If you think of fall hiking, you are probably picturing strolling through a beautiful maple forest with red and gold leaves everywhere. That kind of scene is quintessentially autumn, but it’s kind of an East Coast cliche. We don’t have much of that near Vancouver. What we do have, however, is a pretty unique fall …
Backpacking Guides
The Yoho Valley in Yoho National Park is a special place. In the Cree language, “Yoho” is an expression of wonder or awe. It pretty much means “wow!” And while it sounds cheesy, that’s what I kept saying when I spent three days backpacking the Yoho Valley Loop including the Iceline Trail. I had been …
The West Coast Trail is one of the best-known hiking trails in Canada. It covers 75km through some of the toughest and most beautiful terrain in British Columbia’s coastal rainforest. I first hiked the WCT 20 years ago. In fact, it was my first backpacking trip ever! I was SO unprepared! (But I still loved …
Joffre Lakes near Whistler, BC is a spectacular spot: three gorgeous turquoise lakes surrounded by glacier-capped mountains. I first hiked to Joffre Lakes in 2004 and have returned every few years since then. I think I’ve hiked here 9 or 10 times and I never get tired of it. If you’re interested in hiking to …
Semaphore Lakes near Pemberton is a special place. It’s a short and easy hike to three gorgeous alpine lakes with incredible glacier views. And the logging road to get there is 2WD accessible (most of the time). I first hiked to Semaphore Lakes back in 2014. (In fact, an earlier version of this trail guide …
These days, Elfin Lakes in Garibaldi Provincial Park is the closest backcountry camping to my house in Squamish – it’s literally just up the street. But I’ve been going to Elfin Lakes for two decades – it was my first winter backpacking trip back in 2003! I’ve hiked the Elfin Lakes Trail more times than …
After a long winter, I’m usually in a rush for summer to start so I can go backpacking. But it can be frustrating since most trails are snow-covered well into June and July. However, if you know where to look, there are lots of places to go on spring backpacking trips in British Columbia. While …
Note: I’ve updated my Mount Assiniboine hiking guide to include updated info for 2024 including the new requirement for reservations at Porcupine Campground. With its prominent Matterhorn shape, Mount Assiniboine is one of the most photographed peaks in the Canadian Rockies. And that makes hiking to Mount Assiniboine one of the most spectacular backpacking trips …
The Skyline Trail is one of the most popular backpacking trips in Jasper National Park. And it’s easy to see why – it’s 44 km of spectacular mountain scenery including 25 km above the treeline. I hiked the trail over 3 days in late August and was amazed by its beauty. I’m a hiking guidebook …
The Rockwall Trail in Kootenay National Park has been on my list for a LONG time. I had seen photos online of a trail stretching for kilometres beside towering cliffs and I knew I had to hike it. This August, I spent 5 days on the Rockwall Trail and it was insanely beautiful – easily …