Inside Vancouver

February’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Deas Island

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on February 1, 2021

Two people walk along the river in Deas Island Regional Park near Vancouver

Exploring the shoreline near the south end of Deas Island. Photo: Taryn Eyton

Did you know you can hike right over the George Massey Tunnel? The short and easy trail around Delta’s Deas Island Regional Park at the tunnel’s south end is a great hike for February. It’s right at sea-level, so it avoids the snow and is a great walk, even in wet weather. With fewer leaves on the trees, it’s also a wonderful place spot many types of birds, including eagles.

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February’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Deas Island

January’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Minnekhada Loop

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on January 4, 2021

Minnekhada Marsh. Photo: Chelaxy Designs/Unsplash

This easy loop in Coquitlam’s Minnekhada Regional Park is a great hike for January. It’s at a low elevation, so you’ll avoid snow, but it still climbs up to a great viewpoint. You’ll also walk along the edge of a marsh, which is a great place to watch for wildlife, especially birds.

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January’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Minnekhada Loop

December’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Velodrome Trail

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on December 7, 2020

The view of Vancouver from Burnaby Mountain.

The view of Vancouver from the top of the Velodrome Trail on Burnaby Mountain. Photo: Ann Badjura on the Inside Vancouver Flickr pool

When snow blankets Vancouver’s mountains, it can be tough to find a good workout hike. Enter the Velodrome Trail. This steep path is sometimes called Burnaby’s version of the Grouse Grind. It climbs steeply up the north side of Burnaby Mountain on a gravel trail and wooden stairs. At the top, you can enjoy views of downtown Vancouver from the Kamui Mintara (Playground of the Gods) sculpture.

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December’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Velodrome Trail

November’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Gold Creek Canyon Loop

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on November 2, 2020

View of Gold Creek from the bridge in Golden Ears Provincial Park

Gold Creek from the bridge. Photo: Taryn Eyton, HappiestOutdoors.ca

With snow blanketing the mountain tops, November is a great time for low-elevation valley bottom hikes. This loop route in Golden Ears Provincial Park is a great hike for a wet or cloudy day. It travels through lush forest along the banks of Gold Creek and passes by a beautiful waterfall.

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November’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Gold Creek Canyon Loop

October’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Norvan Falls

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on October 5, 2020

Norvan Falls in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park in North Vancouver. Photo credit: Taryn Eyton, happiestoutdoors.ca

The hike to Norvan Falls in North Vancouver is a great choice for October. The entire trail is in the Lynn Creek Valley, making it an ideal trip for cloudy days. Your objective is 30-metre-tall Norvan Falls, which is often gushing at this time of year thanks to fall rains. While this hike is not short, it’s fairly flat so it is only moderately difficult.

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October’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Norvan Falls

March’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Seymour River and Lynn Creek Loop

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on March 5, 2020

Twin Bridges suspension bridge in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver, BC

The new suspension bridge at Twin Bridges in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. Photo via happiestoutdoors.ca

The lower slopes of the North Shore mountains have an incredible network of interconnected trails that are perfect for exploring. The forested paths and rushing rivers are a great destination for the rainy and misty spring days of March. There are so many options that it can be hard to choose. See some of the highlights on this hike that uses several trails to make a loop that includes the deep canyons of the Seymour River and Lynn Creek.

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March’s Vancouver Hike of the Month: Seymour River and Lynn Creek Loop

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

by Taryn Eyton in Outside on February 9, 2020

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