February’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Jug Island Beach

Jug Island in Belcarra Park near Vancouver

The view of Jug Island from Jug Island Beach. Photo: HappiestOutdoors.ca

This short and easy hike in the Belcarra neighbourhood follows a peninsula before emerging at a remote beach. The trail stays in the beautiful and mossy temperate rainforest the entire way, making it a great destination for a rainy or cloudy February day. A viewpoint in the middle and the beach at the end give you a close-up look at the coastline, a rarity on Vancouver’s mountain-dominated hikes.

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February’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Jug Island Beach

December’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Buntzen Lake

Buntzen Lake near Vancouver

The easy trail around Buntzen Lake is a great December hike since it sits a low elevation that avoids ice and snow. It’s close enough to the city to make a great nature getaway when the hustle and bustle of the holidays gets overwhelming. The trail weaves through a gorgeous rainforest with lots of ferns, moss, and mini-waterfalls. Hikers of all ages will also enjoy the novelty of crossing both a floating bridge and a suspension bridge on the same trail. And no matter what time of year you hike, the views from the lakeshore are spectacular.

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December’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Buntzen Lake

November’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Whyte Lake

The dock at Whyte Lake in West Vancouver, an easy hike

Tiny Whyte Lake in West Vancouver makes a great easy hike for November. It’s at a low enough elevation to stay snow-free almost all year. And it has great forest cover so it’s a pleasant option for a rainy day hike. In the summer months, Whyte Lake is a popular swimming hole, but in the off-season, you may have it all to yourself. As a bonus, the canopy of douglas fir and cedar trees overhead and the carpet of ferns and moss on the forest floor are extra green this time of year.

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November’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Whyte Lake

Best Vancouver Area Hikes for Kids

Children hiking in the forest near Vancouver, BC

Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Hubert Kang

Vancouver has so many hiking options. Introduce your little ones to the outdoors early with one of these easy hikes. They’re short, flat(ish) and have lots of things to keep young hikers occupied along the way.

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Best Vancouver Area Hikes for Kids

5 Rainy Day Hikes in Vancouver

rainy day hikes in vancouver

Vancouverites definitely aren’t afraid of the rain. Living in a city where it rains ~60% of the year means you’ve got to have at least one or two Gortex jackets hanging in your closet. In fact, it’s a good idea to always have a raincoat in your backpack (plus a pair of sun glasses, a bike helmet, and some sunscreen).

While we had a great run of sunshine a few weeks ago, the clouds have been hanging around for the past few days. But you can’t let a little cloud cover ruin your plans for getting out into nature! Luckily, Vancouver offers a nice variety of hiking opportunities that have enough tree coverage to act like huge, natural umbrellas to protect you from the elements!

So if you’re looking to get outside but the weather hasn’t been cooperating, check out some of these hikes to quell your craving for nature! Continue reading:
5 Rainy Day Hikes in Vancouver