There are quite a few reasons you should visit Vancouver, a city that is often considered to be one of the world’s best places to live. As the best-known city in the province of British Columbia, Vancouver has a very interesting official motto: “By Sea, Land, and Air We Prosper,” and it happens to be very descriptive of the quality of life you can find here.

Hiking Note by TracksAndTrails : Hikers, after you are inspired by this article and want to explore the beauty of Vancouver, BC, review the 10 hiking essentials. 

The downtown area of Vancouver is clean, sleek, and ultra-modern, but it happens to be surrounded by pristine natural scenery that simply begs to be explored. If you are curious about hiking opportunities in Vancouver, the first thing you should know is that there are dozens of trails near the city and hundreds more just outside of the urban centers. Vancouver hiking is one of the many outdoor activities regularly enjoyed by locals, and it can be a great experience for visitors.

Vancouver hiking trails range from leisure strolls around lakes to challenging mountain paths that require patience, stamina, and trekking experience. The following recommendations for Vancouver hiking take into account visitors, which means that you will find them very scenic, accessible, and reasonably easy to accomplish. With all this in mind, here are the four of the best Vancouver hiking trails you may want to complete during your visit.

The Dog Mountain Trail

As part of the Seymour Provincial Park of British Columbia, Dog Mountain has the distinction of being one of the easiest trails for hikers who wish to get a nice view of downtown Vancouver from a vantage point. If you want to share a captivating Instagram post about your Vancouver hiking trip, the Dog Mountain summit will not let you down because it is easy to take a selfie with the city in the background. 

Thanks to the hard work of the B.C. Parks staff, this trail is always in good condition, but the best time to hike it is definitely in late spring or early summer. It should take you about two hours to summit, and you will be rewarded with great views not only of Vancouver but also Fraser Valley. The trail begins and ends at the parking lot of the Seymour Mountain ski resort, which is about 40 minutes outside of Vancouver.

The Lynn Lake Trail

Located in North Vancouver, this all-day hike is more challenging than scenic; it is not for beginners, and even experienced hikers will want to visit the BC Parks website to read the information and warnings about this trail.

You will not want to try hiking Lynn Lake in the winter unless you are pretty good at snowshoe trekking and camping in the snow. At the same time, you will not want to attempt this hike in the midst of the snow melting period; instead, you should wait until the dry days of summer so that there will be less chances of slipping on wet rocks. 

The most appealing aspect of Lynn Lake is being able to log it into your trail book because by the time you reach the highest point of 800 meters, you would have already gained 600 meters of net elevation from the starting point.

The Quarry Rock Trail

This is one of the most popular Vancouver hiking trails among local residents, and the popularity is in large part owed to a local restaurant named Honey’s Doughnuts, which makes fresh pastries you can keep in your backpack for enjoyment on the trail. 

Quarry Rock is a section of a larger trail located in the northwestern part of Vancouver; the trail starts at the upscale Deep Cove neighborhood, where you can see spectacular waterfront real estate before you cross pine forests, rocky formations, bridges, and meadows.

You will experience a net gain elevation of about 100 meters at the highest point of the trail, but you will hike less than four kilometers from start to finish.

Sendero Diez Vistas

In English, the name of this trail means “Path of 10 Views,” and that is exactly what you will get out of this 13-kilometer journey that starts at the Buntzen Lake Recreation Area and returns to the same spot. Although the trail is not very rugged, you should expect an elevation of 430 meters as you approach the summit. Beginner hikers should anticipate a full day on the trail, which is very well-kept and features many rest stops.

Whether you go clockwise or counter, you will find some challenges along the way; even seasoned trekkers cannot complete the Sendero Diez Vistas in less than three hours unless they are long-distance trail runners or cross-country athletes. 

Most hikers start off clockwise because the first of the viewpoints, Punta Aprecio, will appear can be reached within 3.5 kilometers, and it happens to be the steepest climb of the journey. The remaining nine viewpoints, which are also rest stops, will let you see lakes, mountains, and forests.

Author: Mark Bennett is an American writer and traveler, whose major inspiration has been camping with his father ever since his childhood. He aims to visit 75 countries before he’s 30. You can also follow his adventures on his site Outdoorily.

The Rocky Mountains are home to some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the world, one of which is the epic Great Divide Trail. Beginning in Waterton Lakes National Park, the trail ends near Kakwa Provincial Park.

The trail follows the crest of the Rocky Mountains which separates Alberta and British Columbia. It is a whopping 1100km walk! The route is not well marked, leaving you to explore the trail as you wish through the vast wilderness and incredible sceneries.

Hiking the Great Divide Trail is not for the faint of heart and can be a challenge for even the most experienced hikers. Walking long distances in the wilderness can take a toll and you’ll be wise to remember that many wild and dangerous animals call this their home.

You’ll be passing through five National Parks and eight Provincial Parks, as well as wilderness areas, so you’ll need to be alert for signs of black bears, bobcats, and wolves as well as other dangerous wildlife like Elk and Moose. If you get into trouble along the trail, help is not always close by and you’ll most likely be hiking in complete solitude so keep this in mind when preparing for the hike.

For the most experienced hikers, these dangers only escalate the experience of walking this trail. So if you’re looking for a truly immersive hiking experience then this is the trail you’re looking for, and it’s one that is on so many hiking enthusiasts bucket lists.

If you’re planning a thru-hike, then give yourself around two months to complete the full route. There are only a few towns along the way so be sure to prepare in advance for food supplies and gear. Remember those black bears when planning your food supplies and when preparing food on the trail. The smell of cooking food can definitely attract unwanted visitors to your campsite. Bringing along some bear spray is highly recommended! 

Navigations skills are key, and having experience hiking long distances through rough terrain will do well to prepare you for the Great Divide Trail. A helpful tool to find your way is The Great Divide Trail App by Atlas Guides. You will also need to book your camping spots or town stays ahead of time.

For some of the best resources on the trail, check out The Great Divide Trail Association’s site. They are dedicated to the protection and maintenance of the trail. They have some key tips from hikers who have completed the trail as well as the best information on planning your trip.  

Classified as one of the most spectacular and challenging hikes in the world, completing the Great Divide Trail is a true accomplishment for avid hikers! Few trails in the world offer this kind of remote hiking experience and this trail will leave you breathless as you discover jaw-dropping sceneries and incredible wildlife along the way. Many hikers have described the journey as ‘life-changing’ and ‘more than you can imagine’. It’s everything you want in a hiking experience and more. 

So, when are you going to take on the challenge?