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.
Mystery Lake is an easy, well marked trail that leads to a cute mountain lake that is perfect for relaxing, swimming or having a picnic. It is just 1.5km to the lake and like the rest of Seymour Park, dogs are welcome. The trailhead is easy to find once you have reached the main parking lot to Mount Seymour Resort. Just look for the signs for Mystery Lake on the frequent trail signs.
The trail starts off by ascending up the ski slopes of Seymour for a few hundred metres. This section is fairly steep, though not terribly difficult. This trail takes you under the Mystery Chairlift and into the trees, away from the ski runs. The trail then winds through the forest and out to another ski run where you get your first great view of Vancouver far below. If you arrive to Mystery Lake on a nice day with no wind or rain you will be amazed at the reflection off the lake. It is wonderfully sheltered by cliffs and trees, making the water mirror-like on most days. If you brought kids with you, they will be in paradise. Shallow, ever changing shoreline with crystal clear water and tadpoles lurking in the water just out of reach. There is a fantastic, rocky island that you have to hop from rock to rock to get to. This little island always seems to escape the shade that falls on most other parts of the lake. If you brought a picnic or are looking to just relax, this is the spot to aim for first. You will notice two trails branch off from near this island. One continues further up to another fork in the trail. Left goes to Mystery Peak and right takes you to Goldie Lake via a somewhat challenging trail that seems to get little use. The other trail that branches off from near the little island takes you back to the Mystery Lake trail via another ski run. This also connects to the Mount Seymour trail that you can either take to Mount Seymour or back to your car at the trailhead. Mystery Lake is about as idyllic as possible for a small mountain lake.
Sheltered from the wind the water is always mirror-like, reflecting the forest perfectly. The lake is surrounded by rock outcrops, cliffs and trails ensuring that you can find a quiet corner to relax. The trail, though steep, is just a short 1.5 kilometres from the parking lot at Seymour. The challenging trail that runs past Mystery Lake then descends to Goldie Lake then back to the Seymour parking lot is well worth doing though the trail is hard to follow when the daylight fades in the evening.
Mount Seymour's Mystery Peak Live Webcam
Driving Directions to Mystery Lake
To get to the main parking lot simply drive until you come to the end of the road and the end of the final parking lot (you will see ski lifts). Looking towards the end of this long parking lot you will see a large, round wooden map board. From here on there are frequent tree markers and signs directing you. From Highway #1 (Trans-Canada Highway) take Exit #22 Mount Seymour Parkway. Turn right onto Mount Seymour Parkway almost immediately and follow it 4.4 km before turning left onto Mount Seymour Road. Follow Mount Seymour Road as it winds it's way up the mountain. Drive to the end of the large parking lot at the end of the road. Start at the Mount Seymour Trail kiosk, to the left of the Mystery Peak chairlift. Parking is free and there are no trail fees in Mount Seymour Provincial Park.
Explore Vancouver Hiking Trails!
Mystery Lake is an easy, well marked trail that leads to a cute mountain lake that is perfect for relaxing, swimming or having a picnic. It is just 1.5km to the lake and like the rest of Seymour Park, dogs are ...
The Kitsilano beaches begin as soon as you cross the Burrard Bridge and enter the residential paradise of Kitsilano. Though only this first beach is named Kitsilano Beach, you can walk from one beach to the next ...
Deeks Peak is at the far north end of the beautiful Howe Sound Crest Trail which runs from Cypress Resort 29k away. The trailhead near Porteau Cove is the access point Deeks Peak and Deeks Lake. It is a ...
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 ...
Russet Lake is a surreal little paradise that lays at the base of The Fissile. The Fissile is the strikingly bronze mountain visible from Whistler Village. From the Village look into the distance at the Peak2Peak ...
Ring Lake is a idyllic, pristine and wonderfully remote lake similar to Cirque Lake but considerably farther to hike to reach it. The 10 kilometre(6.2 mile) hike takes you through a tranquil forest, then to ...
Helm Creek is a cute, meandering creek that winds its way from beyond Black Tusk, down the valley to the wonderful campground that takes its name. From the Helm Creek campground, Helm Creek descends further ...
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 ...