Tara StamnesExplorer

Mixing of sea and river waters at the Courtenay River Estuary means its an abundant place for wildlife. Coupled with incredible views of the Comox Glacier to the west, it's no wonder this is a popular spot to paddle in the small island town of Courtenay.  Head over to Comox Valley Kayaks and Canoes to rent, or bring your own kayaks and head upstream along the river. As you pass under a few brid...

Head over to the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve and hop on your two-wheeler to enjoy this stunning 20k ride.  Your ride will begin at the trailhead, where hikers walk off to rice lake. Stay off to the right, where there is an obvious bike path (2 paved lanes). This trail will take you ~11kms up to the Seymour Dam, which is otherwise inaccessible. The views at the dam are there, but interrup...

Head up to Healy Pass in late September or early October to check out the beautiful larch trees in their golden glory. Sunshine Meadows, Assiniboine, and other amazing views can be seen from the top of this easy trail. Start your adventure in the Sunshine Village ski resort parking lot. Head behind the lodge where the trail sign is. The first half of the hike winds up gradually through the wood...

This 5.5km loop family-friendly hike is highly accessible and an easy jaunt into the beautiful Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park. Just two hours from Vancouver, the loop hike will take you up and down through some lush forest towards the beautiful old railway tunnels which were built in the early 1900s. Park in the lot and begin at the western trail entrance for the loop. Follow the signs towar...

Head up to Lake Minnewanka on a high alert night to get the perfect view of the Canadian Northern Lights. You can go online to get updates on the best times to go and where they will be the brightest. While the dam at the lake may be overrun with people, explore around and you can find a nice empty viewing spot. Alternately, you can head to one of the many campsites on the Lake trail before Jul...

Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thekkady, is an example of nature’s bounty with great scenic charm, rich bio diversity and providing veritable visitor satisfaction. Sprawled over an area of 925 Sq .km., Periyar is one of the 48 tiger reserves in India. Zealously guarded and efficiently managed reserve is a repository of rare, endemic and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two im...

The Keralan backwaters are a network of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900 km of waterways, and sometimes compared to the American Bayou. They lay parallel to the Arabian Sea coast in Kerala, a state in southern India. They are a lush, beautiful spot for outdoor enjoyment, and can be enjoyed in various ways. The first, and most popular...

Head over to this magical little park by the water. The forested area between the 2 entrances to the park has many large trees often used by eagles and hawks to survey the surrounding area for prey. The habitat functions of the marsh significantly contribute to the ecological value of the lower Nicomekl River. The area supports fish and other wildlife and is used for nesting by small perching b...

Looking for an experience straight out of Tarzan or the Jungle Book? Deep in the dense tropical forest of Meghalaya, and shrouded in cloud and rain for much of the year, are some astonishing man-made natural wonders. Known as living root bridges, inventive members of the Khasi tribe have trained them to grow from the roots of ancient rubber trees, native to the northeast region. The root bridge...

The Roopkund Trek is considered one of the best treks in all of India. From thick, winding forests, to rolling hills, to the majesty of the the Garwhal range of the Himalayas, this 6-day adventure has everything you could want in a journey. Arduous, beautiful, awe-inspiring. This trip is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Travel approximately 60 kilometres and end up at a 5200m altitude to ...

The Saskatchewan Glacier is usually seen from above, on Parker's Ridge, but this much quieter trail will give you access to the very base of the glacier. Though much longer than the famous Parker's Ridge, this trail is easy and meanders through morraines and forest before reaching the toe of the glacier. Stunning waterfalls, erratics, and fossils are dotted along the way for your visual pleasur...

Redwood Park is large beautiful forested park in South Surrey. The park is a legacy of one of Surrey's early pioneer's, David Brown, who in 1893 gave the property to his twin sons, David and Peter. The Brown twins spent much of their life traveling the world collecting the seeds and saplings of exotic tree species. The Brown's planted dozens of different tree species throughout the property, cr...

Goat Mountain is a picturesque hike that starts from the top of the Grouse Mountain Ski Resort. On a sunny, clear day, the top of Goat Mountain can offer views of Vancouver and even as far away as Mount Baker, Vancouver Island, and some of the mountain ranges in Garibaldi Provincial Park near Squamish. From the top of the Grouse Mountain Skyride, follow the paved path left towards the Peak chai...

From the parking lot at Woodhaven Swamp, head down the wooden steps to the lower path and then follow the path clockwise, passing over a small boardwalk bridge at the east end of the wetland. At the west side of the swamp, look out for a smaller trail that veers off on the left and follow that as it winds through the woods until it emerges out onto the main trail at the road side.The main trail...

Eagle Bluffs is a perfect hike for anyone looking to get away but not too far from the city! Your trip will start by grabbing your (free) backcountry pass from the Black Mountain lodge in the lower parking lot at the top of cypress bowl road. This is not the main lodge (Cypress Creek Lodge), but the lodge a 5 min walk down the hill in the parking lot. After you've got your pass and read all the...

Strap on your snowshoes and head up to the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish, about a 45 minute drive from Vancouver.  You can either take the gondola up (~$40), or hike up the Sea to Sky Summit trail that begins near the parking lot to the chief to get to the trailhead for Al's Habrich. If doing the latter, make sure you leave super early during the winter season, as both trails combined would b...

Porcupine Peak (also known as Goat Peak) is a little known trail that begins beside the popular Lindeman and Greendrop Lakes trailhead. The hike is tough, going straight uphill for a significant portion, with some ups and downs right before reaching the peak.  The trailhead is a bit tricky to find. Head to the Lindeman Lake trailhead but before heading onto the main trail, take your first possi...

Castle mountain, so named for its fortress-like shape, is a quick hop away from the town of Banff.  If you don't have time to hike to Rockbound Lake (at the base of Castle), head to the viewpoint just off of Highway 91 and snap some pictures of this epic mountain. Drive north for about 10 minutes and follow the signage for the viewpoint pull off.  Perfect for daytime viewing, and maybe even som...

Located in India's proclaimed "wettest place on Earth", Cherrapunji, these falls will take your breath away. The name of the falls in Khasi, "Jump of Ka Likai", is linked to a legend about local women who jumped off the cliff next to the falls. Monsoon season or not, this waterfall in the East Khasi hills will surely not disappoint any visitor. Hire a car from Sohra to the viewpoint walk, where...

An old trekking route and one of the most popular trekking routes in Meghalaya, David Scott Trail Shillong has been named after David Scott, a British office. The officer discovered this route in the first half of 1800s in the form of a mule track for travelling from Assam to Bangladesh. This route spread in over 100 km and takes around 5 days to get covered, on-foot. This trail route is separa...

A perfect way to get outside before or after work. Dog mountain is an easily accessible snowshoe trail that takes you up to the short peak from the Mt. Seymour parking lot. This is a perfect spot for sunrise or sunset photography, and you can catch great 360 views from the top. Start at the BC Parks Sign at the far end of the parking lot. Pass the first sign/gazebo and turn left almost immediat...

Begin the Deeks Lake trail at the Lions Bay parking lot (same entrance as the Howe Sound Crest Trail) just off of Highway 99 North. The pullout  is right before Porteau Cove Provincial Park.  Begin by walking past the yellow gate and taking an immediate right into the trail where you will begin your journey up. The trail winds through the forest the entire way, with one pretty stellar view poin...

Going west from Banff, take the first exit for Highway 1A (Bow Valley Parkway). Take the first right up to the fireside picnic area and begin your hike here.  The first 5kms of the hike climb uphill through the forest, making up most of the 915m elevation gain. Watch for trail markers over the rocky knoll at the top of most of the elevation. Once you pass this point it is fairly flat until the ...

Tenquille Lake is the perfect spot to head from Vancouver if you have the time for a long drive and are looking for a people-less adventure.  The hike is a manageable 24km round trip with a 1,000m elevation gain that takes you through wildflower meadows, lush forest, and past some stunning views of the Pemberton Valley. You will likely see few other hikers on the trail and possibly a couple of...