to the large parking lot at the end of the gravel road. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

From Sechelt, take the Sunshine Coast Highway east for 11 kilometres. Just after the intersection with Roberts Creek Road, pass the golf course, then watch for the Cliff Gilker Park sign on your left. Turn left into the park and drive to the parking lot at the end of the gravel road. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

You can also get to Cliff Gilker Park by bus. Take Bus 1 or 90 from Sechelt or Gibsons to the stop on the Sunshine Coast Highway at Largo Road. Walk west on the highway for a few minutes to the park entrance. Click here for Google Maps public transit directions.

Cliff Gilker Park Hiking Directions

Start your hike on the trail directly behind the washroom building. Turn right and follow the Yellow Trail slightly downhill on the west bank of Clack Creek. Don’t cross the bridge over the waterfall – that is your return route.

Almost immediately you will reach a viewing platform which is a great vantage point to see the upper waterfall. Continue along the trail for a few more metres, then follow a side trail down the hill towards the creek.

There’s a great view of the falls at the bottom of the hill near a bench. Cross the creek on a long bridge with more great views of the waterfall. On the other side, turn right and follow the Red Trail downhill along the east bank of the creek.

There are a few pretty cascades in this section, but they are often difficult to see as there are so many fallen trees in the creek. Ignore another bridge across the creek to the right, and continue downhill on the Red Trail, watching for more cascades.

As you approach another bridge, you’ll begin to hear the roar of the lower falls. It plummets over a drop, then makes a sharp turn to the right. The best place to view it is from a nearby bench.

Continue along the Red Trail (ignoring the bridge) as it heads downhill, then meets up with the Purple Trail. Turn right onto the Purple trail and follow it downhill to a large bridge over Roberts Creek.

Climb up the stairs on the other side and continue along the trail until it emerges on a gravel road. Cross the road and follow the trail on the other side for a few hundred metres to a junction with the Blue Trail, crossing a small bridge along the way.

Turn left onto the Blue Trail walk a few minutes to another small bridge, then emerge onto the gravel road. Pick up the trail on the other side of the road and head downhill to cross a branch of Roberts Creek on yet another bridge.

Ignore the Grey Trail heading right and stay on the Blue Trail. It traverses a wet area and the other branch of Roberts Creek on a long set of bridges and elevated boardwalks.

After the bridges, the trail curves uphill and arrives at a junction with the Red Trail. Turn right and follow it through the forest and across boardwalks to a bridge, this time over Clack Creek.

Stay left at the next junction and continue on the Red Trail as it traces the edge of the soccer field.

Reach a final junction in the forest. The parking lot is a few metres away to the right. But before you finish your hike, turn left and walk out onto the bridge for a final view of the waterfall from above.

So that’s everything you need to know to plan a hike in Cliff Gilker Park in Roberts Creek on BC’s Sunshine Coast. Do you have questions about the trail? Let me know in the comments. I’m always happy to help.

READ NEXT:

• 21 Best Hikes on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• The Best Things to do on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• Soames Hill Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• Langdale Falls Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• Skookumchuck Narrows Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• How to Snowshoe and Ski at Dakota Ridge on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• Backpacking Manzanita Bluff and Rievely’s Pond on the Sunshine Coast Trail
• 100+ Snow-Free Hikes in Vancouver: Trails You Can Hike Year Round
• 20+ Beautiful Weekend Getaways from Vancouver

The post Cliff Gilker Park Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

I lived in Gibsons for five months in 2020/21 and the hike to Langdale Falls was one of the closest trails to my house… and also one of my favourite hikes on the Sunshine Coast. (I love waterfall hikes!) I’ve hiked tons of trails in the area, which means I can recommend the best route for you.

The short and easy trail from Sprockids Mountain Bike Park is the most direct route to Langdale Falls. It’s a good option if you are already on the Sunshine Coast. But if you want to visit the falls as a car-free day trip from Vancouver, I’ve also got directions for hiking to the falls right from the ferry as a walk-on passenger.

In this post you’ll find:

• A custom-made Langdale Falls map that shows both trails to the falls
• Detailed driving and hiking directions from the Sprockids Trailhead
• Detailed driving and hiking directions from the Langdale Ferry Terminal Trailhead
• Tips for extending your hike

This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.

Hey there: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support. -Taryn

Langdale Falls Hiking Map

The hike to Langdale Falls can be a bit confusing as there are a lot of junctions. I couldn’t find a good map of the trails in the area, so I made one for you. However, it’s just an overview so I also recommend that you use a GPS app like Gaia GPS, Alltrails, or Trailforks while you are on the hike. That way you can check which trail you are on as you walk.

(Psst! Want to save 20% on a Gaia GPS premium annual membership, which gets you the same maps I used on Langdale Falls hike? Use this link.)

Langdale Falls Hike from Sprockids Mountain Bike Park

The route from the Sprockids Mountain Bike Park trailhead is the shortest and easiest route to Langdale Falls. It’s a good option if you just want a quick hike to the falls and if you have a car to get to the trailhead.

Distance: 3 km

Elevation Gain: 150 m

Time: 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy

Season: Year-Round

Toilets: None

Dogs: Allowed

How to Get to the Sprockids Park Trailhead

From Langdale Ferry Terminal

Drive off the ferry and continue straight up the hill on the Sunshine Coast Highway. At the top of the hill, turn right at the flashing light onto Stewart Road.

A minute later, reach a T-junction with a gravel road. The main mountain bike park is through the gate to the left. But you should turn right and park immediately on the right side. The trailhead is a bit further down the road on the left side. Click here for Google Maps directions.

From Gibsons

From Upper Gibsons, follow the Sunshine Coast Highway east and north towards the Langdale Ferry Terminal. At the flashing light and stop sign, go straight onto Stewart Road. (Don’t turn right to go downhill to the ferry terminal.) Then follow the directions above. Click here for Google Maps directions.

Hiking Directions for Langdale Falls from Sprockids Park

The first part of the hike to Langdale Falls travels through the Sprockids Mountain Bike Park, which means you will pass a lot of junctions with mountain bike trails. However, they are all very well marked so it’s easy to stay on track. If you are ever confused, follow the blue and white markers on the trees.

To find the trailhead, continue down the road from the parking area. Look for a trail heading left into the trees just before a gate and private property sign. You are now on the White Trail.

A few steps later, go straight on the White Trail where the Pineapple Express Trail comes in from the left. Stay straight again in another few meters, ignoring the Ferry Express/Lunge Express Trail on the right.

About 100m later, go straight again, ignoring the Sprockids Climb trail on the left and the Ferry/Lunge Trail on the right. (This where the route from the Wharf Road trailhead and Langdale Ferry Terminal meets up with this hike.) A minute later, ignore a junction with the Pineapple Express Trail on your left.

Next, the trail emerges into an area of open deciduous forest. Go straight, ignoring a trail on the left that heads to the main mountain bike parking lot.

Continue through the open forest. Watch for some old abandoned cars on your right. This area was a landfill site decades ago. After it was full and had started to grow over, the local community turned it into a mountain bike park in the 1990s.

Soon after you leave to open area, look for a trail branching off to the right with a large “Langdale Falls” sign made out of a saw. Turn right and follow this trail, also known as the Blue Trail. The trail climbs gradually through the forest.

You will begin to hear Langdale Creek rushing in the canyon below you. There is a great view of the falls from the main trail, but you can also scramble down the bank to the base of the falls.

If you do choose to scramble down, be very careful as it’s quite steep. There is a thin hand-line to assist you and the dirt and gravel underfoot are very loose and can be slippery.

Once you are finished admiring the falls, head back up the steep slope and turn left on the Blue Trail to retrace your steps back to the trailhead. (Turning right at the top of the hand-line will take you into another area of mountain bike trails, described in the “Extending Your Hike” section at the bottom of this post.)

Langdale Falls Hike from the Langdale Ferry Terminal

You can hike to Langdale Falls right from the ferry terminal, which makes this a great hike to do from the Vancouver area as a walk-on passenger. You can even do this hike completely car-free by taking public transit to the ferry terminal in Horseshoe Bay. (It’s one of my picks for the best public-transit accessible hikes in Vancouver.)

Distance: 8km

Elevation Gain: 280m

Time: 3 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

Season: Year-Round

Toilets: None

Dogs: Allowed

How to Get to the Wharf Road Trailhead

If you’re coming off the ferry as a foot passenger, use these directions to get to the Wharf Road Trailhead. Walk off the ferry and follow the covered walkway to the parking lot. Cut across the parking lot and pick up a paved path on the north side.

Follow the paved path uphill. At the top of the stairs, turn right onto Smith Road. Walk down Smith Road for a few minutes, then follow a trail uphill through the trees on the left. Cross the Port Mellon Highway and turn left onto Wharf Road. Follow Wharf Road to its end, which is the trailhead.

Your total walking distance from the ferry terminal is about 1.3km with about 80m of elevation gain. Click here for Google Maps directions.

Hiking Directions for Langdale Falls From the Wharf Road Trailhead

The route from the Wharf Road Trailhead to Langdale Falls intersects a lot of mountain bike trails. To stay on track, keep following the pink markers from the trailhead until you meet up with the Sprockids trails at the top of the Langdale Lunge Trail, then switch to following the blue markers.

From the end of Wharf Road, follow the trail into the open forest. Almost immediately you have a choice: The main route with pink markers is a badly eroded gravel road. In the winter or times of heavy rain, it turns into an ankle-deep creek.

A better choice is to follow Marty’s Trail, a bike trail that parallels the road closely but has a nice dirt surface and lots of beautiful cedar trees. Ignore a few side trails branching to your right – they just lead to the gravel road.

After about one kilometre, Marty’s Trail ends and you’ll be back walking along the old gravel road. Follow it as it curves around an old quarry that you will be able to see through the trees on your left. Ignore the Jammer mountain bike trail on the right and stay on the gravel road.

The road curves around to the left then heads into a long straight stretch. A few minutes later, it curves to the right and comes to a junction. Go right, following the pink markers and a sign that says “To Trails”.

Just a few meters later, the trail emerges under the power lines. Turn left and follow the Langdale Lunge Trail south. There are a few partially obscured viewpoints through this section where you can look west across Howe Sound to the ski hill at Cypress Mountain and south to the forested dome of Soames Hill.

(Psst: Did you know you can hike along the tops of these mountains? It’s part of a multi-day hike called the Howe Sound Crest Trail. You can find all the info you need to hike it in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia.)

After leaving the powerline, the trail heads into the trees and starts a gradual descent into the Langdale Creek canyon. This is one of the loveliest parts of the trail with dripping moss, giant ferns, and gorgeous cedar trees. At the bottom of the canyon, cross the creek on a long wooden bridge.

On the other side, follow the trail up steep switchbacks. You’ll know you’ve reached the top when you see a large “Langdale Lunge” sign. Mountain biking down those switchbacks must be pretty exciting.

From the sign, turn right onto the Ferry Trail and head slightly uphill. A few steps later, intersect the White Trail and turn right to follow it.

You have now reached the edge of the Sprockids Mountain Bike Park. Your route from this point will be identical to the shorter route from the Sprockids Trailhead detailed above.

Extending Your Hike

With tons of trails in the area, there are lots of ways to extend your hike or create a loop.

Sprockids Loop: A good loop option is to continue on the Blue Trail from Langdale Falls (turn right instead of left at the top of the hand-line). You can take Pressure Drop Trail uphill, then follow the Ridge, Torrent, and Technical Ecstasy Trails back downhill to the main mountain bike parking lot. From there, it is a few minutes walk along the road to your car. The loop is about 4.5 km with 350m of elevation gain and should take about 2 hours. You can use this map to plan your trip, but there’s a better one posted at the trailhead.

Mount Elphinstone: This challenging and steep hike takes you to one of the tallest mountains on the South Sunshine Coast. Continue on the Blue Trail past Langdale Falls. It’s a 13km hike with 1000m of elevation gain. Use this trail guide to plan your trip.

Langdale Falls Loop: Experienced hikers armed with GPS maps can follow a network of overgrown trails to make a loop back to the Wharf Road Trailhead. From Langdale Falls, follow a faint trail to cross the creek above the falls. From there, follow brushy trails downhill to the powerlines, then the Jammer bike trail back to the gravel road that leads to Wharf Road. Don’t attempt this route in winter or high water when the creek is too dangerous to cross.

So that’s everything you need to know to plan a hike to Langdale Falls on BC’s Sunshine Coast. Do you have questions about the trail? Let me know in the comments. I’m always happy to help.

READ NEXT:

• 21 Best Hikes on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• The Best Things to do on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• 40+ Waterfall Hikes Near Vancouver
• Soames Hill Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• Cliff Gilker Park Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• Skookumchuck Narrows Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• How to Snowshoe and Ski at Dakota Ridge on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• 100+ Snow-Free Hikes in Vancouver: Trails You Can Hike Year Round
• 35 Vancouver Hikes You Can Get to on Transit
• Backpacking Manzanita Bluff and Rievely’s Pond on the Sunshine Coast Trail

The post Langdale Falls Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

Hey there: Thanks so much to Tourism Revelstoke for hosting me in Revelstoke. All opinions in this post are my own. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. Thanks for supporting my website! -Taryn

Revelstoke Hiking Basics

Where is Revelstoke?

The town of Revelstoke is in eastern British Columbia, Canada. It’s on the banks of the Columbia River at 480m above sea level. Revelstoke is in a river valley between the Monashee and Selkirk Mountain ranges. The Rocky Mountains are about 100km to the east. Mount Revelstoke National Park is just outside town and Glacier National Park is a 40-minute drive to the east. Revelstoke is in the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa, Secwepemc, Sinixt, and Okanagan First Nations.

Getting to Revelstoke

 Revelstoke is on highway 1. It’s a 6-hour drive from Vancouver in the west or 4.5 hours from Calgary in the east. Revelstoke has an airport, but it only has charter flights. The closest major airport is in Kelowna where you can get a shuttle van to Revelstoke that takes about 2.5 hours. Revelstoke also makes a great stop on a road trip across Canada.

Hiking season in Revelstoke

Revelstoke sits deep in the mountains. That means it has a short summer hiking season from May to September. Generally, the valley bottom trails start to be snow-free in April or May with higher elevation trails staying snowy into late July. By late September, it has started to snow again in the mountains. No matter what time of year you hike, check the weather forecast before you head out. Checking the weather is just one of the things you should do before every hike.

Revelstoke Weather

Revelstoke has a mountain climate.  Summer temperatures are typically highs of 23-25C and lows of 11C. July and August are the driest months, but Revelstoke has a wetter climate than the nearby Rocky Mountains so it can still have some rainy days in summer.

READ NEXT: The Best Weather Apps for Hiking

What to bring hiking in Revelstoke

 Even if you are just going for a short hike near Revelstoke, you need to be prepared for the weather and conditions. Don’t forget the 10 essentials. (Rain gear and warm clothing are especially important.)

Bear Safety

Revelstoke is home to both black bears and grizzly bears. Carry bear spray and make noise while you hike to reduce your risk of a negative bear encounter. On some trails in Glacier National Park, you must hike in groups of at least four people. (Full details on that hike below.) For more info about hiking in bear country, read my post about bear safety for hikers.

Leave No Trace

The area around Revelstoke is sensitive wilderness. Learn about Leave No Trace principles to help keep the wilderness wild.

Other Things to Do in Revelstoke

Hiking is my favourite thing to do in Revelstoke, but this cute mountain town has so much more to offer including amazing food, paddling, mountain biking, paragliding, and more. Read my guide to the best things to do in Revelstoke in the summer for all the details.

Revelstoke Trails Map

Best Hikes in Revelstoke

Greenbelt Trail

You don’t need to leave town to go for a hike in Revelstoke. The easy Greenbelt Trail along the Columbia and Illecillewaet Rivers is flat and has great views. You can walk the entire length from the Aquatic Centre along the Columbia River, up the Illecillewaet River to Powerhouse Road. Or just go for a stroll along a short section. I like to go for a walk along the river in the evening to watch the sunset over the mountains.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: Up to 10km round trip | Elevation gain: none | Time Needed: Up to 3 hours |Best Time to Go: April to October | How to get there: Walk from pretty much anywhere in town. The start and endpoints of the Greenbelt are at the Aquatic Centre and on Powerhouse Road.

Mount Mackenzie

The easiest way to get high up into Revelstoke’s mountains is to ride the gondola at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort. In just 20 minutes you’ll ascend to 1700m above sea level. To get to the top of the mountain, follow the Stoke Climb trail uphill. It’s a mountain bike ascent trail, so even though it gains a lot of elevation, the slope is gentle. Stop to admire the views and meadows along the way. At the top of the Stoke Climb, watch the bikers start their long descent, and if you’re lucky, paragliders taking off too. (I can’t believe I jumped off the mountain here in 2019!) To continue to the sub-peak of Mount Mackenzie, follow the loop trail uphill.

Difficulty: Challenging | Distance: 15.8 km round trip | Elevation gain: 650m | Time Needed: 6 hours |Best Time to Go: mid-July to September | Trail Info: Revelstoke Mountain Resort | How to get there: Follow signs east through town along Fourth Street, Airport Way, Nichol Road, and Camozzi Road to Revelstoke Mountain Resort 7km from town. Then, ride the Revelation Gondola to the top station.

Begbie Falls

Begbie Falls is a split waterfall, with two tongues of water cascading down the slope. It’s set deep in a gulley, surrounded by beautiful forest. There are two ways to get to Begbie Falls: a short way from the lower trailhead and a long way from the upper trailhead. But they are both easy! From the lower trailhead, it’s a quick but steep walk down some switchbacks to the falls. If you start at the upper trailhead, you’ll follow the Bluff Trail through the forest, passing several side trails that lead to rock climbing crags or mountain bike trails. The junctions are all signed, so you won’t get lost. When the Bluff Trail meets a gravel road, turn right to get to the lower trailhead and then go downhill to the falls.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 1 or 6km round trip | Elevation gain: 40 or 160m | Time Needed: 20 minutes or 2 hours | Best Time to Go: May to September | Trail Info: Begbie Falls Recreation Site | How to get there: Head south on Highway 23 from Revelstoke. To get to the lower trailhead, turn left after 7km onto Clough Road. After a few minutes, turn right onto Mount Begbie Road and follow it past the campground to the parking lot at the end, 4km from the highway. It’s a gravel road and can be bumpy but should be fine for most cars. For the upper trailhead, turn left off Highway 23 into a gravel parking lot after about 9km.

Moses Falls

Unlike the other waterfalls in Revelstoke, Moses Falls is broad and the water spreads out over several ledges instead of roaring downhill in a single torrent. The trail to the falls is very short, but it is steep, rooty, and muddy so watch your step. The trail starts by heading downhill from the parking lot through the grass, crosses a gravel road, then descends steeply beside the falls before reaching the base. From there a trail heads downhill for another few minutes to the Columbia River and another parking area, accessed by a steep gravel road.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 0.5km round trip | Elevation gain: 40m | Time Needed: 30 minutes | Best Time to Go: May to September | How to get there: Head north from Highway 1 on Westside Road for 6km. Look for a gravel parking lot on the right. Park here for the upper trailhead. If you have an AWD car, turn right on the dirt road just past the parking lot and follow it for a few minutes down the steep hill to the riverbank. 

Sutherland Falls

I think Sutherland Falls in nearby Blanket Creek Provincial Park is the most beautiful of the three waterfalls near Revelstoke. It’s also the easiest hike. From the parking area, it’s an easy stroll along the gently sloped trail to the 12 m-high falls. You can get a great view of the falls from the viewing area, or scramble (carefully) down into the creek to get a bit closer. If you visit in the autumn, watch for spawning salmon in the creek.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 0.5km round trip | Elevation gain: 20m | Time Needed: 10 minutes |Best Time to Go: May to September | Trail Info: Blanket Creek Provincial Park | How to get there: Head south on Highway 23 from Revelstoke. Look for the signed turn-off for Blanket Creek Provincial Park after 24 km.

Halfway River Hot Springs

Some might argue hiking is about the journey, not the destination. But that’s not true at Halfway River Hot Springs. The short trail winds downhill through the forest to the springs. It’s a nice enough hike… but really it’s the hot springs you are here for! The natural springs here are one of my favourite hot springs in Canada and one of the best things to do in Revelstoke. While it the hike downhill to the springs might seem easy, save your energy for the climb back up. It’s steep!

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 1km round trip | Elevation gain: 50m | Time Needed: 10 minutes | Best Time to Go: April to October | Trail Info: Halfway River Hot Springs Recreation Site | How to get there: From Revelstoke, drive Highway 23 south for 79km to the Halfway River Forest Service road on the south side of the Halfway River bridge. (The drive includes a ride on the free Arrows Lakes ferry.) From the turnoff, it’s 11km of gravel road driving to the parking lot. The road is fine for 2wd vehicles as long as you go slow and avoid the potholes. 

Keystone Standard Basin

This challenging trail is popular with both hikers and mountain bikers. I haven’t hiked it yet, but my husband Greg and my Dad biked it last summer. Greg said it was a challenge on bikes but would make an amazing backpacking trip or long day hike: “Since you do most of the elevation gain in the car, the trail is almost entirely in alpine meadows with incredible views of mountains in every direction.” It’s 11km each way to the log cabin at a pond, but Greg says you could turn around at the high point about 1km earlier if you are low on energy. 

Difficulty: Challenging | Distance: 22 km round trip | Elevation gain: 400m | Time Needed: 7 hours | Best Time to Go: Mid-July to September | Trail Info: Keystone Standard Basin Recreation Trail | How to get there: Drive Highway 23 north for 50km, then turn right onto Keystone Forest Service Road. Continue up this 4WD-only road for 18km to the parking lot.

Nels Knickers

Step back in time on the Nels Knickers Trail in Mount Revelstoke National Park. Up until the 1960s, Revelstoke was the ski jumping capital of Canada. Norwegian-born Nels Nelson is credited with popularizing the sport in Revelstoke… and setting world records for distance. Parks Canada has done an amazing job of turning the old ski jump into an outdoor exhibit with info plaques, old newspaper clippings, and replica signage. But the best part is the Nels Knickers sculpture that lets you experience what it’s like to stand at the top of the hill, ready to ski jump. It’s an easy walk to the top on the Nels Knickers Trail. But if you want a longer (and steeper!) hike, park at the Nels Nelson Historic Area lower down the mountain, then follow the Nels Nelson Ski Jump trail from the bottom of the jump to the top.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 0.5km round trip | Elevation gain: 20m | Time Needed: 15 minutes | Best Time to Go: May to September | Trail Info: Mount Revelstoke National Park | How to get there: Take the Meadows in the Sky Parkway exit from Highway 1 just outside of Revelstoke. Drive up the Parkway for 4km to a pullout at a sharp hairpin turn. Park here next to the Nels Nelson sign. | Note: National Park Pass required. Dogs must be on leash.

Balsam Lake

The flat hike around Balsam Lake is a great choice if you need to stretch your legs after driving the Meadows in the Sky Parkway at Mount Revelstoke National Park. The trail starts right beside the parking lot and loops around the tiny lake. In August, the meadows around the lake are carpeted in wildflowers. Look for bright red paintbrush, indigo arctic lupine, yellow mountain arnica, mauve subalpine daisy, and lots more. We brought my mom and she loved taking photos of all the flowers.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 0.5km loop | Elevation gain: none | Time Needed: 10 minutes | Best Time to Go: July to September | Trail Info: Mount Revelstoke National Park | How to get there: Take the Meadows in the Sky Parkway exit from Highway 1 just outside of Revelstoke. Drive up the Parkway to its end 26km later. | Note: National Park Pass required. No dogs allowed. 

Upper Summit Trail

The Meadows in the Sky Parkway at Mount Revelstoke National Park ends at a parking lot, but a gated service road with a shuttle bus service continues up the mountain towards the summit. Instead of taking the bus, hike the Upper Summit Trail. It climbs steadily, but never steeply through the forest. Look for wildflowers along the way and Columbia ground squirrels scurrying around. Return the way you came, take the shuttle down, or walk down the road to make a loop.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 2km round trip | Elevation gain: 90 m | Time Needed: 1 hour | Best Time to Go: July to September | Trail Info: Mount Revelstoke National Park | How to get there: Take the Meadows in the Sky Parkway exit from Highway 1 just outside of Revelstoke. Drive up the Parkway to its end 26km later. | Note: National Park Pass required. No dogs allowed. 

Fire Lookout

If you visit Mount Revelstoke National Park, don’t miss a trip to the fire lookout. Built in 1927, this historic structure sits at the peak of Mount Revelstoke. Until the 1980s, a tower person was stationed here to watch for fires in the surrounding mountains. There are incredible views from the lookout, as well as from a few spur trails nearby. You can look all the way down to Lake Revelstoke and across to the Monashee Mountains.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 1km round trip | Elevation gain: 10 m | Time Needed: 20 minutes | Best Time to Go: July to September | Trail Info: Mount Revelstoke National Park | How to get there: Take the Meadows in the Sky Parkway exit from Highway 1 just outside of Revelstoke. Drive up the Parkway to its end 26km later. From there, walk up the Upper Summit Trail or take the shuttle bus to the Heather Lake stop. | Note: National Park Pass required. No dogs allowed. 

Eva Lake

The hike to Eva Lake takes you deep into the backcountry of Mount Revelstoke National Park. It’s probably my favourite hike in Revelstoke. The trail ambles through wildflower meadows, crosses rocky slopes, and ends at a beautiful sub-alpine lake. Since it starts so high up, the mountain views are incredible from pretty much everywhere along the trail and Eva Lake is particularly spectacular. If you have more time and energy, you can continue onwards to Miller and Jade Lakes. On the day I hiked this trail, we were trying to outrun a thunderstorm so we turned around at Eva Lake. Next time I go to Revelstoke I’d love to spend a night at Eva or Jade Lake – they both have backcountry campsites.

Difficulty: Moderate | Distance: 12km round trip | Elevation gain: 210 m | Time Needed: 6 hours | Best Time to Go: mid-July to September | Trail Info: Mount Revelstoke National Park | How to get there: Take the Meadows in the Sky Parkway exit from Highway 1 just outside of Revelstoke. Drive up the Parkway to its end 26km later. From there, walk up the Upper Summit Trail or take the shuttle bus to the Heather Lake stop. | Note: National Park Pass required. No dogs allowed. 

Giant Cedars Boardwalk

The base of Mount Revelstoke is home to a rare inland temperate rainforest with giant cedar and hemlock trees. I was shocked to see trees that I associate with BC’s coast so far inland! This easy trail in Mount Revelstoke National Park uses a beautiful boardwalk to make a loop through the forest. Interpretive signs along the way help you learn fun facts about the giant trees and the creatures that live in them. There are lots of great spots for photos too.

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 0.5km loop | Elevation gain: 30m | Time Needed: 15 minutes | Best Time to Go: April to October | Trail Info: Mount Revelstoke National Park | How to get there: Head east on Highway 1 for 30km. Turn left into the signed parking lot. | Note: National Park Pass required. Dogs must be on leash.

Loop Brook Trail

This short hike in Glacier National Park takes you along a former railway route. While the hike is short and easy, there are a few short, steep hills. Before a tunnel was blasted through a nearby mountain, trains needed to make a looping route through this valley to slowly gain elevation. Giant stone pillars supported the tracks, high above the creek. Today the bridges and tracks are long gone, but the pillars remain. Interpretive signs along the route give insight into the railway history. 

Difficulty: Easy | Distance: 1.7 km loop | Elevation gain: 40 m | Time Needed: 45 minutes | Best Time to Go: June to September | Trail Info: Glacier National Park | How to get there: Head east from Revelstoke on Highway 1 for 60km. Turn right into the Loop Brook Campground and drive to the parking area at the end of the road. You can also park in the highway pullout just after the campground entrance. | Note: National Park Pass required. Dogs must be on leash.

Balu Pass

Hike up towards the towering peaks of Glacier National Park on the Balu Pass trail. The steep path travels up the Connaught Creek valley, crossing numerous avalanche slopes before ending at Balu Pass. The views of Mount MacDonald across the highway and numerous other glaciated peaks makes the climb worthwhile. The pass gets its name from the Hindi word bhalu, meaning bear. The mountains to the north of the trail are called Grizzly Mountain, Ursus Major, and Ursus Minor. (Ursus is Latin for bear.) The area is prime bear habitat. Make lots of noise, travel in groups, and always carry bear spray. 

Difficulty: Moderate | Distance: 12.8 km round trip | Elevation gain: 779 m | Time Needed: 4-5 hours | Best Time to Go: mid-July to September | Trail Info: Glacier National Park | How to get there: Head east from Revelstoke on Highway 1 for 67km to the Rogers Pass Visitor Centre. The trailhead is at the back of the parking lot. | Note: National Park Pass required. No dogs allowed. Hikers must travel in groups of four or more people.

Hermit Meadows Trail

There are tons of amazing (and steep) hikes in Glacier National Park, and unfortunately, I haven’t had time to do many of them… yet! I asked Robyn from Tourism Revelstoke which trail she recommends in Glacier. She says the Hermit Meadows trail is one of her favourites: “The trail is steep and relentless but fairly short… It provides access to beautiful alpine meadows surrounded by the majestic Swiss Peaks. There is a [backcountry] campground at Hermit Meadows, and you couldn’t ask for better campsite views.” It sounds about as steep as Vancouver’s Grouse Grind… but with waaaay better views. I’m definitely adding it to my list!

Difficulty: Challenging | Distance: 6.4 km round trip | Elevation gain: 819 m | Time Needed: 4-5 hours | Best Time to Go: mid-July to September | Trail Info: Glacier National Park | How to get there: Head east from Revelstoke on Highway 1 for 69km. A few minutes past the Rogers Pass Visitor Centre, turn left into the signed parking lot. | Note: National Park Pass required. Dogs must be on leash.

Other Hikes Near Revelstoke

Although I’ve hiked a LOT in Revelstoke, I haven’t walked all the trails. There are a few more trails in Mount Revelstoke National Park and lots in Glacier National Park that I haven’t done yet. There are also a few epic-sounding hikes to huge peaks like Mount Cartier and Mount Begbie that I’d love to tackle. If you need more hiking ideas, download the Revelstoke Hiking Map.

With 15 trails on this list, I’m sure you’ll find a Revelstoke hike that you’ll love. (Actually… you’ll probably find a few!) Have questions about hikes in Revelstoke? Ask me in the comments as I’m always happy to help.

READ NEXT:

• 15 Things to do in Revelstoke in the Summer
• Things to do in Mount Revelstoke National Park, Canada
• How to Take an Epic Canadian National Parks Road Trip
• Your Guide to the Best Hot Springs in Canada
• 30+ Things to Do in Vernon, BC
• Your Guide to Camping and Hiking at Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park
• The Ultimate Guide to Hiking the Berg Lake Trail
• 20+ Beautiful Weekend Getaways from Vancouver

The post The Best Hikes in Revelstoke, BC appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.

Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Trail Overview

Distance: 10km return from the Mount Fromme parking lot, 12km from street parking, 13km return from Lynn Headwaters parking lot, 11.5km loop with a creek crossing

Elevation Gain: 150m from Mount Fromme parking, 300m from street parking, Lynn Headwaters parking or via loop route

Difficulty: Moderate. While the stats may make this sound like an easy trail, it’s quite rugged and the terrain is challenging. Keep an eye out for trail markers the entire hike to make sure you stay on track.

Time: 5-6 hours

When to Go: You can hike this trail all year as it rarely has snow. However, from November to March be prepared to encounter icy conditions or a bit of snow.

Resources: A map or GPS app can be really helpful on this hike as many people have gotten lost here. My favourite map is the Trail Ventures BC North Shore Trail Map. 

Map: I made a custom Google map for you. It shows all the parking locations and trailheads. Just FYI it doesn’t have all the trails so you can’t use it to navigate on your hike. Plus there’s no cell service for most of the hike anyway. 

Unlike most trails on the North Shore, the trail to the Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls isn’t straight up a mountain. However, it’s still a pretty challenging hike in rugged terrain. It follows an old logging road through the forest and can be very slippery and muddy. There are also a few unbridged creeks to cross. The highlights of the trail are the Big Cedar, a giant cedar tree that is over 600 years old, and beautiful Kennedy Falls.

The conventional way to hike to Kennedy Falls is as an out-and-back hike from the Mount Fromme parking lot. But it’s also possible to park in a couple of other locations or to make a loop hike. I’ll give you details on all the options below, plus full details on what to expect when you hike this trail. 

Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Driving Directions and Parking

There are three different places to start the hike to the Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls. The usual place to start the hike is from the Mount Fromme parking lot. However, this lot is very busy and doesn’t have very much parking so it often fills up. It can be easier to plan to park on the street or to park in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park and hike from there. 

Mount Fromme Parking Lot

If you park at the Mount Fromme parking lot you’ll have the shortest hike into the Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls with the least elevation gain. However, the Mount Fromme parking lot is VERY busy since it’s a popular starting point for mountain biking. As well, the majority of the spots in the lot only allow you to park for 3 hours, which isn’t long enough to do this hike. If you want to park here, come on a weekday or early in the morning. It’s also worth noting that the lot is gated so make sure you don’t get locked in. Current hours are posted at the gate, but they are typically 9 pm in summer and 6 pm in winter. 

To get to the Mount Fromme Parking lot, from Highway 1 take exit 21 onto Mountain Highway. Go north (uphill) on Mountain Highway for 4.5km. Mountain Highway will narrow and pass through a yellow gate beside a sign that says “Fromme”. Continue on the road as it turns to gravel. In about 500m turn right into the parking lot. The trailhead is on the gravel road just past the turn off for the parking lot. Click here for driving directions.

Street Parking

Since the Mount Fromme parking lot is often full, many people end up parking on the street in the nearby neighbourhood. This is a nuisance for locals so there is a resident-only parking zone on the streets closest to the trailhead. As well, many streets have 2-hour parking signs, which isn’t enough time to finish the hike. The only places you can legally park on the street are about 1km of walking and up to 150m of elevation below the parking lot.

To find legal street parking, take exit 21 from Highway 1 onto Mountain Highway. Head north on Mountain Highway for about 4km. Your best bets for legal street parking are on the side streets. Mill Street is the closest place you can park to the trailhead. But you can also find parking on Evelyn Street and Dempsey Road. From wherever you find parking, head back to Mountain Highway, then walk up the hill along Mountain Highway to the trailhead. Click here for driving directions.

Lynn Headwaters Parking

I actually prefer to park at Lynn Headwaters for this hike. It’s easier to find parking and the extra walk to the trailhead is on trails rather than sidewalks. To get to the Lynn Headwaters parking lot, take exit 21 from Highway 1 onto Mountain Highway. Head uphill for about 2.5km, then turn right onto Lynn Valley Road. Follow Lynn Valley Road for another 3km. The road narrows as it goes through a gate enters Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. Park in the gravel parking lots on the righthand side of the road or on the gravel shoulder. Keep the gate closing times in mind to make sure you don’t get locked in. Current closing times are listed on the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park website. Click here for driving directions.

From your parking spot, walk down the paved road about 200m. Look for a sign for the Baden Powell trail on the left side of the road. Take this trail as it climbs a long set of stairs. At the top of the stairs, stay on the Baden Powell for another kilometre as it intersects several mountain bike trails. Eventually, the Baden Powell will reach Mountain Highway, which is gravel at this point. Turn right and follow Mountain Highway up the hill for another 200m to the trailhead.

Getting to the Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Trail on Public Transit

It’s actually really easy to take public transit to the Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Trail. Take bus #210 to the stop on Mountain Highway at Coleman St. Continue walking up Mountain Highway another kilometre to the trailhead. You can catch bus #210 in downtown Vancouver at Burrard Station or in North Vancouver at Phibbs Exchange. Click here for public transit directions.

Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Hiking Directions

The trail starts just past the Mount Fromme parking lot on Mountain Highway. There’s a gate across the road, an info kiosk, and some outhouses. From the gate, continue walking up the gravel road for another 500m. Look for a trail leaving the road on the right side with a sign for “Cedar Tree Trail”. Don’t continue on the road as it goes around a switchback.

Once you are on the Cedar Tree Trail you will immediately encounter junctions with several mountain bike trails. Continue heading north on the Cedar Tree Trail. This section of trail is shared with mountain bikers so be prepared to step aside to let them pass. About 500m from the gravel road, pass a junction with the Kirkford mountain bike trail. Kirkford goes left and you go right to continue on the Cedar Tree Trail. From here, the trail is hiking only, no bikes.

The trail crosses a broad bridge almost immediately after the junction. A few hundred meters further you’ll reach the first of several gullies. The trail to the Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls follows an old logging road. While the roadbed is intact in most places, all the bridges over the creeks are gone. That means that in several places you’ll have to scramble down steep banks into the stream bed, then out the other side. Follow the trail down to the creek, then up the opposite bank. Most of the year you’ll be able to hop across on rocks and logs, but in times of heavy rain or snowmelt, you might get wet.

On the other side of the gully watch carefully for the trail markers as they make a sharp left to stay on the old road. Don’t get sucked into following a faint trail that parallels the creek! Continue on the main trail through the forest. There are several wet and muddy sections as well as lots of rocks. In many places, you can clearly see signs of the old roadbed with logs laid cross-wise across the trail forming an old corduroy road. 

Be sure to keep an eye out for trail markers as you cross several more creek gullies, one of which has a few ropes to assist as you scramble down over tree roots. About 1.5km from the gravel road, watch for a tree with enormous burl on your left. This burl is about the size of a smart car! From the burl, the trail loses a bit of elevation as it heads downhill for the next 1km or so to the Big Cedar.

You’ll know when you arrive at the Big Cedar as it is much larger than any other tree you have passed so far. Experts estimate that it is over 600 years old. Its trunk forks into several smaller stalks not far above the ground. This deformity likely made it undesirable for lumber, which is why it was spared from the chainsaw and still stands today. 

To continue on to Kennedy Falls, find the trail behind and to the left of the Big Cedar. The falls are another 1.5km from here. The trail climbs on a steep narrow path for a few minutes before rejoining the old logging road. Follow the old logging road as it gains a little bit of elevation and weaves around rocks and roots. The road eventually starts to curve to the left as it heads up the Kennedy Creek valley.

Stay on the trail as it traverses above a landslide, then starts to descend towards the creek. As the trail gets close to the creek is deteriorates into several social trails going in all different directions. Some of the trails are very steep, slippery and rocky, so watch your step. Once you reach the creek, walk upstream a few meters for the best view of the falls. It’s very chilly and dark in here since it gets very little sunlight and there is a lot of spray from the falls. Definitely pack a rain jacket, even if it’s a beautiful day. Once you’ve enjoyed the falls, retrace your steps back to your car. 

Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Loop Route Directions

If you are feeling adventurous, and conditions are right, it is possible to make this trip into a loop. It adds a little bit of distance and elevation gain to your trip, but the trail is much more groomed so it’s actually a little bit faster to make a loop. It’s important to note that the only way to make this loop is to ford Lynn Creek. This is dangerous at some times of year since the creek is very cold and can run fast and deep. It’s only safe to make this crossing in the summer or in times of low creek flow. DO NOT cross when the creek is high such as after heavy rainfall or snowmelt. (Note: If you plan to do the loop route, parking at the Lynn Headwaters lot is the best choice.)

To make this route into a loop, hike the trail as described above to Kennedy Falls. From Kennedy Falls, retrace your steps back to the Big Cedar. At the Big Cedar look for the descending steeply towards Lynn Creek. Follow the trail down the hill, watching for flagging to stay on track. At the bottom of the trail, you’ll reach the rocky creek bed.

Look across the creek and slightly downstream. There should be flagging indicating where the trail continues on the other side. The creek bed is rocky and slippery. Bring neoprene water shoes or sandals or just keep your hiking boots on. Don’t cross in bare feet as it’s too slippery and your feet will get banged up. Hiking poles or sticks are essential for balance. 

Cross the creek in the widest and slowest area of the flow. It shouldn’t be much deeper than your knees. If it is, turn around and retrace your steps – it’s dangerous to continue. Cross facing upstream so that the current doesn’t buckle your knees.  Use your hiking poles and move in a sideways shuffling motion so that you always have three points of contact with the riverbed.  And if you don’t feel comfortable with the conditions or your abilities, turn around and go back the way you came. Be safe about it.

On the other side pick up a faint trail marked with flagging tape. After a minute you will emerge on the main Cedar Mills/Lynn Loop trail. Follow the trail downstream for about 3km of fast walking on a groomed gravel trail. The trail crosses a bridge over Lynn Creek then ends at a parking lot.

From the parking lot follow the road a few hundred meters and watch for the Baden Powell trail leaving the road on the righthand side. Take the Baden Powell trail up the hill via several staircases. (Or if you parked at the Lynn Headwaters lot, continue down the road from the Baden Powell turn off to your car.) Stay on the Baden Powell for about 1km until it intersects Mountain Highway. Turn right and follow Mountain Highway for a few hundred meters back to the trailhead.

The Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls trail is a Vancouver-area hike that I definitely recommend. It’s surprisingly rugged and remote for something you can reach so easily from the city. And the Big Cedar is really spectacular. It’s really cool to stand next to a tree that has been around for hundreds of years! 

Have you done this hike yet? What was your favourite part? Tell me in the comments.

Looking for more Vancouver-Area Hikes?

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• 35 Vancouver Hikes You Can Get to on Transit
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• Most Instagrammed Hikes in Vancouver (Updated for 2019)
• The 10 Best Hikes in Vancouver: A Local’s Guide
• 15 Unusual Hikes Near Vancouver
• 6 Easy Hikes in Vancouver for Beginners and Tourists

The post How to Hike the Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Trail in Vancouver appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

In the last few years I’ve taken two trips to Revelstoke and was surprised at how much I fell in love with the town. (It even made my list of the best weekend getaways from Vancouver and the best small towns in Canada for outdoor adventures.) Honestly, I even looked at real estate listings (just for fun… I think?)

I had a pretty busy schedule on both of my trips to Revelstoke and did A LOT but I still didn’t manage to see everything. So here’s my big list of 15 things to do in Revelstoke in the summer. I’ve done most of these things but a few will have to wait until next time. (Because there’s definitely going to be a next time!)

Hey there: Thanks so much to Tourism Revelstoke for hosting me in Revelstoke. All opinions in this post are my own. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. Thanks for supporting my website! -Taryn

This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.

Revelstoke Basics

What’s with the name? Disappointingly, Revelstoke’s name doesn’t have anything to do with stoking revelry. When the railway across Canada was being built in the 1880s, the Canadian Pacific Railway was nearly bankrupt. Lord Revelstoke, a British banker, invested in the railway and saved the company. So they named the town after him! (Previously, the town was called Farwell after a local man who settled in the area.) Revelstoke has lots of nicknames including “Revy”, “The Stoke” and “Revelstuck” since winter snows can close the roads out of town.

Location: Revelstoke is located in eastern British Columbia, Canada. It’s on the banks of the Columbia River at 480m above sea level. Revelstoke is in a river valley between the Monashee and Selkirk Mountain ranges. The Rocky Mountains are about 100km to the east. Revelstoke is in the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa, Secwepemc, Sinixt, and Okanagan First Nations.

How to Get to Revelstoke: Revelstoke is on highway 1. It’s a 6-hour drive from Vancouver in the west or 4.5 hours from Calgary in the east. Revelstoke has an airport, but it only has charter flights. The closest major airport is in Kelowna where you can get a shuttle van to Revelstoke that takes about 2.5 hours. Revelstoke also makes a great stop on a road trip across Canada.

Revelstoke Weather: Revelstoke has a mountain climate.  Summer temperatures are typically highs of 23-25C and lows of 11C. July and August are the driest months, but Revelstoke has a wetter climate than the nearby Rocky Mountains so it can still have some rainy days in summer.

Population: Officially, Revelstoke has a population of about 7,000 people. However, locals are proud to tell you that cell phone usage data shows that the town has about 14,000 residents in winter.

Revelstoke Map: I made a custom Revelstoke google map for you that includes every single place I mentioned in this post. Click on it to zoom in.

Summer Things to do in Revelstoke

Drive the Meadows in the Sky Parkway

This scenic Mountains in the Sky Parkway inside Mount Revelstoke National Park provides great views with little effort. In the summer, the roadsides and summit area are carpeted with wildflowers. The best time to see the flowers is late July and early August. Be sure to stop at the roadside pullouts for great views of Revelstoke and the surrounding mountains.

The road climbs 1,365m over 26km of switchbacks to Balsam Lake at 1,835m. From here you can take a free shuttle bus to the summit, or hike the 1-kilometre-long Upper Summit Trail. At the top, there are several viewpoints, plus a historic fire lookout. For the best wildflower displays, visit in mid-August. The flowers are spectacular!

Soak in Hot Springs

Western Canada is home to tons of natural hot springs. A few of them are a couple hours drive from Revelstoke. On my recent trip, I soaked in Halfway River Hot Springs. It’s an undeveloped hot spring in a beautiful natural setting. To get there you need to drive 11km up a logging road, then hike 1km down a steep trail. The hot springs are next to a rushing river in gorgeous rock-lined pools.

We also popped in to Halcyon Hot Springs, a spa-like springs, but didn’t have time to go in the pools. There are also a few others hots springs near Revelstoke that I haven’t had a chance to visit yet: Canyon Hot Springs, Crazy Creek Hot Pools, and Nakusp Hot Springs. (I’ve got a whole post about all the hot springs in Canada if you want to visit more springs.)

If you’re on a budget or don’t have time to drive to a hot spring, head to the Revelstoke Aquatic Centre. It was closed for annual maintenance when I was there, but it looks giant! It has a huge pool, a hot tub, a water slide, and a lazy river.

Go for a Hike

On my most recent visit, I dedicated a week to hiking near Revelstoke. I managed to fit in over a dozen hikes from easy to challenging. I walked trails near town, and drove to Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Mount Revelstoke National Park, and Glacier National Park. If you want all the insider info about the hiking in Revelstoke, I’ve got a whole post for you! Check out my guide to the best hikes in Revelstoke. 

Experience the Alpine on the Revelstoke Mountain Resort Gondola

Revelstoke Mountain Resort has the highest vertical drop of any ski resort in North America, at 1,713m. In the summer, you can ride their gondolas up the side of Mount Mackenzie for great views and lift-accessed hiking. Be sure to check out the Glacier View and Revelstoke View lookouts near the top of the Revelation Gondola. The Revelstoke View lookout has an especially great view of the town. I recommend hiking further up the mountain for even better views. All the details are in my guide to the best hikes in Revelstoke. 

Ride the Pipe Mountain Coaster

Opened in 2016, the Pipe Mountain Coaster is consistently rated as the #1 thing to do in Revelstoke. I’d seen photos of it online, but it wasn’t until I rode it, that I truly understood what it was all about. In short: it’s a rollercoaster! You sit strapped inside a one-person cart attached to a monorail-like track. (Hence the “pipe” in the name.) When it’s your turn, you are launched down the 1.2km long track. You can control your speed with an onboard brake, but if you want to go fast, the carts top out at 42km/h! The track has tons of twists and turns so it feels a bit like a wild mouse style coaster. At one point, I even got a little bit of air out of my seat!

The Pipe Coaster is located at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, just south of town. Tickets are $25/ride and each ride takes about 3 minutes.

Chase Waterfalls

As you might know, waterfalls are my favourite. There are three waterfalls near Revelstoke worth seeing, especially after it rains when there’s lots of runoff. You’ll need to hike a few minutes to get to each waterfall, but all three are an easy walk. Find the details in my guide to the best hikes in Revelstoke. 

Discover Revelstoke’s History

The town of Revelstoke has an interesting history, beginning in the 1880s with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway. When I was in Revelstoke I went on a fabulous historical walking tour with Cathy from the Revelstoke Museum. She told us about Revelstoke’s past as the two rival towns of Farwell and Revelstoke. (Spoiler: Revelstoke won!) It was one of the most interesting things I did in Revelstoke.

If you don’t have time to take a tour, walk around Revelstoke’s downtown on your own. There are lots ofb heritage buildings to see, many of which have informative plaques. Be sure to venture a bit north of downtown to see the courthouse, built in 1912. History buffs should also check out the Revelstoke Museum and Archives or the Revelstoke Railway Museum. They’re both on my list for my next visit to Revelstoke.

Go Mountain Biking

In the summer months, mountain biking is one of the most popular things to do in Revelstoke. And that’s because Revelstoke is a world-famous mountain biking destination. There are tons of trails in a few areas around town. The trails range from easy beginner cross country trails to gnarly double black diamond downhill trails. You can bike right from downtown, set up a shuttle, access alpine trails from the ski resort gondola, or book a heli-biking adventure.

On my first trip to Revelstoke, I explored the easy trails at Mount Macpherson with Matt and Connor from Wandering Wheels. It was great to have local guides show us the trails. Plus they helped me improve my admittedly very mediocre mountain bike skills. (I got quite a few bruises from some epic crashes though!)

On my second trip, my husband and I explored the trails on our own, using the Revelstoke Mountain Bike map and the Trailforks app. I’m still a beginner mountain biker, but my husband Greg and my Dad are not. They rode the spectacular trails alpine Frisby Ridge route just north of town and the brand new lift-accessed Fifty Six Twenty Trail at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort ski hill. It descends 5,620 feet! That’s over 1,700m! They said both were incredible. 

Soar Above Town in a Paraglider

Until going to Revelstoke, I honestly had never thought about going paragliding. If you aren’t sure what paragliding is, you’re not alone. Basically, it’s jumping off a tall mountain with a parachute wing attached to you. You use the wing to float and glide safely down to the ground. Beginners get strapped to an experienced pilot for a tandem paragliding flight.

Revelstoke has the highest paraglide launch in North America at an elevation of 2,225m! You take a gondola up the ski hill, then climb into a van to go even higher up the mountain. After take-off, you soar for at least 30 minutes before landing next to the Columbia River down in the valley below. If you want, the pilot will do flips and other acrobatics. You might even get to fly the wing yourself! I expected the whole thing to be scary, and while it was a bit nerve-wracking at first, mostly it was quite peaceful. And the views were incredible!

However, if you have a weak stomach like me, you may want to take some anti-nausea meds beforehand. Real talk: I felt a bit nauseous during the flight, and it got worse as we began to land. I think if I had taken some anti-nausea meds, I wouldn’t have had an issue and others in my group didn’t feel sick at all.

To book a trip, get in touch with Revelstoke Paragliding. I flew with Brad, who was amazing! He made sure I felt safe, let me fly the wing for a long time and tailored the flight to minimize my nausea. I definitely recommend him!

Go Paddling

There are lots of lakes near Revelstoke including Lake Revelstoke, the Arrow Lakes, and Williamson Lake. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards to get out on the water.

Raft Some Whitewater

If you are more adventurous, sign up for a whitewater rafting trip on the raging Illecillewaet River. And if that sounds too hardcore, you can float mellow sections of the Columbia River instead.

Explore BC’s Tallest Treehouse

Head to the Enchanted Forest 25 minutes west of Revelstoke to experience BC’s Tallest Treehouse. I’ve seen photos of this on Instagram, but sadly I’ve never had time to stop. It looks incredible. The treehouse is part of a larger fairytale forest experience aimed at children that includes over 350 folk art figurines and their homes. The whole thing is set in a magical green rainforest of old-growth cedars.

Drink Craft Beer and Spirits

For a small town, Revelstoke has a surprisingly large number of craft breweries and distilleries. There is a distillery and two breweries in town! They all focus on local ingredients, but each has its own flair.

As a gin-lover, I was really excited to try the award-winning gin at Monashee Spirits. It might just be my new favourite craft gin! We chatted with Josh, the owner who told us his story. He started as a welder and got interested in distilling when someone asked him to help weld a backyard still. He’s been perfecting his gin ever since. His tasting room has a full bar with a fun cocktail menu. If you’re looking for drinks in Revelstoke, this is THE spot. 

Rumpus Beer Company just opened in 2019. We chatted with Fred, the founder about how he had wanted to open a microbrewery for over a decade. We tasted a flight of all of his beers and I have to admit that while I’m not a huge beer drinker, I was really impressed. The beers at Rumpus are designed to be sophisticated and nuanced, but still easy to drink. The way Fred explained it is that Revelstoke is a town where you go play outside in the mountains with your friends all day, and afterward all you want to do is go drink a couple of beers in a fun atmosphere. He wants his beers to match that Revelstoke attitude. I think he’s definitely hit the mark.

I didn’t have time to visit the original craft brewery in Revelstoke, Mt. Begbie Brewing. It’s been around since 1996 and has won tons of craft beer awards. They run tours and have a tasting room where you can grab a pint or fill your growler. 

Go Shopping

Revelstoke’s compact downtown is home to lots of fun shops. If you need outdoor equipment, there are lots of bike shops and sports stores. Check out the boutiques for handmade and local goods. I didn’t have much time to shop in Revelstoke, but I did do some window shopping. Lovemaking Designs has some really cool screen printed designs and jewelry.

If you visit on a Saturday, don’t miss the Revelstoke Farmer’s Market in Grizzly Plaza right downtown. There are lots of fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. You can also find baked goods, jams, honey, plants, knitting, and crafts. 

Eat Amazing Food

Revelstoke isn’t known as a foodie destination… yet! It definitely should be since almost everything I ate in Revelstoke was amazing. Obviously, I haven’t had time to try every single restaurant in Revelstoke, but here are a few of my picks:

Fine Dining: 112 Restaurant & Lounge – An upscale restaurant at The Regent Hotel, the 112 has classics like steak and West Coast-style fare like salmon and halibut. The chef also moonlights as a tandem paragliding pilot (hi Brad!), so you know the dishes will have an adventurous flair.

Casual Comfort Food: Old School Eatery – Located in an old elementary school, they describe themselves as serving old school classics with a new school twist. I had a fried chicken sandwich with a delicious Korean-style sauce that was better than anything I’ve had in the big city. We like this place so much that we went twice on our most recent trip. Brunch on the weekends is also amazing. 

Pub for Apres Hiking/Mountain Biking/Anything: Big Eddy Pub – Located across the river from town, you can literally roll right downhill from the Mount Macpherson mountain bike trails into the pub. It’s a popular place with locals and outdoorsy visitors and they won’t bat an eye if you show up covered in mud.

Funky Mexican: Taco Club – A fun spot right downtown serving up giant burritos and tasty tacos. They also have killer margaritas. Their patio is a great spot for people watching too.

Sandwiches: La Baguette – This bakery has amazing sandwiches on homemade bread. They have a location near downtown and one at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Another great option for a hiking lunch.

Hipster Coffee: Dose Coffee  – A fun and funky hipster-style coffee shop with great espresso based drinks. They have great breakfast too. 

Where to Stay in Revelstoke

There are lots of options for accommodation in Revelstoke. Here a few of my Revelstoke hotel recommendations:

Upscale Hotel: The Regent – I stayed at this family-run hotel during my trip to Revelstoke. It has a great location downtown. Over the years the owners have renovated a few different adjacent heritage buildings to create a modern, yet classic building. Breakfast is also included and it was one of the better hotel breakfasts I’ve had in North America.

Boutique Hotel: The Explorer’s Society Hotel – We learned about this hotel on our heritage walking tour of downtown. Built in 1911, this historic brick building was recently restored and converted into a hotel. The entire space is modern yet outdoorsy, with lots of exposed brick and weathered wood. My parents stayed here recently and loved it. My dad loved the lounge area for watching the hockey game and my mom’s favourite part was the rooftop patio.

Budget Hotel: The Cube Hotel – Part hotel, part hostel, the Cube Hotel has a stand-out cubist exterior. It also has lots of adventure-friendly features on the inside like a gear drying room, a lounge, and a shared kitchen so you can cook your own dinner.

Cabins: Boulder Mountain Resort – These cabins just outside of town are super cute with a cozy tiny-house vibe. But they still have full sized kitchens, a king-size bed and a barbecue. I spent a few nights here recently and was really impressed. 

Camping – There are lots of places to camp in Revelstoke. In town you can stay at a few privately run campgrounds: Williamson Lake Campground, Revelstoke KOA Campgrounds and Cabins, or Lamplighter Campground. The Snowforest Campground at Mount Revelstoke National Park just opened in 2020 and I was lukcy enough to spend a few nights there. It has the nicest bathroom/shower building of any campground I’ve ever been to! If you’d rather stay in a provincial park, Blanket Creek and Martha Creek Provincial Parks are only a 20-30 minute drive away.

So there you have it: 15 things to do in Revelstoke in summer. I think I’ll have to go back in the winter to make another “things to do in Revelstoke” list. I hear the snow is epic! What’s your favourite Revelstoke activity? Tell me in the comments.

READ NEXT:

• The Best Hikes in Revelstoke, BC
• Things to do in Mount Revelstoke National Park, Canada
• 22 Weekend Getaways from Vancouver
• Best Small Towns in Canada for Outdoor Adventures
• Your Guide to the Best Hot Springs in Canada
• 30+ Things to Do in Vernon, BC
• 15 Best Things to Do in Canmore in Winter
• How to Take an Epic Canadian National Parks Road Trip

The post 15 Things to do in Revelstoke in the Summer appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

Hey there: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support! -Taryn

This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.

Waterfall Safety

A quick note on safety before we start. As with any other hike, you’ll need to carry the 10 essentials and leave a trip plan. Read more about the things you should do before every hike. But it’s also worth noting that waterfall hikes tend to be more dangerous than other hikes since they usually involve steep drop offs and slippery surfaces. Rocks, logs and ice can crash down without warning, so be careful when exploring the bottom of waterfalls. Several of the hikes on this list have claimed lives or seriously injured hikers. It can be really tempting to jump over railings, clamber down cliff faces or walk across wet rocks trying to get a better view of the falls. But please don’t. Stay on the trail. Your life could depend on it.

North Shore Waterfalls

Cypress Falls in West Vancouver

This loop hike travels around the canyon of Cypress Creek in West Vancouver, passing several spectacular waterfalls and viewpoints over the steep canyon walls.

Stats: 3km loop, 130m elevation gain, 1.5 hours, easy/moderate

More Info: Vancouver Trails

Twin Falls in Lynn Canyon

Many people head to Lynn Canyon to see the suspension bridge. But if you head downstream you can check out Twin Falls as well as several smaller falls in the canyon. The hike to Twin Falls is one of the best easy hikes in Vancouver for beginners and tourists.

Stats: 1.5km loop, 65m elevation gain, 1 hour, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails; Park Map

Cleveland Dam in Capilano Canyon

Ok, so the spillway from Cleveland Dam is a man-made waterfall, not a natural one. But it’s still pretty spectacular. Be sure to take in the views from both the top of the dam and the bottom.

Stats: 2.6km loop, 100m elevation gain, 1 hour, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails; Park Map

Norvan Falls in Lynn Headwaters

The hike to Norvan Falls follows Lynn Creek upstream along a long-abandoned logging road. After a few hours, the trail turns uphill along Norvan Creek to the falls.

Stats: 14km return, 200m elevation gain, 5 hours, moderate

More Info: 105 Hikes; Vancouver Trails; Lynn Headwaters Regional Park Map

Kennedy Falls in Lynn Headwaters

You can hike to Kennedy Falls via a rugged trail on the less-travelled west bank of Lynn Creek. Along the way you’ll pass by a massive old cedar tree.

Stats: 10km return, 150m elevation gain, 5 hours, moderate

More Info: My trail guide to Kennedy Falls

Crystal Falls in Lions Bay

Did you know there’s a hidden little trail network in Lions Bay? The low elevation trails have great views of Howe Sound. The highlight is pretty Crystal Falls.

Stats: 4.5km loop, 175m elevation gain, 2 hours, easy/moderate

More Info: Vancouver Trails; Community Trail Map

Phi Alpha Falls and Hannover Falls on the Howe Sound Crest Trail

If you complete the challenging Howe Sound Crest Trail that runs from Cypress Mountain to Porteau Cove, you’ll be treated to two waterfalls along the way. Both falls are in the northern section of the trail. You can find Phi Alpha Falls on the descent from Deeks Lake towards Porteau Cove. Hannover Falls is located between Brunswick and Hannover Lakes.

Stats: 29km one way, 1-2 days, 610m elevation gain, very difficult

More Info: Outdoor Vancouver

READ NEXT: Most Instagrammed Hikes in Vancouver

Coquitlam Waterfalls

Crystal Falls in Coquitlam

Note: The trail to this waterfall is currently closed since it crosses private property.

Yes, there are two waterfalls near Vancouver called Crystal Falls! The Crystal Falls in Coquitlam is located along the Coquitlam River and is an easy and flattish hike.

Stats: 7km return, no elevation gain, 2 hours, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails

Sawblade and Woodland Falls on Burke Mountain

The Woodland Walk trail on Burke Mountain heads to two waterfalls: Sawblade Falls and Woodland Falls.  Woodland Falls is nice, but Sawblade Falls is definitely more spectacular. (It’s worth noting that this trail actually makes my list of the worst hikes in Vancouver. The falls are nice, but in my opinion, the trail is not.)

Stats: 8km return, 180m elevation gain, 3 hours, easy/moderate

More Info: Vancouver Trails

Swan Falls at Buntzen Lake

If you’ve hiked around Buntzen Lake, you might have spotted a waterfall tumbling down from the mountains on the east side of the lake. That’s Swan Falls and you can hike there via the powerline trail.

Stats: 10km return, 200m elevation gain, 3.5 hours, easy/moderate

More Info: Vancouver Trails; Trail Map

Maple Ridge Waterfalls

Kanaka Creek Cliff Falls in Maple Ridge

The easy trails in Maple Ridge’s Cliff Park are perfect for families or days when you want a shorter walk. There are a few places to view the falls and canyon, plus a big picnic area for snack breaks.

Stats: 4km return, no elevation gain, 2 hours, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails

Gold Creek Falls in Golden Ears

Heads up: Day passes are required at Golden Ears Provincial Park in summer 2023. Learn more in my guide to BC Parks day passes.

Also known as Lower Falls, the hike to Gold Creek Falls is one of the most popular hikes in Golden Ears Provincial Park. The well-travelled trail ends up at two viewpoints: one at the bottom of the falls and one at the top. The top viewpoint can have lots of spray in the spring, so bring a rain jacket, even on a sunny day.

Stats: 5.5km return, no elevation gain, 2 hours, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails, Golden Ears Park Map

Widgeon Falls at Pitt Lake

This hike is a bit different than the others on the list: To get to the trailhead, you have to paddle a canoe! Widgeon Falls are thunderously powerful in the spring. In the summer they dry up a bit, exposing some cool rock pools you can cool off in.

Stats: 6km return, no elevation gain, 5 hours, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails

READ NEXT: The 10 Best Hikes in Vancouver – A Local’s Guide

Mission Waterfalls

Rolley Falls at Rolley Lake Provincial Park

Many visitors to Rolley Lake don’t realize that there are actually two waterfalls at the lake. The official park trail goes to the smaller, upper falls. But if you continue downhill on a fainter trail, you’ll discover an even taller falls.

Stats: 5km loop, no elevation gain, 2 hours, easy/moderate

More Info: My trail guide to Fraser Valley waterfalls; Rolley Lake Provincial Park Map

Steelhead Falls at Hayward Lake

The trail to Steelhead Falls branches off the much longer trail around Hayward Lake in Mission. You could spend a full day walking around Hayward Lake, but the trip to Steelhead Falls takes less than hour. You’ll descend down wooden steps to a viewing platform.

Stats: 2km return, 75m elevation gain, 45 min, easy

More Info: My trail guide to Fraser Valley waterfalls

Cascade Falls in Mission

This easy trail is a worthwhile destination since it has an epic suspension bridge in front of the falls. The hike itself is really short, but you’ll definitely want to spend a while taking photos. (And maybe also getting blasted by the mist!)

Stats: 0.75km return, 40m elevation gain, 30 min, easy

More Info: My trail guide to Fraser Valley waterfalls; Trail Map

Davis Lake Falls in Mission

The Davis Lake area around Mission is popular with 4-wheel drive people, which means many hikers might not have heard of it. There’s a great little waterfall near the lake outlet that makes a great place to cool off on a hot day.

Stats: ~2km return, 75m elevation gain, 45 min, moderate

More Info: There’s not a lot of info online about these falls. Pick up the Backroad Mapbook: Vancouver, Coast and Mountains for help finding them.

Statlu Falls and Brotherhood Falls in the Chehalis Valley

It’s a long drive on logging roads to reach this off-the-beaten-track trail, but there are two huge waterfalls to enjoy. Statlu Falls is the first one, just below the outlet for beautiful Statlu Lake. Partway along the lake you’ll find Brotherhood falls, cascading through a canyon. Stay well back from the edge when exploring Statlu Falls as it has claimed several lives.

Stats: 13km return, 350m elevation gain, 6-8 hours, difficult

More Info: Hikes Near Vancouver

Chilliwack Waterfalls

Bridal Veil Falls in Bridal Falls

Bridal Veil Falls is one of the most well known waterfalls near Vancouver. It’s located right next to highway 1 and is a short and easy walk. That makes it a great place to stop and stretch your legs on a road trip.

Stats: 800m loop, 50m elevation gain, 15 min, easy

More Info: My trail guide to Fraser Valley waterfalls

Pierce Creek Falls in the Chillwack River Valley

If you take on the steep and tough hike to Mount MacFarlane in the Fraser Valley, you’ll pass by two sets of waterfalls along the way. If you don’t want to push all the way to the peak, stop at Upper Pierce Lake.

Stats: 21km return, 1765m elevation gain, 10 hours, very difficult

More Info: Pick up a copy of 103 Hikes in Southwestern BC for the best directions.

Bosumarne Falls in the Chilliwack River Valley

This waterfall along Chilliwack Lake Road is a bit hidden, but if you find the trailhead, you’re in for a treat. There are two viewpoints, but the upper falls are more spectacular. Be sure to scramble up the steep and slippery trail to see them.

Stats: 2.5km return, 75m elevation gain, 1 hour, easy/moderate

More Info: Vancouver Trails

READ NEXT: 15 Unusual Hikes Near Vancouver

Hope and Manning Park Waterfalls

Flood Falls in Hope

These spectacular falls are over 300m tall as they tumble down the cliff towards the valley. The short hike to Flood Falls is just off highway 1 outside of Hope, so it makes a great stop-over.

Stats: 1km return, 40m elevation gain, 45 min, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails

Nepopekum Falls, Shadow Falls and Derek Falls in Manning Park

These three waterfalls are located along the Three Falls trail in Manning Park. Shadow Falls is a bit difficult to see from the trail, but 70m Nepopekum Falls is spectacular. The trail ends at Derek Falls, deep in a rocky canyon. It’s pretty in the summer, but it’s also gorgeous in the winter as a snowshoe hike.

Stats: 9km return, 3 hours, 180m elevation gain, moderate

More Info: Manning Provincial Park; Trail Map

Sunshine Coast Waterfalls

Langdale Falls in Gibsons

This 40-foot waterfall is nestled deep in a moss and fern-covered canyon. It’s an easy hike to get there, and it’s one of the best hikes on the Sunshine Coast. There are two trails to get there: a shorter one that requires a car and a longer one that you can hike as a walk-on passenger from the ferry.

Stats: 3-8km return, 150-280m elevation gain, 1-3 hours, easy

More Info: My trail guide to Langdale Falls

Clack Creek Waterfalls, Roberts Creek

Clack Creek runs through Cliff Gilker Park in Roberts Creek. There are two waterfalls along the creek, along with numerous pretty cascades. Trails run on both sides of the creek, so you can see the falls from several vantage points. This one is also on my list of the best hikes on the Sunshine Coast.

Stats: 3km loop, 50m elevatin gain, 1 hour, easy

More Info: My trail guide to Cliff Gilker Park

Squamish Waterfalls

Shannon Falls in Squamish

At 335m tall, Shannon Falls is the 3rd highest waterfall in BC and one of the most well known waterfalls near Vancouver. It’s a really short walk to view the falls, so its a popular stop on the drive between Vancouver and Whistler.

Stats: 1km loop, 50m elevation gain, 30 minutes, easy

More Info: Shannon Falls Provincial Park

Shannon Falls is one of the best stops between Vancouver and Whistler. Read my complete guide to driving the Sea to Sky Highway for more info on this gorgeous road trip.

Upper Shannon Falls on the Sea to Summit Trail

There’s more to Shannon Falls than what you can see from near the parking lot. High up the slope you’ll find Upper Shannon Falls. This waterfall is located along the Sea to Summit Trail that heads up to the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola.

Stats: 8km return, 850m elevation gain, 4 hours, moderate

More Info: 105 Hikes; Sea to Sky Gondola

Neverland Falls at the Sea to Sky Gondola

The trail network above the Sea to Sky Gondola has some real gems, but my favourite is Al’s Habrich Trail. You’ll find the Neverland Loop branching off from that trail, which leads to gorgeous Neverland Falls.

Stats: 10km return, 500m elevation gain, 6 hours, moderate/difficult

More Info: Outdoor Vancouver; Sea to Sky Gondola

Monmouth Falls in Squamish

These falls along Monmouth Creek are sometimes called Echo Falls since the creek flows out of Echo Lake. This hike is right next to downtown Squamish, but since its across the Squamish River, you’ll need to boat across to get to the trailhead. The trail climbs VERY steeply next to the creek to Echo Lake. Along the way, you’ll get spectacular views of strange rock formations and waterfalls.

Stats: 7km return, 950m elevation gain, 5 hours, difficult

More Info: Squamish Hiking

Crooked Falls in the Squamish River Valley

This unique waterfall consists of two tiers offset from each other. That’s why it’s “crooked”. Try to visit in the spring at the height of the snowmelt to see the falls at full flow.

Stats: 7km return, 400m elevation gain, 3 hours, moderate

More Info: My trail guide to Crooked Falls

High Falls in the Squamish River Valley

This steep trail climbs along the side of a steep gorge with views to High Falls below. Be careful near the edge as people have slipped and died here. On the way back you get great views of the Squamish River Valley

Stats: 12km loop, 650m elevation gain, 5 hours, moderate

More Info: My High Falls Creek trail guide

READ NEXT: Snow-Free Hikes in Vancouver: 100+ Year-round Trails

Whistler Waterfalls

Brandywine Falls on the Sea to Sky Highway

This 70 meter tall waterfall is one of BC’s most popular falls and one of the best hikes in Whistler. It’s an easy and flat walk from a parking lot next to the Sea to Sky Highway, so it’s a popular stop for tourists and roadtrippers. In the winter, you can snowshoe the trail.

Stats: 1km return, no elevation gain, 30 min, easy

More Info: My Brandywine Falls trail guide

Alexander Falls at Whistler Olympic Park

This gorgeous waterfalls requires next to no walking. You can pretty much see it from the parking lot. But it’s definitely worth getting out of the car and heading over to the viewing platform for a better look. In the winter, you can snowshoe to the base of Alexander Falls and see it covered in ice.

Stats: 0km, no elevation gain, 10 min, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails

Rainbow Falls in Whistler

Pretty little Rainbow Falls is located along the trail to Rainbow Lake in Whistler. It’s one of Whistler’s best easy hikes. You can just make the short trip to the falls if a full day outing to the lake is not your thing. It also makes a good winter snowshoe destination.

Stats: 2.3 km return, 130m elevation gain, 1-1.5 hours, easy

More Info: My Rainbow Falls Loop Trail guide

Pemberton Waterfalls

Nairn Falls in Pemberton

These short falls tumble through a granite gorge, carving out interesting curves in the rocks. There are two viewing platforms so you can see the falls from a few different angles. Nairn Falls is one of Whistler’s best hikes and also makes a great winter snowshoe hike.

Stats: 3km return, no elevation gain, 1.5 hours, easy

More Info: Vancouver Trails

Cool Creek Canyon Falls in Mount Currie

This off-the-beaten-track hike climbs up one side of Cool Creek canyon, then down the other. Along the way you’ll pass by rushing white water and several waterfalls.

Stats: 2km loop, 320m elevation gain, 2 hours, moderate

More Info: 105 Hikes

Bridal Veil Cascade on the Place Glacier Trail in Birken

This remote trail climbs very steeply up to the Place Glacier. The trail follows Place Creek which tumbles downhill, forming Bridal Veil Cascade in a deep chasm.

Stats: 12km return, 1335m elevation gain, 10 hours, very difficult

More Info: Pick up a copy of 103 Hikes in Southwestern BC for the best directions.

Holloway Falls at Joffre Lakes

Heads up: Day passes are required at Joffre Lakes in summer 2023. Learn more in my guide to BC Parks day passes.

The trail to Joffre Lakes was re-routed a few years ago. The old trail between the 2nd and 3rd lakes was nothing too special. But the new trail passes by beautiful Holloway Falls that cascades downhill on a set of rock steps.

Stats: 10km return, 370m elevation gain, 4 hours, moderate

More Info: My Joffre Lakes hiking guide

How many of these waterfalls near Vancouver have you hiked to? Which was your favourite? Tell me in the comments.

MORE VANCOUVER HIKES:

• The Best Vancouver Hiking Books
• 35 Vancouver Hikes You Can Get to on Transit
• Most Instagrammed Hikes in Vancouver (Updated for 2020)
• The 10 Best Hikes in Vancouver
• The Worst Hikes in Vancouver (And Where to Hike Instead)
• 15 Unusual Hikes Near Vancouver
• 100+ Snow-Free Hikes in Vancouver: Trails You Can Hike Year Round
• The Best Hikes in Whistler: A Guide to All the Trails

The post 40+ Waterfall Hikes Near Vancouver appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

This road trip starts and ends in Victoria, one of BC’s biggest cities, but most of the route goes through remote wilderness. There are tons of places to stop and hike, check out waterfalls, visit enormous trees, or walk on the beach. 

Unlike some of other trips on BC’s backroads, this one is entirely paved and you go through tiny (and adorable towns) every few hours. If you’re looking for a weekend of outdoorsy adventure on Vancouver Island, you’ve got to drive the Pacific Marine Circle Route. (It even made my list of the best weekend getaways from Vancouver.)

Hey there: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support. -Taryn

Driving Directions

The Pacific Marine Circle Route is a loop road trip that starts and ends in Victoria on Southern Vancouver Island. (If you didn’t know, Vancouver Island is a large island on the west coast of British Columbia, and is one of Canada’s most beautiful islands.)

The route is only about 260km long and can be driven in one day, but since there is so much to see along the way, many people prefer to take a few days. Driving directions are as follows:

• From Victoria go west along highway 14 to Port Renfrew
• Next, go inland to Lake Cowichan on Pacific Marine Road
• Follow the Cowichan River and highway 18 east to Duncan
• Finish by taking highway 1 south back to Victoria.

The entire route is well signed so you won’t get lost. You can travel the loop in either direction, but I did a clockwise loop so I’m describing it that way here. I also made a custom, clickable Google map for you with all the stops highlighted!

Road Conditions and Driving Tips

The entire Pacific Marine Circle Route is paved. It used to have a gravel portion between Port Renfrew and Lake Cowichan but it was paved almost a decade ago. Besides parts of the section on highway 1 between Duncan and Victoria, it’s a two lane road with few opportunities for passing.

There are several sections that are very twisty and despite being paved, the road is a bit bumpy. There are also a handful of single lane bridges. Most of the route (besides the portion on highway 1) has very little traffic.

Some parts of the Pacific Marine Circle Route are quite remote and there are a few stretches where you’ll go quite a while without passing any services.

In particular, there aren’t any stores, restaurants or gas stations between Sooke and Lake Cowichan except in Port Renfrew. There is a gas station in Port Renfrew but you can’t count on it being open so it’s best to fuel up in Sooke.

There is no cell coverage on the western part of the route. You will lose cell service between Sooke and Lake Cowichan. As I said, the road is well signed so as long as you stay on the main road, you will be fine.

However, if you plan to take any side trips off the main route you should bring paper maps or a GPS. (And believe me, I’ve got some side trips for you that are definitely worth it!)

I used the Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook on my roadtrip of the Pacific Marine Circle Tour. It was really helpful, especially at some confusing logging road junctions.

You can definitely drive the Pacific Marine Circle Route in a single day. It takes about 5 hours to drive with no stops. But many of the stops will take you an hour or more, so it’s best to split the trip up over several days. Two days is great but three or four is better.

It’s easy to rent a car in Victoria or at the Victoria Airport. I use Discover Cars because it lets you compare prices from lots of different car rental companies to get the best deal.

Places to Stop on the Pacific Marine Circle Route

East Sooke Regional Park

Explore the windswept coast in East Sooke Park. There are 50km of trails to choose from with varying difficult.

If you want a short walk, hike 5 minutes from the Aylard Farm trailhead to explore the nearby beach. If you have more time, hike some of the Coastal Trail. Bring a copy of the trail map to help you find your way.

To get to East Sooke Park, turn left onto Gillespie Road. Follow the signs to the park via East Sooke Road and Beecher Bay Road. Click here for google maps driving directions.

Sooke Potholes

The Sooke potholes are a popular place for swimming in the river rock pools when the water levels are low in the summer. (In the winter they just look like rapids.)  You can also hike on the numerous trails to get great views of the river.

The ruins of an old lodge sit right next to the edge of the river canyon. There’s a fence around the ruins, and they are officially off-limits, but the area has become a favourite for local graffiti artists.

To get to the Sooke Potholes turn right on Sooke River Road. If you cross the bridge over the Sooke River, you’ve gone too far. Follow Sooke River Road up the hill into Sooke Potholes Provincial Park. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

There is one river access point here, but for more river access points and the hiking trails, continue a few kilometers further to Sooke Potholes Regional Park.

Sooke

Make sure you stock up on gas and groceries in the little town of Sooke, BC (population 13,000). It’s the largest centre you’ll pass through until Lake Cowichan, about 130km further along the Pacific Marine Circle Route.

There are a few cafes, coffee shops and fast food options if you need to take a break. I like both The Stick in the Mud Coffee House and Serious Coffee.

Whiffin Spit

A sand spit over 1km long protects Sooke Harbour. Take a walk out along the spit to get great views of the calm Sooke basin on one side and the wilder Juan de Fuca straight on the other side. There’s a gravel trail out to the end of the spit and benches to sit on if you just want to take in the scenery.

To get to Whiffen Spit, turn left onto Whiffen Spit road about 2km after the round about in “downtown” Sooke. Follow the road to it’s end past the famous Sooke Harbour House hotel and restaurant. There’s a small parking lot and it can be very busy. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

Shirley Delicious

About 20 minutes past Sooke you’ll see a little A-frame cabin on the left hand side. That’s Shirley Delicious. It’s an adorable cafe, bakery and coffee shop that you can’t miss. The owner is so friendly.

To get to Shirley Delicious turn left onto Sheringham Point road about 20 minutes past Sooke. It’s right after you pass the Shirley Community Hall. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

 Sandcut Beach

For years I had seen amazing photos of the waterfall at Sandcut Beach on Instagram, so I was really stoked to finally see it for myself.

The water pours over the lip of the sandstone cliff onto the beach. In drier weather you can walk behind the falls, but when I visited in springtime, the flow of the falls was way too heavy.

To get to Sandcut Beach look for a small signed parking lot on your left about 10 minutes past Shirley Delicious. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

From the parking lot it’s a 10 minute hike through the forest to the beach. The trail can be muddy. Once at the beach, turn left and walk along the gravelly beach for another 5 minutes to the falls.

Mystic Beach

Mystic Beach is located at the southern end of the Juan de Fuca Trail, a 47km coastal backpack trip that I think of as the West Coast Trail’s younger cousin.

You don’t have to do the whole trail to visit Mystic Beach: you can hike 2 km down to the beach and admire the wild West Coast scenery.

The beach is a popular day hiking destination thanks to its photogenic waterfall. If you brought camping gear, you can camp overnight. (See my Juan de Fuca trail guide for more info.)

To get to Mystic Beach turn left into the China Beach day use parking lot in Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. It’s about 7 minutes past Sandcut Beach. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

It’s a 2km hike to the beach. Along the way you’ll cross a suspension bridge high over Pete Wolf Creek.

READ NEXT: Juan De Fuca Trail Guide: Backpacking on Vancouver Island

Sombrio Beach

Sombrio Beach is located around the mid-point of the Juan de Fuca Trail. It’s a popular place for walk-in camping on the beach as well as for surfing.

The beach stretches around a wide bay and there is lots to explore. One of the most interesting features of the beach is the waterfall hidden in a mossy canyon.

If you want to find the hidden waterfall, turn left and walk down the beach until you see an outhouse in the trees. A minute past the outhouse you’ll see a creek flowing out on to the beach. Follow the creek upstream to find the waterfall. (Be prepared to get your feet wet!)

The canyon is a sensitive place and is sacred to the Pacheedaht First Nation so please be respectful. There is already some graffiti in the canyon – please don’t add any more.

To get to Sombio Beach, drive 21km from the Mystic Beach parking lot. Look for a gravel road on your left. It may be signed for Sombio Beach but often the sign is missing. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

From here it’s a 2km drive on a rough gravel road down to the parking lot. Most regular cars can make it but it is very bumpy with lots of potholes so you might prefer to park at the top and walk down if you don’t have a 4wd.

From the parking lot it’s an easy 5 minute walk to the beach.

Port Renfrew

Port Renfrew is pretty unique. It’s a tiny town at the end of highway 14. Traditionally most people knew it as a great fishing spot or as one of the starting points for both the West Coast Trail and the Juan de Fuca Trail.

It’s a gritty little logging town that is slowly transforming itself into a cute eco-tourism hub thanks to its new reputation as the tall tree capital of Canada.

There isn’t a real designated centre to the town – it’s kind of spread out. Be sure to head down to the dock next to the Port Renfrew Pub at the end of highway 14 to grab some photos.

Port Renfrew makes a great basecamp for day trips in the area. On my trip we camped one night at the Pacheedaht campground and spend our second night in town at the fabulous waterfront Wild Renfrew cabins.

There is a small general store in town if you need supplies. The Port Renfew Pub is open year round and there are two other seasonal restaurants. There’s a seasonal gas station at the marina and a brand new gas station right at the entrance to town.

Botanical Beach and Botany Bay

If you are in the area, you can’t miss the tide pools at Botanical Beach. Located inside Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, the area is so ecologically diverse that marine biologists have been studying here for over 100 years.

Check the tide table before you go so you can time your visit for the lowest tides. Try to aim for a tide of 1.2m or less.

After exploring at Botanical Beach, take the loop trail heading west along the coast to Botany Bay. Along the way you’ll pass through beautiful coastal rainforest. There are several beach access trails at Botany Bay, plus a couple of great view points on the bluff above the beach.

The trail loops back to your starting point at the parking lot. The Botanical Beach/Botany Bay loop trail is 2.8km long and takes about an hour to hike… plus stops. (You’re going to want to make a LOT of stops.)

To get to the Botanical Beach and Botany Bay trailhead, turn left on to Cerantes Road where highway 14 dead-ends in front of the Port Renfrew Pub. Drive about 5 minutes on this road until it ends in the Botanical Beach parking lot of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug and Port Renfrew’s Big Trees

You can visit some of the world’s largest and oldest trees near Port Renfrew. Canada’s Gnarliest Cedar is in Avatar Grove, an easy 10km drive from town. Slightly further afield is Big Lonely Doug, the world’s second largest Douglas Fir.

Doug stands alone in a clearcut, so you can really get a sense of how tall he is. There are a few other record setting trees in the area as well including the Harris Creek Spruce, the Red Creek Fir and the San Juan Spruce.

You can visit all of the trees as a day trip from Port Renfrew or as part of your Pacific Marine Circle Tour road trip. A few of the trees require 4 wheel drive to visit, but most are on easily accessible (but bumpy) gravel roads.

I have a complete guide to visiting them all in my article How to Visit Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug and Other Big Trees on Vancouver Island.

READ NEXT: How to Visit Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug and Other Big Trees

Fairy Lake

Fairy Lake is just outside Port Renfrew. There’s a campsite there and a short nature trail, but the real star is the internet-famous bansai tree of Fairy Lake. This plucky little tree is growing out of a partially submerged log near the edge of the lake.

If you come in the spring like I did, the lake level will be high and the partially submerged log will be almost entirely underwater.

To see the tree drive past the entrance to the Fairy Lake Recreate Site Campground and pull over on to the gravel shoulder once the lake comes in to view. This is the best place to see the tree. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

Lake Cowichan

The town of Lake Cowichan is pretty small, but compared to Port Renfrew, it’s a metropolis. This is a great place to stop for gas, groceries or something to eat. You may also want to stretch your legs with a walk along the lakeshore at the community park.

Cowichan Valley Trail

Just outside of Lake Cowichan you can access the Cowichan Valley Trail. This trail is actually part of the Trans-Canada Trail.

The Cowichan Valley Trail is built on an old rail bed. It has a crushed gravel surface that makes it great for easy walks or bike rides. The trail also crosses a few old wooden train trestles high above the valley.

The main access point for the Cowichan Valley Trail is right in the town of Lake Cowichan on Cowichan Lake road just before you turn on to highway 18. You can also access it via several side roads off highway 18. There’s lots more info on the TrailsBC website.

Cowichan River Footpath

If you want a slightly more challenging (but still easy) hike, head to the Cowichan River Footpath in Cowichan River Provincial Park. This footpath meaders next to the Cowichan River through lush rain forests downstream to an old train trestle bridge over then river, then heads back up the other side.

You can start and finish your hike at Skutz Falls, a popular swimming hole in the summer and a great place to watch salmon jump up the fish ladders in the fall.

To get to the Cowichan River Footpath, turn right onto Mayo Road from highway 18 about 9km from Lake Cowichan. Follow Mayo Road downhill to the river and park near the bridge. The trail starts from either side of the bridge. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

Duncan and the Cowichan Valley

The town of Duncan and the Cowichan Valley are the agricultural heart of Southern Vancouver Island. There are tons of farms, wineries, and dairies. Try to time your visit so you can shop at the farmers market in Duncan on Saturdays or Cobble Hill on Sundays (summer only). Some of the farms and wineries also have on-site shops and tasting rooms.

Malahat Drive

In order to get back to Victoria you’ll have to climb up and over the Malahat Summit. Rising 300m above the waters of Saanich Inlet, Malahat Summit isn’t really that high up, but it still provides excellent views.

There are a few viewpoints but you can only access them in you are driving north. If you are southbound, you’ll have to continue past them to the next U-turn location.

I haven’t had a chance to visit yet, but the Malahat Skywalk is also a great place for incredible views. It’s a huge circular elevated walkway that rises out of the forest. You can walk back down or take a ride on their slide.

Save time by buying tickets in advance.

Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

Goldstream Provincial Park

At the end of the Malahat, just before reaching Victoria, lies Goldstream Provincial Park. This popular park has tons of hiking trails and a campground.

If you want a mountain hike, head up the steep trail to Mount Finlayson. If you’re after waterfalls, visit BC’s very own Niagara Falls on a short 1.3km hike.

The park is also a great place to go bird watching – it’s even on the BC Bird Trail. On a recent visit I strolled on the streamside path and spotted eagles, American dippers, and common mergansers.

To get to Goldstream Provincial Park turn left onto Finlayson Arm Road just as the highway finishes it’s descent to sea level fro the Malahat. There is a flashing traffic light at this intersection and a provincial parks sign. The parking lot is just off the highway. Click here for Google Maps driving directions.

Langford

Before heading back to Victoria, stop in the city of Langford. Located on the outskirts of Victoria, it’s the fastest growing community in BC. That means that for a suburban centre, it has incredible food.

Don’t miss a show-stopper meal at House of Boateng. I had an incredible six course long table dinner at their nearby event space, but you can book in to their award-winning restaurant as well.

If you’re looking for something more casual, Rhino Coffee has great doughnuts, sandwiches, and of course coffee. And don’t miss the incredible handmade ice cream at Parachute Ice Cream.

Where to Stay

There are lots of accommodation options on the Pacific Marine Circle Route, from cute cabins, to waterfront campsites to posh inns. If you’re just staying one night, it makes the most sense to base yourself in Port Renfrew as it’s essentially the half-way point.

If your trip is a bit longer, you could consider booking accommodation in Sooke, Lake Cowichan, the Cowichan Valley, or Langford as well.

On one of my trips we actually spent two nights in Port Renfrew as you can take lots of great day trips from there. (You can’t miss Avatar Grove and Big Lonely Doug!)

In Port Renfrew I recommend the cabins at Wild Renfrew. They are right on the pier in Port Renfrew near the pub. The cabins have covered patios overlooking the ocean and gas powered fire pits. It was great to sit on the patio, listening to the rain on the roof after a long day of exploring.

Want more ideas for cozy cabins in the area? Check out my list of the best cabin rentals in BC.

For a splurge, stay at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort in Langford at the beginning or end of your Pacific Marine Circle Route road trip. It has a beautiful mountain top location and a great on-site restaurant. It also makes a good base for foodie stops in Langford or trips to Goldstream Provincial Park.

If you’re rather camp, there are lots of options along the route. I love the Pacheedaht campground just outside Port Renfrew. It’s right on the beach and the sunsets are spectacular!

Here’s a list of all the campgrounds you’ll pass on the Pacific Marine Circle Route:

• Sooke Potholes Regional Park
• Sooke River Campground
• French Beach Provincial Park
• Jordan River Regional Park
• Juan de Fuca Provincial Park China Beach Campground
• Juan de Fuca Provincial Park Sombrio Beach Campground (walk-in only)
• Pacheedaht Campground: Phone 250-647-0090
• Fairy Lake Recreation Site
• Lizard Lake Recreation Site
• Lakeview Park Campsite
• Cowichan River Provincial Park
• Bamberton Provincial Park
• Goldstream Provincial Park

I’ve driven the Pacific Marine Circle Route a few times, and I just keep going back. In particular I love Port Renfrew. It’s a tiny logging town that is transitioning to eco-tourism while (mostly) retaining its gritty roots. And to me that’s so quintessentially BC. You have to go visit!  Have you already been? Let me know in the comments.

READ NEXT:

• How to Visit Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug and Other Big Trees on Vancouver Island
• Juan De Fuca Trail Guide: Backpacking on Vancouver Island
• Hiking the Big Tree Trail on Meares Island
• Four Outdoor Adventures on Galiano Island
• Wild Side Trail: Hiking and Camping Guide
• 20+ Beautiful Weekend Getaways from Vancouver
• Your Guide to the West Coast Trail in British Columbia
• Cape Scott Trail Guide: Hiking and Camping on Northern Vancouver Island
• Kayaking in the Johnstone Strait: Everything You Need to Know
• Things to do on North Vancouver Island

The post Pacific Marine Circle Route Road Trip Guide appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

Hey there: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. Thanks for supporting my website! -Taryn

Getting to Wells Gray Provincial Park

As I said, the park is Huuuuge (with a capital “H”). There are a few different areas to visit with different access points, but the one I’ll focus on here is the Clearwater Valley, also known as the Wells Gray Corridor. Everything in the corridor, including the 8 waterfalls I visited is accessed off the Clearwater Valley Road near Clearwater, BC an hour north of Kamloops.

It’s a 5 hour drive to Clearwater from Vancouver. You start out on highway 1, take the Coquihalla (aka highway 5) to Kamloops, then continue through Kamloops and go north to Clearwater. Here’s Google Maps directions if you want them. Once you get to Clearwater, go left through the roundabout to get onto Clearwater Valley Road. This road runs north 70km through Wells Gray Provincial Park to it’s end at Clearwater Lake. The first 37km is surrounded by a lot of private land so you will pass numerous cabins, ranches, lodges and even a golf course. The road is paved for the first 43km, but then it turns to gravel. (The gravel part is excellent as gravel roads go and is fine for regular cars, even after it rains.)

Before you start up Clearwater Valley Road towards Wells Gray, be sure to stop at the visitor center at the roundabout. They have knowledgeable staff, free park maps and a gift shop. In this post, I’ve listed the waterfalls in Wells Gray’s corridor region in the order you’ll encounter them along your drive. Reset your odometer at the visitor center and refer to the kilometer markers in the text below to find each waterfall. (For the more popular waterfalls, there will also be giant road signs to show the way.)

How Did the Waterfalls Form?

So you might be wondering: Why are there so many waterfalls all in the same small area? How did they form? It turns out the waterfalls in Wells Gray use the same secret formula as my other favourite waterfall destination, Iceland: volcanoes + glaciers = waterfall magic. (Caution: #geologynerd talk ahead. You’ve been warned!)

The whole Wells Gray area is part of a massive volcanic complex that dumped lava over the landscape, which hardened into lava rock called basalt . During the last ice age, glaciers covered the basalt. When the volcanoes erupted underneath the glaciers, the ice melted, causing huge floods that carved deep river canyons. Now, the volcanoes are dormant and the glaciers are gone, but the river canyons remain. The waterfalls in Wells Gray continue to erode the river canyons, pushing the canyons further and further upstream. Compared to granite, basalt is relatively weak and erodes quickly, which is why it is so common to find waterfalls in volcanic areas.

Spahats Falls

The first of the park’s spectacular waterfalls is 75m high Spahats Falls. Spahats means “bear” in the local First Nations language. (Although it is humorous to imagine what a “spa hat” would look like. Maybe a towel worn turban style?) To get to the falls, turn left off the main road 10.2km from the visitor center. From the large parking area it is a short 250m walk to the canyon rim. The falls cascade down from a notch in the cliff. The best view is from the wooden viewing platform, but be sure to walk along the fence towards the falls to see it from other angles.

Pro tip: Be sure to buy some chocolate and a fresh-made-while-you-wait Belgian sugar waffle from the Helmcken Chocolates stand in the parking lot. It’s run by Belgian expats living in Clearwater and the waffles are insanely good since they are made in the proper Liege style using a yeasty dough (not a batter!) and pearl sugar.  Om nom nom.

Moul Falls

While several of Wells Gray’s most popular waterfalls can be viewed from practically next to your car, you’ll have to hike to reach Moul Falls. Thankfully this easy hike is mostly flat and only 3km each way. Give yourself about 2 hours plus time at the falls. At 35m high Moul Falls is not the tallest waterfall in Wells Gray Park, but it is one of the most spectacular since you can walk right behind it.

To find the trailhead turn left into the small parking lot 20.7km from the visitor center. The trail follows an old road for the first 1.7km before turning left onto a trail marked with an arrow and a “Moul Falls” sign. The trail heads downhill towards a creek and reaches the top of the waterfall. There’s a fenced viewing area here, but it’s hard to see much of anything. Continue on the trail as it goes left along the top of the cliff then steeply descends via switchbacks and stairs to the base of the falls. Bring a rain jacket if you choose to take the path behind the falls because you’ll definitely get wet. (So worth it though!) There’s also a cave on the left of the falls that is cool to check out. When you’re done, retrace your steps back to your car. Note that there are no toilets at the trailhead or on the trail so please follow Leave No Trace principles.

Dawson Falls

Dawson Falls has earned the nickname “Little Niagara Falls” since apparently it has the same proportions as its famous namesake. It’s 20m high and 90m across…pretty spectacular. (The real thing is 99m high and 790m wide). To visit this waterfall in Wells Gray, turn right into the parking lot 40.9km from the visitor center. A trail leads along the top of the cliff and then parallels the main road. After about 450m you’ll arrive at the first viewpoint on a bluff. From here you can see the whole falls and I think it’s actually the better view. If you want an up-close view, continue on the trail for another 250m to the second viewpoint. This one is directly over the top of the falls and gives you a great perspective on their height. Allow 10 minutes each way for the walk.

Helmcken Falls

Just a little ways up the road from Dawson Falls you’ll find Helmcken Falls, the crown jewel of Wells Gray. This spectacular waterfall drops 141m, making it the 4th highest waterfall in Canada. In Wells Gray terms, it’s almost twice as high as Spahats Falls! To get to the Helmcken Falls, turn left off the main road 42.5km from the visitor center onto a side road and follow it until its end at the parking area. It’s a short walk to the cliff edge and viewing platform. Be sure to walk the full length of the fence to see Helmcken Falls and its plunge pool from a few different angles. It’s hard to get an idea of the immense scale of Helmcken Falls from photos: you just have to see it yourself. (But maybe the below aerial photo will help?)

If you want a completely different perspective with no guard rails and waaay less people, you can hike to the other side the canyon rim. The trail flat trail is 4km each way. The trailhead is at a parking lot 42.4km from the visitor center, just before the road crosses a bridge.

I’ve also seen spectacular photos of Helmcken Falls in the winter when the spray from the falls creates a huge cone of ice that can be up to 50m tall. I’d love to go back in the winter time to see it.

Bailey’s Chute, Marcus Falls and Myanth Falls

If you want to get a bit off the beaten path, check out the West Lake Loop trail. It starts at Bailey’s Chute, then passes by Marcus Falls and Myanth Falls before returning to the start via teeny, tiny West Lake. In any other park these waterfalls would be a key attraction, but after the grandeur of Helmcken, Spahats and Dawson Falls, they can feel a little… inadequate. But if you are up for a short hike, these diminutive waterfalls are worth your time. It will take you about 2 hours to hike the whole 6.5km loop.

To get to the trailhead turn right off Clearwater Valley Road 59.3km from the visitor center into a parking lot. From the parking lot, cross the road to the picnic area next to the river where trail starts on the right hand side. Follow the trail downhill for about 800m to Bailey’s Chute. Bailey’s Chute oh-so-badly wants to be a waterfall but really it’s more of a steep rapid. It is 10m high though. This is the farthest that salmon can travel up the Clearwater River so be sure to look for them jumping during the fall spawning season. There’s a small viewing platform and when the water is lower you can scramble right onto onto the waterworn rocks for a closer look.

Continue following the trail along the river to reach Marcus Falls at the 1.6km mark. Marcus Falls is only 5m high, but it’s quite wide (about 100m). There’s a small viewing area behind a fence. The next waterfall is Myanth Falls at the 3.4km point. It is 3m high and nearly as wide as Marcus Falls. Just before Myanth falls there is a large rocky beach that makes a great place for a lunch break. After Myanth Falls the trail climbs up away from the river and begins to head back south towards the start. The trail winds through forest and past tiny West Lake before rejoining the main trail near Bailey’s Chute.

Osprey Falls

The final waterfall on the Clearwater Valley Road is Osprey Falls at the south end of Clearwater Lake. The falls are the outlet of the lake. A couple dozen unfortunate boaters have been swept over the falls (and most didn’t survive). Osprey Falls is not tall at only 3m, but it is half a kilometer wide! The falls stretches across the end of the lake in a long “L” shape and is broken up by a few small islands, which makes it hard to see the whole thing at once.

If you want to get close to part of the falls, there is a small viewing platform that you can access from the Clearwater Lake campground. If you aren’t staying in the campground, park in the small pull out at the information board 65.6km from the visitor center. Walk towards the river on the grassy path across the road from the sign. Once you get to the wooden cooking shelter, turn right and walk down the campground road. Find the short trail to the viewpoint between sites 19 and 21.

Where to stay

Camping in Wells Gray Provincial Park

There are three campgrounds in the main park corridor: Clearwater Lake, Falls Creek and Pyramid. The Clearwater Lake and Falls Creek campgrounds are located right next to each other at the outlet of Clearwater Lake at the far end of the corridor. Many campsites have views of the lake or the Clearwater River. These two campgrounds are a bit of a drive from the main waterfalls, but they are the nicest places to camp inside the park. They both cost $23/night. Falls Creek is 100% reservable. Clearwater Lake is 50% reservable, 50% first come, first served. Falls Creek has 41 sites and Clearwater Lake has 39. You can make reservations online via the BC Parks website.

Halfway down the corridor near Dawson Falls and the Helmcken Falls turnoff you will find Pyramid campground. I haven’t stayed there, but the campground has a reputation for being very buggy. There are 50 sites and they are all first come, first served. It’s only $20 to camp at Pyramid.

If you can’t get a site inside Wells Gray Park, you can also camp just outside the park near Clearwater. North Thompson River Provincial Park is just a 10 minute drive outside of town on (you guessed it!) the North Thompson River. It has 60 sites at $23 each, 88% of which are reservable. There are also several RV parks in and near Clearwater.

Hotels and Cabins near Wells Gray Provincial Park

There are lots of hotels and resorts in nearby Clearwater and on the approach road to the park. Cedar Haven Cabins and Resort has log cabins and luxurious glamping tents right near the park. They are one of my picks for the best cabin getaways in BC.

More Info

Be sure to stop in at the visitor center in Clearwater before you head into the park. Find it at the roundabout where Clearwater Valley Road leaves Highway 5. The local tourism organization also has a great website with lots of info. Check out wellsgray.ca.

The absolute best book on the area is Exploring Wells Gray Park by Roland Neave. First published in 1974, the 6th edition is now available. It’s an amazing resource for everything you ever wanted to know about Wells Gray from history to hiking. You can buy it at the park visitor center in Clearwater or on Amazon.

So there you go, 8 waterfalls on 70km of beautiful park road. As I said earlier: volcanoes + glaciers = waterfall magic, right? I can’t wait to go back and explore more in this park. Do you have questions about visiting waterfalls in Wells Gray Provincial Park? Where’s your favourite waterfall? Tell me in the comments.

Read Next

• Want to visit a whole bunch of waterfalls, but closer to Vancouver? I’ve got a Fraser Valley Waterfall Road Trip itinerary for you.
• Tired of crowded Sea to Sky area waterfalls? Check out Crooked Falls in Squamish instead.
• Like your waterfalls with a side of giant old growth cedar? Hike to Kennedy Falls and the Big Cedar in North Vancouver.
• Love the waterfall magic combo of glaciers and volcanoes? Drool over some gorgeous photos of Icelandic waterfalls from my winter road trip in Iceland.
• Wells Gray Park made my list of 20+ Beautiful Weekend Getaways from Vancouver
• Plan a cabin getaway: Cozy Cabins near Vancouver Perfect for a Weekend Getaway

The post Chasing Waterfalls in Wells Gray Provincial Park appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.

This is a sensitive wilderness area. Learn how to Leave No Trace to keep the wilderness wild. Make sure you are prepared by bringing the 10 Essentials. Get ready for adventure with this checklist of things to do before every hike.

This waterfall is interesting because… well it’s crooked, like the name. In cascades down the Sigurd Creek directly into a rock bluff, where it makes a sharp 90 degree turn before flowing downhill.  And you get to stand on the rock bluff! (I shot the video from there.) It’s a bit of a drive to get there, but the hike isn’t too difficult and the views are certainly worth it.

Driving Directions to Crooked Falls

Click for full driving directions from Vancouver . (But if you do use these directions, be aware that you will lose cell service outside Squamish so you’ll need an off-line version of the map).

Drive highway 99 to Squamish. North of Squamish turn west (left) on to Squamish Valley road – this is the same intersection as the entrance to Alice Lake Provincial Park, but you want the road on the other side of the highway.  Follow this road to a bridge over the Cheakamus River. Immediately after the bridge the road forks – go left to stay on the Squamish Valley road. The road has speed bumps as it passes through the Cheakamus Indian Reserve. Follow this road for about 19km past some homes and ranches to the end of the pavement.

Past here you will be on the Squamish Forest Service Road, which is gravel and can be dusty, but any 2WD drive car can make it to the trailhead. About 1km after the road turns to gravel, watch for a big bridge on your left – it may be signed Ashlu Main Forest Service Road or Squamish Riverside Campground. Turn left to cross the big bridge, go past the campground (on your right), then cross another smaller bridge. Stay on the main Ashlu road for another 2km or so, then cross two smaller bridges over the Ashlu river. Right after the second bridge, park your car. The overgrown logging road heading uphill on the lefthand side of the road is the trailhead (and it has a sign that says Sigurd Trail).

Crooked Falls Hike

Distance: 7km round trip

Elevation gain: About 400m

Hikeable all year round since maximum elevation is around 500m so you are unlikely to encounter snow in the winter.  Best in the spring if you want to see the falls at maximum flow.

The BCMC (British Columbia Mountaineering Club) built and maintains the trail as it accesses some mountaineering and scrambling objectives higher up the mountain. The trail is well-built and well marked with orange squares so it is easy to follow. From the trailhead where you parked your car walk about 15 minutes uphill on the old road. At a switchback where the road curves right, look for a trail heading left with a “Sigurd Trail” sign.

At this point you are on a narrow trail that sometimes widens up enough for you to tell that you are on another, even older road. You’ll pass below a huge rock wall covered in dripping moss and get glimpses of the Squamish valley through the trees. After a few hundred meters you’ll pass another trail sign indicating that the trail heads sharply up the hill.

The trail climbs steeply uphill for a few minutes before popping out on a rocky bluff with a great view of the Squamish River valley.

Past the viewpoint the trail climbs steeply with a few breaks and passes lots of mossy rock walls, a giant boulder and a few patches of more mellow forest.

After about an hour of hiking you’ll come to a junction. The trail to the falls heads off to the left, while the trail to the right travels all the way up into the alpine to the mountaineering routes on Sigurd Peak and Pelion Mountain and Ossa Mountain.

From the junction Crooked Falls is only a few hundred meters away. The trail to the falls sidehills along on some steep slopes and loses a little bit of elevation. As you get closer you can start to hear the roar of the falls.

Viewing Crooked Falls

The trail will take you to the main (central) viewpoint for the Crooked Falls which is also the closest you can get to the falls. In the spring when snowmelt is at it’s peak, the falls are spectacular and kick up a lot of spray so it’s hard to keep your camera dry, let alone yourself – it’s a bit like walking too close to a sprinkler! When we were there it was so wet that even though it hadn’t rained in weeks, there were puddles and mud at the viewpoints from all the spray.

If you head steeply downhill to the left of the main viewpoint for a few meters you’ll emerge on to a rocky outcropping – this is the left viewpoint (which you can see from the main viewpoint). You have a slightly more pulled back view of the falls from here, but if anything, it’s even wetter.

For yet another perspective you can take a faint trail heading right from near the main viewpoint. This trail goes downhill a few meters to a small gully back at the base of Crooked Falls. You can scramble down nearly to water level to a point where it feels like you are just behind the falls. You can even look out across the falls to the mountains in Garibaldi Provincial Park. How cool is that?

Once you are done seeing the falls from all three viewpoints, retrace your steps back down the trail to your car. After your hike you can drive back towards the Squamish River to find a nice place put your feet in the river and enough the views.

Have you hiked to Crooked Falls in Squamish? Do you have any other underrated Sea to Sky waterfalls to share?

More Things to do Near Squamish:

• 70+ Things to do in Squamish (By a Local)
• The Best Hikes in Squamish, BC (From a Local)
• Camping in Squamish, BC: 22 Places to Camp Near Squamish
• Hike to Mount Crumpit in Squamish
• Brohm Lake Hike in Squamish (By a Local)

More Waterfall Hikes:

• 40+ Waterfall Hikes Near Vancouver
• Langdale Falls Hike on the Sunshine Coast, BC
• Fraser Valley Waterfall Hike Road Trip
• Chasing Waterfalls in Wells Gray Provincial Park

The post Hike to Crooked Falls in Squamish appeared first on Dawn Outdoors.