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Hike Quarry Rock

North Vancouver, British Columbia

3.8/5
based on 5 reviews

Details

Distance

2.4 miles

Elevation Gain

328.1 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Christina Marchand

A quick hike with great views of Deep Cove and surrounding Vancouver.

Deep Cove is a cozy little town located at the base of Mt. Seymour, lying on the shores of the Indian Arm which is a branch of the Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver.  In autumn, the tree-lined streets glow orange in the sunlight and the sailboats, kayakers and paddleboarders fill the harbour with quiet activity.  It’s a very beautiful place to spend a sunny day, whether you’re out on the water, hiking the hills, or walking the streets.

The trailhead marks the beginning of the famous Baden Powell Trail and the Douglas Fir and Hemlock tree forest is thick, but light seeps through the trees highlighting the creeks and mountainside. It was a beautiful, and at times strenuous 45 plus minutes of climbing up and down, and back up again to get to Quarry Rock.  The elevation is only 100 meters and you pass over four different creeks before you reach the huge rock overlooking the Indian Arm and mountains surrounding the community of Belcarra across the inlet.  The view from Quarry Rock is phenomenal and I highly suggest checking out this hike if you’re ever in the area. 

This is a very popular hike in the area and on sunny weekends, the trail is quite busy, full of families and hikers of all experience levels.

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Dog Friendly
Family Friendly
Forest
Picnic Area
Romantic
Scenic

Hike Quarry Rock Reviews

Worth the hike for breathtaking view of deep cove and city. The trail is well marked and very safe for the travellers.

Good comment found elsewhere on why ~4000 people/day on a sunny weekend (using historical data, which makes this conservative as most trails saw a 1.2 to 2.5X increase in usage during COVID) ~12 hours of peak hiking 4000/12 = ~333 people/hour But more people go near lunch, so ~400 people/hour at peak time 1800m trail one-way 1800/400 = 4.5 meters between each person That's assuming everyone is equally spread out, which it's not. Quarry Rock also has many boardwalk and bridge structures, which would only permit 1~2 ft between passing people They built these structures because surface runoff from the mountain above and too many people destroying vegetation through trail use and braiding was leading to significant erosion. Having people go off the trail to distance 6ft would lead to significant vegetation destruction, surface soil hardening, erosion, and undermining the foundation of those newly built boardwalk structures. In the past, they limited the number of people on the trail and on the rock itself (70 on the trail/rock). They also saw an emergency call-out every ~3 days during the summer. The closure was likely apart of consultation with Vancouver Coastal Health, DNV Fire/Police, and North Shore Search and Rescue. Even if they kept the trail open, it is likely that the Provincial Health Office would have ordered the trail closed like it did for Whistler. The risk of getting COVID when passing someone on a 6ft sidewalk, while 3~4ft from each other while both are breathing lightly is low. The risk of getting COVID when passing hundreds of people while 1~2ft from each other while most are breathing heavy is high.

This was a beautiful hike through the forest with breathtaking views around every corner! The sunlight was shining through the trees, which made for an extra-awesome walk. Quarry Rock is a peaceful place to rest at the end of the trail.

This is a pretty short Hike outside of the city.. if you're looking for something more out in nature I wouldn't recommend it, its very busy in the summer and there are power lines in the view, but it is a beautiful view none the less! I was disappointed with how short it was.. but it's still a beautiful short hike if you don't mind hiking with huge crowds of people.

Growing up in North Vancouver, I did this hike lots in the summer! It's a great quick hike with a beautiful lookout at the end.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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