Vancouver’s Best Hikes For Every Skill Level

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I love Vancouver for being an outdoorsy city. Calling this place home for the last 10 years I have become even more of a nature lover than I was even before. I’ve done Vancouver hikes in the past but not really as many as in the summer of 2020 when being outdoors has been the thing to do. It’s a way to socialize with friends at a safe distance. A way to get away from the crowds. Hiking has become one of my favorite pastimes and I feel like I’ve been doing really well at upping my skill level. But you don’t have to be a hard core athlete to enjoy some of Vancouver’s best hikes. Today I’m sharing some hikes I’ve personally done and some helpful information to let you see whether they work for your skill level or not.

What you’ll need for Vancouver’s best hikes

As with any hike it’s essential to be prepared. Don’t just rock up with a small bottle of water and your camera. You’ll need proper provisions, and know that you are hiking in wild animal country. Here are a list of my MUST HAVE ESSENTIALS for any day hike:

1. Comfortable hiking boots/shoes – running shoes/sneakers will only get you so far on some of these trails. Invest in some good shoes
2. A hiking backpack – preferably something with a compartment for your hydration pack and water bottle
3. A sturdy water bottle – I love my Nalgene water bottle
4. Extra water – I would suggest either a hydration bladder or a collapsible water bottle. I have this Platypus water bottle that I love
5. Lifestraw – I’ve almost run out of water before, this thing is handy
6. Bug spray – something to ward off the mosquitoes. You’ll thank me later
7. Sunblock – some of these trails can be exposed and on hot days you’ll want to protect your skin
8. Trekking poles – this is a preference. I like them for some of the hikes I do. Rocky hikes they don’t work as well. I’ve used these Black Diamond ones and really liked them

Quarry Rock

• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Length: 3.8 km round trip (2.36 miles)
• Time needed: 1-1.5 hours
• Elevation: 194m (636 ft)
• Highlights: Views of Deep Cove and the Indian Arm inlet in North Vancouver
• Parking: Paid parking is limited and some of the parking lots have been closed around COVID, so you might have to park further away in a 2 hour parking spot and walk back to the trail.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Quarry Rock Trail Head has been closed on and off in 2020 so check in advance for current conditions. The trail head will be fenced off and is impassible. But other parts of the Baden Powell Trail leading to it may still be open.

Quarry Rock Trail

Looking for an easy, short day hike? Quarry Rock is one of Vancouver’s best hikes for that. It gets busy as it is very popular so I would start earlier in the day or go on a weekday. The hike starts with a steady incline up a very well laid out path through the forest. Continue up and along wooden boardwalks, bridges and past small streams. The hike is full of giant trees to marvel at and it’s a nice easy hike with very minimal technicality. This is basically built for families and a quick jaunt through the woods. But of course it can get warm and the sections of stairs will give your legs a bit of a workout. The magnificent views from the top are the best part though. Look out over Deep Cove and the Indian Arm inlet. Read more about this hike here.

Cedar Tree Trail and Kennedy Falls

• Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
• Length: 10.9 km (6.7 miles)
• Time needed: 4-5 hours
• Elevation: 422m (1384 ft)
• Highlights: Varied terrain and waterfalls at the end of the hike
• Parking: The FREE parking lot at the start of the trail is large enough but can still get full due to how many trails there are from here. Get there early to avoid disappointment.

Kennedy Falls Trail

On All Trails, this hike said it would take about 3-3.5 hours, however I found taking it a little slower was better given the number of obstacles like small streams, rocky areas, fallen trees to climb over and even a couple of steep inclines (one of which has a rope assist if you need it).

The trail starts out in the Mount Fromme parking lot and takes a path to get to the start of the trail that is classed as “beginner”, however if you continue on to the end to see Kennedy Falls it’s definitely a little more than beginner. Bring plenty of water as the uphills and climbing around the many roots and trees will make you thirsty. Plan to take a break and rest a bit along the way and especially at the falls. The forested trail is really beautiful and is a really great workout. Arrive early to snag a parking spot.

Mount Seymour Trail

• Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
• Length: 6.8km – 8.2km (4.2-5 miles)
• Time needed: 3-5 hours
• Elevation: 474-577 m (1555-1893 ft)
• Highlights: Amazing viewpoints at the top, with some nice small lakes along the way
• Parking: Free (a lot of the time, check for times) and the parking lot is rather large, you shouldn’t have any issues parking mid-week although I can’t really say for weekends. It seems like there would be lots of space though.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: As of July 2020 until further notice, a day pass is required to hike. They are free but only available on the day from 6am. Choose either morning or afternoon and you’ll get a confirmation. They will check for this.

Mount Seymour Trail (Pump Peak)

Mount Seymour in my opinion has some of Vancouver’s best hikes. The Mount Seymour Trail I’m referencing here is an out and back trail, but this also means you can make it as long or short as you want. Along the trail there are three main peaks you are aiming for. To complete the first peak you will need about 3 hours round trip and on average an extra hour to your round trip time for each additional peak you go to. Hence the varied time length I gave. The trail starts off with a bit of an incline but gets trickier the further you go. Small rocks change to big rocks and boulders you will have to clamber over and up. You’ll have to step up high to get over some.

Another big thing about this trail is there are a LOT of bugs. Not the usual mosquitoes, but more just those tiny flies than annoy the heck out of you by always being around your face. I’m almost sure that sweat makes them worse. But annoying as they are, the views at the top are incredible, and there are some great sitting spots with a phenomenal view over Vancouver and the Pacific Ocean on a nice clear day. Pace yourself and bring plenty of water. Follow the orange flags for the trail. We veered off up a ski hill at one point which was a bit of a wasted exertion.

Remember to take a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, like this one from FastTech

The Lions Binkert Trail

• Difficulty: Hard
• Length: 12.4km (7.7 miles)
• Time needed: 7-8 hours
• Elevation: 1285m (4215 ft)
• Highlights: Fantastic views of Howe Sound and the islands from the top as well as the Lions mountain range; waterfalls along way
• Parking: Pay parking for $3/hr with limited space (like 20 spaces). Best bet is nearby street parking. Make sure to avoid permit parking areas and instead aim for parts with no restrictions. Plug in 220 Mountain Drive on your map and keep going along that street for more.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Arrive early. For one thing this is a long trail, for another the parking in Lions Bay is tough. We got there at 8am and got probably the last spot. From Mountain Drive it’s still a kilometer walk to the start of the trail. If you end up in the overflow parking lot it’s even further and down a steep hill.

The Lions Binkert Trail

We didn’t actually mean to do this trail. We were aiming for Tunnel Bluffs, a moderate but more leisurely 3+ hour hike. Instead we forgot to turn off and ended up committed to the Lions Trail instead. It all turned out well but the day was much longer and harder than expected. Take LOTS of water and snacks (even a lunch if you can). Also there will be a lot of uphill, a lot of scrambling and there are some technical areas such as a couple of small ladders, bridges and big boulders to climb over. The trail starts with a steady to steep incline over a rocky logging road. It eventually levels out into a nice forest trail, but there are still a lot of roots and rocks to watch out for under foot.

Then you’ll start with another rocky road ascent before getting to a burnt sign with two trail options. Turn right and head down past a river over a bridge. After this it’s very much uphill and a lot of climbing. Follow the orange arrows and trail markers and at the end you’ll reach the plateau with a phenomenal view. For the view alone I would say this is one of Vancouver’s best hikes. Sit, relax and breath it in. We stayed about an hour. You can continue to West Lion but this is at least another hour and mostly uphill so we stopped here. The return is quite grueling on the knees given all the rocks and downhills. Overall a great trail, a sweaty workout and you’ll sleep really well after.

The Grouse Grind

• Difficulty: Hard
• Length: 2.9km (1.8 miles)
• Time needed: 1-2 hours (plus time for exploring)
• Elevation: 853m (2800 ft)
• Highlights: Access to one of Vancouver’s top attractions at a fraction of the cost, views of North Vancouver and downtown Vancouver, grizzly bears (safely caged)
• Parking: Pay parking for $8/3hr or $10 for all day. Large lot with overflow parking available too. Can be busy on weekends

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Aside from parking there is an additional charge to do the Grouse Grind. This is a one way trail up Grouse Mountain and people aren’t allowed to hike down the mountain (only up). This is due to the narrow trail and how steep it is, so you will have to pay the $15-20 gondola charge to get down.

Grouse Grind Trail

I’m including this because it is one of Vancouver’s best known hikes. It is popular mostly because people see it as a challenge. Known locally as “The Grind” it’s exactly as it sounds. A hard slog for a short distance up the side of a mountain. Grouse Mountain to be exact. The trail is well maintained but busy. It’s mostly stairs which is something I hate. The Grind is nicknamed Nature’s StairMaster for good reason. The good thing is the trail doesn’t take too long. People actually do this trail again and again in a bid to beat their previous times. The current leader is at 23 minutes and 48 seconds. But comfortably this hike will take you about an hour, maybe longer if you stop for much needed water breaks.

I’m not going to lie to you, this one will be far from fun. This is more workout than anything else. But the views from the top are incredible, even if you do have crowds to deal with to get there. As of 2020 you have to book a time to do the hike so they are limiting people at certain times. I think this is mostly because the only way down is to take the Grouse Mountain gondola which is an additional charge (see above). But despite the crowds, the fees and the grueling ascent this still remains one of Vancouver’s best hikes according to many locals. I’ll let you decide.

Vancouver’s best hikes

Of course these are just a fraction of the many trails we have in and around the Vancouver area. Considering all of our mountains there are a number of higher elevation trails to enjoy. But if you go further into the valley towards Chilliwack and Hope there are a number of lower elevation hikes that are just as much fun. The point is that no matter where you hike to around Vancouver you’ll be certain there will be a good view.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Which of Vancouver’s best hikes are you most interested in trying? Have you got any other recommendations?