Vancouver in October is readymade for Halloween.  Overcast skies, deep, dark forests and mist rising from the chilly coastal waters all lend a spooky air.  For hikers seeking a little extra thrill on their excursions,  here are three suggestions for atmospheric Halloween treks:

• Scare Yourself Silly in Stanley Park: Vancouver’s central park is covered by hundreds of acres of dense, damp Pacific rainforest.  Long trails wind through dark groves of cedar, fir and hemlock.  Did I mention the area also borders on Deadman Island, once home to a First Nations’ burial site?  Click here for a trail map.

• Get the Chills in Lighthouse Park:  Located just a few minutes from downtown in West Vancouver, Lighthouse Park boasts one of the largest stands of old growth forest in the entire region.  Towering, thousand-year-old trees form a spooky canopy overhead.  Trails converge on steep ocean-side cliffs, where the historic lighthouse sweeps its beam through the mist and fog.

• Get Weak in the Knees at Capilano Suspension Bridge:  Afraid of heights? Vancouver’s iconic suspension bridge hangs more than 70 feet above the churning Capilano River in North Vancouver.  Just a few feet wide, the wobbly span stretches for more than 450 feet.  Once you’ve crossed, test your mettle on the Treetops Adventure, a canopy walkway hung up to 100 feet high amidst old growth Douglas fir trees.   Or explore Cliffwalk, a narrow pathway – with glass-bottomed sections – that threads high above the canyon.

Know any other spooky hikes?  Please let us know below.