British Columbia

I have lived on Vancouver Island my entire life yet I had never heard about this world class trail until last summer.  A 24km point to point coastal trail that travels the length of the Alberni Inlet from the coast right to the town? Through paradise meadows, along sun drenched bluffs, past water...

Driving: From Campbell River, take Highway 28 West to the bridge over Upper Campbell Lake/Buttle Lake. Do not cross the bridge, but take the road down the East side of Buttle Lake. Follow Buttle Lake road south to Jim Mitchell Lake road which is on the left just after the Thelwood Creek Bridge. ...

Find parking in a small gravel lot and be careful to park to the left of the sign, as cars do get towed in this area. Cross through the yellow road gate and begin by ascending the gravel road that provides moderate switchbacks before reaching a junction with the Mount Harvey trail, and keep right...

The trail begins towards the backside of Kicking Horse camp area near the washrooms. Please know that access to this area is typically closed between October and June. Look for the large trail sign and be sure to grab a brochure  to enjoy the self-guided tour. The brochures may not be available, ...

This hike begins in the middle of Manning Park, with a drive up to the trail-head. This means you get all the benefits of alpine views and fields of wildflowers in the summer months, without hiking the elevation gain.  Manning Park is on the Crowsnest Highway (BC-3). Across the highway from the ...

Windy Ridge is located by Og Pass in the Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. Whether you start from any of the campgrounds, huts or the lodge, the way to the Windy Ridge Trail is well indicated and the trail itself is well worn. Beware that if you are using the Gem Trek map (1:100,000), the notes ...

How does a series of sparkling blue alpine lakes, beautiful mountains, a huge waterfall, glacier and uncrowded camping sound to you? For me, the area around Semaphore Lakes has been one of my favorite destinations for quite a while. It has some of the best camping you could hope for, and two incr...

The Lost Lake Loop Hike takes you to and around Lost Lake. Lost Lake is at the heart of the densely forested Lost Lake Park. The wide gravel trail runs around this charming lake through a enjoyable forest draped in old man's beard lichen (usnea). Lost Lake is a small lake just north of Whistler ...

The mountains of the South Central Range of Vancouver Island that skirt Highway 4 leading to Tofino are often overlooked as in that region surfing is the big draw, while the larger peaks of Strathcona Peak call to others. I feel this spot is a true gem of the island, with unparalleled biodiversit...

Hamilton Falls trail sign is across the parking lot from Emerald Lake and points you in the direction of the trail.  The trail will start with a gentle incline which immediately places you into a lush forest as the noise of tourism begins to fade. Approximately 0.4 miles up the trail, you will r...

Travelling through pristine sub-alpine terrain, and past endless crystal clear lakes, the trail to the lookout is loaded with awesome scenery. The icing on the cake is reaching the Canyon and enjoying lunch at the lookout, complete with Whiskey Jacks and 180 degree mountain and valley views. If...

The hike starts at the Westmin mine parking lot, located 2 hours north of Courtenay. To find the start of the trail you need to walk 50 metres down a dirt road from the parking area. You will see a sign for Phillips ridge, which marks the start of your journey.The trail starts in a relatively fl...

Park at the trailhead, and follow the wooded trail for a short ways. You'll wind through the temperate rainforest, and across wooden walkways before reaching the beach itself. Scramble around on the rocks, or just chill out on the sand and enjoy!

This is an easy 3 km or so hike that you can meander along and enjoy the lush greenery and the two waterfalls. The lower waterfalls is best viewed in the spring or winter. When summer comes the river gets lower and in turn that waterfall gets hard to see. Although, when the water levels are low y...

The Ancient Forest Recreational Park 1 hour east of Prince George BC is a one of a kind forest and soon to be a BC Provincial Park. It is home to a unique inland wet-temperate rain forest. The Ancient Forest is approximately 800km (497miles) away from the Pacific Ocean. Some of the trees in the p...

The trail begins at the end of Railway avenue near downtown. The trail passes through the red bridge above the river, where you may just see salmon in the stream if you're lucky!The trail has something for everyone. From the gushing icy river with a snow-capped mountain range in the distance, to ...