Best Hikes Vancouver: The Greatest Views, Wildlife, and Forest Strolls

Who says you have to travel far from home to go on a great hike? Best Hikes Near Vancouver details the 41 best hikes within a close proximity of the city, perfect for the urban and suburbanite hard-pressed to find great outdoor activities close to home. Each featured hike includes detailed hike specs, a brief hike description, trailhead location, directional cues, a detailed map, and color photos.

The rewards of hiking near Vancouver are plentiful: Howe Sound panoramas, island explorations to giant Doug firs, an up-close look at The Lions, feeling the spray of Shannon Falls, and spotting migratory flocks at Boundary Bay.

It is easy to select a hike you prefer by combining information in the Trail Finder (which categorizes each hike, i.e., Best Hikes for Waterfalls; Best Hikes for Families/Children) with the short Summary of the hike.

GPS points are used along with a written description to identify the location of each trailhead.

As a travel writer since 2006, Chloë Ernst has skied on the slopes overlooking her Vancouver home, retraced the Gold Rush in the Cariboo region, and caught waves on the Pacific coast. She loves to do the things she writes about, especially when it means canoeing in Widgeon Slough or reaching the summit of Goat Mountain. Chloë has written guidebooks for Globe Pequot Press, Fodor’s, and Frommer’s, as well as hundreds of articles for About.com, the Toronto Star, ZAGAT, and travel​andleisure.com. She currently lives in Vancouver, BC.