There are plenty of moderately challenging Vancouver hiking trails to choose from. These are five trails that stand out from the rest. Not too difficult, yet all have sensational views. Hollyburn, Dog Mountain and Mt Seymour are at the end of beautiful drives to reach the trailheads.
Goat Mountain is a beautiful mountain to hike from Grouse Mountain. It is challenging at times but fairly relaxing overall. It is just 4k from the Grouse Mountain Chalet and should only take 3-4 hours roundtrip from the top of the SkyRide. If you hike/run the Grouse Grind as well then add 2.9 kilometres to the journey there and 3.5 kilometres to the return(via the BCMC trail adjacent to the Grouse Grind) to get back to your car.
From the Grouse Chalet on Grouse Mountain follow the path under the Peak Chair until you reach the trailhead and hiker check-in station. From here you follow the marked trail to Goat Mountain. You can either hike via Dam Mountain, or take the easier Alpine Trail. Both are roughly the same distance, but the Alpine Trail is a bit easier. The trail then leads to Little Goat Mountain and a fork in the trail. Straight goes to the huge Crown Mountain ahead, and right goes to Goat Mountain just .7k away. With the exception of the last, short climb to the summit of Goat Mountain, which is fairly steep, the trail is only moderately challenging. For a more challenging hike, try the nearby Crown Mountain. There are few creeks along the Goat Mountain hike so be sure to bring lots of water. Lynn Headwaters Regional Park begins several kilometres away at the Lynn Valley trailhead and beautiful trails follow Lynn Creek for 7k to Norvan Falls. The trail then turns into Hanes Valley, connecting to Crown Mountain, Goat Mountain, Dam Mountain and finally leading to Grouse Mountain.
The trail from the Lynn Headwaters trailhead to Grouse is about 20k as it carves a giant arc through the valley. Another amazing feature of this area is that both ends are connected by the Baden-Powell Trail. Just 8.6k separates the Lynn Headwaters Park trailhead parking and the base of the Grouse Grind. This forms a tremendous circle route that many have come to adore.
Trailhead Directions to Goat Mountain
The parking area at the base of the Grouse Grind and Grouse SkyRide is just 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver. Leaving Vancouver via the Lions Gate Bridge take the right hand lane after the bridge into North Vancouver. At the first set of lights you will need to then turn left on Capilano Road. Follow this to the Grouse Mountain parking lot. There are pay parking lots or you can park for free on the street nearby.
Explore Vancouver Hiking Trails!
Crown Mountain, visible from downtown Vancouver, towers behind Grouse Mountain. It was appropriately named due to its crown shape over 150 years ago by an English captain charting the area. This very ...
Coliseum Mountain is one of several beautiful hikes in the Lynn Valley's beautiful Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. It's not terribly difficult, but it is very long. 12 kilometres from the trailhead to the ...
The idyllic Cypress Falls trail has two nice waterfalls to see as well as an impressive forest of old growth cedars and Douglas firs. From the trailhead to the lower falls is easy to follow. There are quite a ...
Deer Lake is a relaxing 5 kilometre walk around a cute urban lake just 30 minutes from Vancouver. The route around the lake is good any time of year and is very popular with dog walkers in and around ...
Blackcomb Mountain holds an impressive and ever growing array of hiking trails. From the moment you step off the Blackcomb Gondola and you arrive at the Rendezvous Lodge, you see hiking trails ascend into ...
Taylor Meadows is a beautiful campsite and alternative to the much busier and more well known, Garibaldi Lake campsite. Located in between Garibaldi Lake and Black Tusk itself. It is reached from the same ...
Mount Sproatt, or as it is known locally as just Sproatt, is one of the many towering mountains visible from Whistler Village. Above and beyond Alta Lake, directly across from Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb ...
Whistler is an amazing place to hike. Looking at a map of Whistler you see an extraordinary spider web of hiking trails. Easy trails, moderate trails and challenging hiking trails are all available. Another marvellous thing about Whistler is that Garibaldi Provincial ...
Squamish sits in the midst of some amazing places to hike. Garibaldi Park sprawls from Squamish up and beyond Whistler. Tantalus Provincial Park lays across the valley to the west and the beautiful and desolate, by comparison, Callaghan Valley to the north. Add to ...
Clayoquot Sound has a staggering array of hiking trails within it. Between Tofino and Ucluelet, Pacific Rim Park has several wilderness and beach trails, each one radically different from the last. The islands in the area are often Provincial parks on their own with ...
Victoria has a seemingly endless number of amazing hiking trails. Most take you to wild and beautiful Pacific Ocean views and others take you to tranquil lakes in beautiful BC Coastal Rainforest wilderness. Regional Parks and Provincial Parks are everywhere you turn ...
The West Coast Trail was created after decades of brutal and costly shipwrecks occurred along the West Coast of Vancouver Island. One shipwreck in particular was so horrific, tragic and unbelievable that it forced the creation of a trail along the coast, which ...