I’m so excited to share with you my top 12 easy hikes near Vancouver! Before moving to Vancouver 5 years ago, I was so eager to explore the local mountains. From around the age of 15 I was getting rambling books for birthdays and exploring locally. Roping in any willing participants to come strolling around the English countryside with me essentially! I loved being outdoors, whether walking, running or cycling, I was constantly out and about. The way being out in nature can completely clear your mind and give you such a breath of fresh air (literally!) is why I spend so much time outside.
Over the past few years of living in Vancouver, I’ve hiked 1 or 2 per month – religiously. I have explored a lot of the local and surrounding areas, in rain and shine! Being in Raincouver, you really do have to embrace the rain and not let it ruin your plans. It rains – A LOT. Dressing with rain in mind is super important to not let it ruin your day. After a few years of building up my wardrobe with practical pieces I’m finally kitted out, it’s expensive but definitely worth it.
Below you will find a list of my top 12 easy hikes close to Vancouver.
Lighthouse Park
Lighthouse Park is located in West Vancouver and is roughly 20 minutes outside the downtown area. The park is known for its numerous outstanding viewpoints. The beautiful coastal park features 3 hiking routes inside the park. These routes include, Lighthouse Park viewpoint route, Point Atkinson Lighthouse and Shore Pine Point and Arbutus Knoll and Eagle point loop. You can do all 3 in an afternoon and I personally like to take a picnic and a blanket to relax and take in the views. The elevation ranges from 131m – 247m across the park, with that being said it makes the trails quite busy. I had to put this one first in my top 12 easy hikes in Vancouver, due to the ease of seeing the gorgeous views!
Quarry Rock
Quarry Rock hike in Deep Cove is a 3.9km out and back route which is moderately challenging. It features beautiful views of the Burrard Inlet and takes on average 1h24min to complete. It is a very popular hike, so be sure to arrive early and keep in mind you will be sharing the trail with a fair few people. I love doing this hike for sunset, if you do this be sure to take a head touch or torch with you!
Dog Mountain
Dog Mountain hike is located on Mt Seymour in North Vancouver. The trail is 4.8km out and back through the forest. It is a very popular area for hiking and is a moderately challenging route. You can do the hike in any season, it makes an incredibly pretty snowshoe! You’ll want to check if this trail is open before heading, particularly so in the spring due to the snow melt.
Bowen Lookout
Bowen Lookout Trail is located in Cypress Provincial Park, in West Vancouver. It is a 4.7km out and back trail and generally considered easy. It takes on average 1h20min to complete and reaches a 498ft elevation gain. The trail mainly consists of fine gravel pathways with some dirt and roots. You will meander through a meadow and then into the forest. The views you will see include Vancouver, Bowen Island and Gambier Island.
Lynn Canyon
Lynn Canyon has 13 trails in total, however the most popular is Lynn Canyon Loop. This is 2.3KM and features a suspension bridge, twin falls and a 10 meter pool. The water is always cold, no matter the season – making it perfect for pool cold plunging as it’s really easy to get in and out of too! On average it takes 50 minutes to complete so definitely could venture further if you have the time! The trail is marked as easy but does have some stairs.
Norvan Falls
Norvan Falls is located in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park in North Vancouver. This is a 14KM out and back trail. It is considered a moderately challenging route on a few sites but I would disagree, it is fairly flat. Taking on average of 3h44 mins to complete and an elevation gain of 1,190ft it increases super slowly. I have done this hike a couple of times and it is a very popular running route due to how flat it is. Norvan Falls is super pretty, there are lots of Little Rock pools up there so be sure to allocate time for some food and to take in the views if it’s a nice day!
Pump Peak
Pump Peak is located in Mount Seymour Provincial Park. It is one of my all time favorite out and backs at 6.9KM. This trail is a bit more of a challenge as there are quite a few steep inclines on the hike. I have done this hike in all seasons and it offers the best panoramic views of Vancouver on a clear day. The summers can be incredibly buggy so bring a ton of mosquito repellent with you! The trail in winter can be very hit and miss, make sure you check ahead of time that the trail is open and current conditions as there can be high avalanche risk in this spot.
Hollyburn Peak
Hollyburn Peak hike is located in Cypress Provincial Park. It is an 8KM out and back hike and generally takes around 3 hours to complete. This hike has a steady incline all the way up and reaches 1,417 ft in total. The trail will take you through a forest route the majority of the way which offers great cover on a super sunny day. You’ll get beautiful views over English Bay when you reach the top!
Tunnel Bluffs
Tunnel Bluffs hike is located in Lions Bay. I would say this hike is more on the difficult side, it takes on average 3hr40 min to complete and is 2,244 ft in elevation. The first section has steep elevation gain but once it levels out it is a gorgeous stroll through the forest and you’ll go over two log bridges. You’ll get great views over Howe Sound from the viewpoint. Tunnel Bluffs is definitely up there as one of my top 12 easy hikes in Vancouver that’s for sure.
St Mark’s Summit
St Mark’s summit hike is located in Cypress Provincial Park. It is definitely more on the challenging side with it being roughly 10km out and back. This usually takes around 3h45 mins and has an elevation gain of 1,870 ft. The terrain consists of soil, rocks, and lots of roots. The trail is well maintained and is usually pretty busy, so another vote for getting up early to avoid the crowds with this one!
Pacific Spirit Regional Park
Pacific Spirit Park is located near UBC in Vancouver. There are up to 10 trails inside the park and honestly, they’re all more of a relaxed walk so if you’re looking for something very chill then this might be your best bet out of all of the suggestions!
Eagle Bluffs
Eagle Bluffs is located in Cypress Provincial Park. It is a 8KM out and back trail and is considered moderately challenging. It takes an average of 3 hours to complete and makes a perfect sunset hike! There is an initial steep climb alongside one of the ski slopes but the views make it worth it. You’ll see views of Lighthouse park, Horseshoe Bay and Point Grey when you reach the top.
These Vancouver hike overviews are brief intentionally so you can hear what the experience is like in a nutshell. If you’d like to read about each one more in depth you can head to All Trails here. They have a free account or a paid version and the paid one is a great idea if you’re heading somewhere where you don’t have service. I have taken photos on most of the hikes and I will continue to add to them when I get more! Before heading out on a hike make sure you check the duration, conditions and any risks which could come up. It’s also best to allow for extra time than you need in case anything happens that extends your stay. I always pack extra layers, water and food than what I need on a hike.
Thanks for reading my top 12 easy hikes near Vancouver! If you’d like to read up on any other adventures, you can do so here. Please let me know if you end up doing any of them or if there are any you think should be added. I would love to hear from you either way.
Safe hiking!
Love, Chrissy x
Thanks for stopping by to read my top 12 easy hikes near Vancouver!
Are you interested in more moderate hikes near Vancouver?
If you’re interested in more moderate hikes near Vancouver, I am currently working on another post that will highlight more challenging, bucket list worthy routes. Check back soon for this!
