10 Exciting North Vancouver Hikes

Vancouver is a top destination for hikers worldwide. This is mostly because there are paths for all interests and skill levels.

Hiking options range from mountain hiking to hiking through the urban wilderness. 

North Vancouver has a wealth of beautiful wilderness for you to explore, whether you’re searching for a leisurely stroll or a challenging walk.

Here are the 10 Exciting North Vancouver Hikes:

1. Goat Mountain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXS04UnUIaY

The Grouse Mountain Ski Resort’s summit marks the beginning of the magnificent Goat Mountain Trek.

On a bright and clear day, Goat Mountain’s peak can offer views of Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Mount Baker, and portions of the mountain peaks in the nearby Garibaldi Provincial Park.

Goat Mountain is located within Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, however, the hike actually begins at Grouse Mountain Resort.

The hike usually takes 4-5 hours and has an elevation gain of 275 meters. The distance is around 8 kilometres.

There are a few steep and difficult sections of the well-marked trail close to the summit.

The trail takes you through a forest dense with yellow cedar and hemlock before you emerge with spectacular scenery of Hanes Valley, Crown Mountain, Vancouver, and a portion of the Fraser Valley all the way back down to Mt. Baker.

You can also choose to continue the climb for a few more kilometres by wandering up Goat Ridge for even more breathtaking views and another viewpoint of Hanes Valley.

After taking in the breathtaking vistas, you have two choices. You can either go back the way you came or continue on the trail to Goat Ridge.

Goat Ridge will add around 3 km to your trip, and while there isn’t much elevation increase overall, the trail is technical, meandering, and slow-moving. You will be rewarded with amazing views here.

2. Dog Mountain

On Seymour Peak, another well-liked peak for hiking,  snowboarding and skiing on the North Shore, the trail is well-maintained and well-defined.

Dog Mountain is a great climb for those who wish to take in the gorgeous view without expending too much energy.

One of the hike’s best qualities is the breathtaking view it offers of the Fraser Valley, Mount Baker and Stanley Park.

A 5-kilometre roundtrip hike should take you 1.5 to 2 hours, and it will reward you with views of Vancouver Downtown. Even though the city is lovely throughout the day, at night it is more breathtaking.

Dog Mountain can be climbed in the winter with snowshoes. However, it’s typically terrible immediately following a rainstorm or during a spring thaw.

Bring your headlamp if you choose to go on a midnight hike because the topography can be wet and rocky. Dog Mountain Trail may get a lot of summer traffic due to its well-known reputation.

The fairly challenging trail on Dog Mountain is popular with families who bring their kids and pets. It would also be ideal if you keep your pets on a leash.

While travelling through moderately sloping terrain, you will be treated to breathtaking vistas of lakes, forests and creeks. The Peak of Dog Mountain offers expansive views of Vancouver’s downtown, surrounding mountains and bay area.

The trailhead for Dog Mountain begins at the northernmost parking spot in the main parking lot of Mount Seymour Ski Resort. It is a popular nighttime climb to get some amazing views of the sun setting from over the city.

Despite the modest height gain, the hike is unquestionably worthwhile and is regarded to be one of the most thrilling in North Vancouver.

3. Rice Lake

Rice Lake, a serene lake in North Vancouver, is surrounded by Lynn Canyon Park (with a suspension bridge) and Lynn Headwaters Regional Park.  You can wander around this lake, which is filled with life and scenic beauty.

It takes about an hour to gently circle the lake, making it ideal for family trips.

The track is excellent for some trail jogging, and the lake is a popular fishing spot. This 3-mile hike is easy and on a well-maintained path. The trail that around the lake is appropriate for strollers because it experiences little elevation change.

Rice Lake offers fantastic fall and spring fishing. Despite having a wonderful dock where people can go fishing, the lake is not accessible to vessels of any kind.

Along the lake’s edge in various locations, you can witness people fishing to catch one of the 5,000 rainbow trout that have been stocked there each year.

Rice Lake is beautiful all year round because the majority of the forest trees are evergreens and don’t drop their leaves frequently.

In contrast to Vancouver’s many gardens with deciduous forests, the lake’s surroundings are always comfortable and cool to walk around in the summer due to the abundance of shade.

It’s a lovely place any day of the year, or certainly when it’s not drizzling.

4. Grouse Grind 

The Grouse Grind Trail is the best at Grouse Mountain, one of Vancouver’s must-see destinations.

Because it is so well-liked and a great option to up your hiking game, the local hiking group refers to Grouse Grind as “Mother Nature’s Stair Master.”

Grouse Grind is not an easy trail, despite the fact that it only takes about 2 hours to complete. The hike is roughly 2.9 kilometres long and gains 853 meters in elevation.

Due to its great workout and useful fitness benchmark, the Grouse Grind Trail is well-liked. Since it is so convenient and the gondola can be carried back down, many people enjoy climbing the Grind either before or after work.

It’s a hike for people who enjoy difficulties and are physically capable of climbing. Both locals and tourists use this trail for fitness and to test their mettle on challenging terrain. Before you ultimately reach the top, you must ascend approximately 2800 stairs.

Throughout the summer, you may go to nature talks, see the neighbourhood bears, or visit restaurants and cafes for some food or a hot beverage.

The Grind is a popular one-way route; to get back to the bottom, utilize the nearby BCMC or gondola, both of which accept dogs. The cost of a gondola ride is modest.

The Grouse Grind Trail is blocked all winter long due to snow on the route. It typically runs from May to October each year.

You can reach the mountain’s summit to boost your fitness level and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

5. Quarry Hike

Quarry Rock is one of Canada’s most well-liked hiking trails and is frequently visited by tourists.

Deep Cove, a tranquil neighbourhood in North Vancouver, is home to Quarry Rock. The Quarry Rock Trail is a part of the Baden Powell Trail.

The route provides spectacular panoramas of Deep Cove as well as the Indian Arm as it leads through dense forest and across undiscovered crossings to a golden flat seashore rock.

The moderately challenging hike will take you past waterfalls, across rivers, over bridges, and along some breathtaking west coast forest routes.

Quarry Rock Trail is suitable for hikers of all levels of skill despite having a few rocky portions, which is a major boon. The ground is easy to walk on. The 3.8-kilometre roundtrip hike typically lasts two hours.

Deep Cove Town marks the beginning of the path. Be careful to arrive early because parking is likely to be crowded at this location.

Awe-inspiring views may be seen from Quarry Rock’s summit. Once you get to the peak, you can unwind before going back.

Bring your camera with you so you can record the breathtaking scenery. You can enjoy yourself while soaking in the stunning scenery. The excursion to Quarry Rock is enjoyable for both kids and animals.

Don’t forget to stop by Honey’s Doughnuts to refuel with some cinnamon rolls and beverages.

6. Crown Mountain

Of all the North Shore summits, Crown Mountain, with a height of 1,504 m, provides one of the most breathtaking views. This is not a simple climb, but it is well worth the effort.

It is located in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, nestled behind Grouse Mountain.

A jaw-dropping view of Vancouver is provided when you look down over the peaks of Grouse Mountain and Goat Mountain to the southern and a cascading of mountain ranges to the north, east, and west. This view is impossible to surpass.

The crown-shaped, ragged peak looms above several of the other adjacent mountains. This journey is difficult since you must descend a very steep slope to reach Crown Pass, then climb the rugged side of Crown Mountain while descending over the same route.

As a result, the elevation change is deceiving when compared to other walks because you must practically hike it twice.

The trail to Crown Mountain in the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park can be accessed from the Alpine Trail, which is easily reached by taking the Grouse Mountain Skyride towards the top.

For determined hikers, there are also the Grouse Grind, BCMC Trek, or Hanes Valley options; however, combining these with the Crown Mountain Trail would make for a very strenuous and tiring day.

The best part is that you may pick between 3 different beginning sites, making an already difficult hike extra harder if you want to.

The first options include beginning at Grouse Mountain’s foot and ascending via the infamous Grouse Grind or the nearby BCMC trail. Your day will now include an additional hour and 884 meters of elevation.

The Grouse Mountain gondola, often known as the “Skyride,” departs from the Grouse Mountain chalet and is the alternate option.

If you really want to challenge yourself, you may choose the third option, which involves leaving from the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park gate, travelling through Hanes Valley, climbing Crown Mountain, and then returning to the Grouse Mountain Lodge.

Take plenty of water and exercise caution while enjoying the hike.

7. Mount Seymour

Mount Seymour is one of North Vancouver’s most popular hiking spots.

Vistas of Vancouver, Indian Arm Provincial Park and Mount Baker can be seen to the east from viewpoints within the park.

On the Mount Seymour Trail, a 9-kilometre roundtrip climb passes three different summits. You can experience amazing views from each one in a somewhat different way.

Visitors have access to a variety of routes with varied lengths and difficulties. There is a 450-meter elevation increase during the course of the 4- to 5-hour climb.

Lower mountain trails are regularly used by mountain bikers and hikers, however only hikers are allowed on upper mountain trails.

On weekends and sunny days, this popular, dog-friendly walk could get busy, but the spectacular view at the end is worth it. To avoid crowds, you can go there during the week.

Although demanding, it is not difficult. If you have good endurance, it won’t be challenging. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that even in July, the track may still contain dense snow.

At the bottom of the Mount Seymour Ski Resort driveway is where you’ll locate the trailhead. Given that the signage needs to be more clearly labelled, reaching the trailhead may be challenging. Overall, you will have a wonderful time and relish your visit.

8. Coliseum Mountain

Coliseum Mountain is a strenuous trek that rewards hikers with an impressive, expansive vista from its alpine peak. From the peak, you can see Mount Burwell,  Cathedral Mountain and Burwell Lake to the north.

To the east are Mounts Bishop, Elsay, and Seymour. To the south are Mount Baker and the Lower Mainland. To the west, you can see Crown Mountain, Goat Mountain, Mount Fromme, and even Vancouver Island.

Coliseum Mountain, at a height of 1,446 meters, is best conquered in the early or late fall, when the majority of the snow has melted. The hike, which starts in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, lasts for around 10 hours and includes significant elevation gain.

The distance is 23.5 km with an elevation gain of 1245 meters. You can welcome your furry friends there.

Travel Lynn Valley Road (exit 19 north) in North Vancouver from Highway 1 West to get to the mountain’s trailhead.

Follow Lynn Valley Road up to the parking areas for Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. Make sure you are aware of the closure time because the gate hours change depending on the season.

It is simple to follow the trail because it is signposted with signs and arrows.

If you don’t enjoy walking through forests, the initial stretch that climbs through them may seem tedious and protracted. But once you get through the woods, the view is well worth the effort.

Gaiters would be a good option because the Coliseum Mountain Trek can occasionally be muddy.

It is feasible to continue up Coliseum Mountain to the summit of Mount Burwell, but this will require an additional two hours.

Only experienced hikers with a high level of all-around fitness are advised to attempt this trek.

9. Lynn Loop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZmxNeZSRwc

In North Vancouver’s Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, the Lynn Loop Trail is a well-liked hiking route. Lynn Loop is a short, two-hour hike that is reasonably easy compared to other park hikes.

 The Lynn Loop Hike is a beautiful and fun climb even though it lacks a breathtaking perspective or a waterfall.

The trail’s higher section takes you into Lynn Headwaters‘ serene and lovely forest. The trail’s lowest section, which is level and simple to stroll, follows Lynn Creek.

For a short and simple outing, the Lynn Loop is a well-liked track among dog owners. The hike can be started in the morning and finished before noon.

This path is a fantastic choice for trail running as well.

On the ascent to Twin Falls, where you can enjoy a spectacular view of a waterfall and a large pool below from the Twin Falls Bridge, it is a common site for swimming and picnics due to the short route that leads to the 30-foot pool.

You can walk the entire loop around Rice Lake or take a short riverbank trail to Lynn Headwaters. A section of the Baden Powell Trail that travels through the park can be hiked in under two hours.

There is nothing particular for you to reach here, unlike Quarry Rock Hike. Here, you can meet new people and go on hikes with them.

10. Capilano River

One of the earliest parks in Metro Vancouver is the Capilano River Regional Park in North Vancouver.

The park’s highlights include the breathtaking Capilano Canyon, the Cleveland Dam, the Capilano River, and a salmon hatchery, in addition to its 26 km of walking trails.

 All of these attractions, as well as others, are visited in the 1.5-hour, approximately 3.5-km tour outlined in this guide. There are several wonderful trails in the park that you may use to lengthen the hike if you have extra time.

Kayaking, fishing, and hiking are all popular activities at Capilano River Regional Park. Given how many people visit Capilano Park each year, it is difficult to describe it as a hidden gem.

However, because of the Grouse Grind and the Capilano Suspension Bridge nearby, its lovely paths are underutilized.

When mountain vistas are covered by rain, this hike is fantastic to save for that day. The dense tree canopy offers lots of shade and maintains a low temperature, making the cool canyon a nice location to walk in the sweltering summer heat.

Capilano Park is one of Vancouver’s most fascinating natural locations, with its towering canyon’s vertical cliff walls and the river’s turbulent rapids.

In the End

These were the 10 exciting North Vancouver hikes. These mountains are filled with thrill and adventure and offer a great opportunity for hikers as well as non-hikers to explore.

Read more from us here.