While summer is the prime season for hiking, dedicated hikers know that with a bit of preparation and research, you can hike all winter long. Sometimes you just want a bit of nature time in the winter, and quick hike or nature walk is way easier than gearing up for snowshoeing. (Although if you want to do that, I’ve got some great snowshoeing guides for you). It can be tough to figure out where to hike in the winter though, since the mountains are blanketed in snow. But no worries, I’ve done all the research for you. I’ve put together the an absolutely enormous list of snow-free hikes in Vancouver for you. These are trails that you can hike year round… and there’s over 100 of them! I’ve got snow-free hikes for every part of the Lower Mainland from West Vancouver out to Hope. I even stretched up to Squamish and over to Bowen Island to give you even more options.
But First, Be Prepared
Winter hiking requires more preparation than summer hiking: the weather is cold, the trails are often in poor condition and there are less people on the trails to help you if you get into trouble. Make sure you leave a trip plan with a friend or family member before you go. Always bring the 10 essentials and check out my tips for winter hiking to make sure you keep warm and stay safe. Some of these trails might get a dusting of snow a few times of year (especially if it snows down at sea level), but none of them will get enough snow to require snowshoes. They can still be icy though, so microspikes are a idea. Check trail conditions ahead of time so you know what to expect. I’ve got a great list of Vancouver-area resources for finding trail conditions info. These trails are located in sensitive wilderness areas. Learn how to Leave No Trace before you go to keep the wilderness wild.
Snow-Free Hikes in Vancouver
Wreck Beach at sunset on the Foreshore Trail in Pacific Spirit Regional Park
1. Stanley Park: This is one of the best short and easy hikes in Vancouver.
3. Point Grey Foreshore Trail (This trail passes through Wreck Beach, a nudist beach. While there are far fewer nude sunbathers in the winter than the summer, be prepared to see naked people any day of the year.)
Snow-Free Hikes in North Vancouver
The suspension bridge in Lynn Canyon.
Deep Cove
4. Quarry Rock: This is a great hike to do in the winter. In the summer the trail is REALLY busy since Quarry Rock is pretty Instagram-famous.
5. Baden Powell Deep Cove to Lynn Valley
Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve
6. Seymour Valley Trailway: Consider taking a side trip onto the Figure 8 mountain bike trail to walk through a huge hollowed out cedar tree. It’s one of Vancouver’s most unusual hikes.
7. Rice Lake
8. Fisherman’s Trail: Watch for the hidden tunnel part way along.
9. Homestead/Twin Bridges Loop
Dollarton Highway
10. Maplewood Flats
Lynn Valley
11. Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge/Twin Falls: This is a great Vancouver area hike for beginners or tourists, plus it’s on the list of Vancouver’s top 10 most Instagrammed hikes.
12. Baden Powell Lynn Valley to Grouse
13. Kennedy Falls and the Big Cedar
Lynn Headwaters Regional Park
14. Lynn Loop/Cedar Mills Trail
15. Norvan Falls (Despite topping out at only 400m above sea level, this trail is in a deep valley can hold snow and ice in cold weather.)
16. Varley Trail
Snow-Free Hikes in West Vancouver and Lions Bay
The lighthouse at Point Atkinson in Lighthouse Park
Capilano Valley
British Properties
19. Brothers Creek Forestry Heritage Walk (The Brothers Creek trail continues further up the mountain, but this loop stays low to avoid the snow.)
20. Lawson Creek Heritage Walk: Make sure you take a moment to enjoy the Hollyburn Fir, a 1000 year old tree.
Horseshoe Bay
21. Cypress Falls
22. Whyte Lake
23. Lighthouse Park: This hike is really scenic, which is why it’s on the list of Vancouver’s most Instagrammed hikes AND Vancouver best easy hikes.
24. Whytecliffe Park
Lions Bay
25. Lions Bay Loop
Snow-Free Hikes on Bowen Island
26. Mount Gardner (The summit of Mount Gardner is at 719m so the top of the trail can sometimes get some light snow.)
27. Dorman Point
28. Killarney Lake
Snow-Free Hikes in Squamish
Crooked Falls in the Squamish River valley
Despite being at sea level, Squamish gets more snow than Vancouver and there may be snow on these trails during sustained cold weather.
30. Shannon Falls
31. Upper Shannon Falls (This trail continues on to the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola via the Sea to Summit Trail. If you climb higher than Upper Shannon Falls you will certainly encounter snow.)
33. Crumpit Woods
34. Estuary Trails
35. Alice Lake
36. Brohm Lake Interpretive Forest
37. Crooked Falls
38. Sea to Sky Trail (Squamish to Cheakamus Canyon section)
Snow-Free Hikes in Burnaby
40. Burnaby Lake
41. Deer Lake
Snow-Free Hikes in the Tri-Cities
Jug Island in Belcarra Regional Park
Belcarra Regional Park
42. Jug Island
43. Admiralty Point
44. Bedwell Bay
45. Woodhaven Trail
46. Sasamat Lake
48. Buntzen Ridge
Buntzen Lake
49. Buntzen Lake
50. Lakeview Trail
51. Academy Trail
52. Swan Falls Viewpoint (The trail continues up past the viewpoint to the Falls and to the crest of the ridge, but if you venture further than the viewpoint in the winter, you are likely to encounter snow.)
Port Moody
53. Bert Flinn Park
54. Shoreline Trail
Coquitlam
55. Coquitlam Crunch
56. Mundy Park
57. Crystal Falls
58. Woodland Walk/Sawblade Falls
Port Coquitlam
59. Poco Trail
Snow-Free Hikes in Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge
Widgeon Falls in Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, reached after canoeing across the mouth of Pitt Lake.
Pitt Meadows
62. Pitt River Regional Greenway
63. Pitt Lake Dykes
64. Widgeon Falls (This hike starts with a canoe trip. There is a canoe rental place at Grant Narrows, but they may not be open in the winter. Call them at (604) 836-7117 before you go to avoid disappointment.)
Maple Ridge
65. Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
67. Kanaka Creek Riverfront Trails
Golden Ears Provincial Park
Note that the gate at the entrance to Golden Ears Provincial Park is sometimes locked in the winter if it has snowed or the roads are icy. Always check the park website for gate opening info before going.
68. Mike Lake
70. Menzies Trail
71. Lookout Trail
73. Gold Creek Falls
Snow-Free Hikes in Mission and Harrison
The suspension bridge at Cascade Falls in Mission
74. Rolley Lake (You’ll have to park outside the gate in the winter and walk the access road into the park which adds about 1.5km to the hike.)
75. Hayward Lake and Steelhead Falls
76. Cascade Falls
78. Hicks Lake
Snow-Free Hikes in Richmond and Delta
Exploring the riverfront in Deas Island Regional Park
79. Iona Beach
81. Deas Island
83. Burns Bog Delta Nature Reserve
84. Brunswick Point
85. Boundary Bay Regional Park
Snow-Free Hikes in Surrey
86. Green Timbers Urban Forest
88. Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest
89. Serpentine Fen Nature Trail
91. Fleetwood Park
93. Blackie Spit
94. Mud Bay Park
95. Redwood Park
Snow-Free Hikes in Langley
96. Campbell Valley Regional Park
Snow-Free Hikes in Abbotsford
101. Abby Grind
102. Downes Bowl, Clearbrook Park
103. Matsqui Trail
Snow-Free Hikes in Chilliwack and Hope
The bottom of Bridal Veil Falls in Chilliwack. Photo Credit: “This is Bridal Falls” by Cameron Wears on Flickr. Used under CC BY-NC 2.0.
104. Tea Pot Hill, one of the most unique hikes in Vancouver thanks to the literal teapots along the sides of the trail.
105. Seven Sisters Trail
106. Mount Thom
107. Chilliwack Community Forest
108. Cheam Lake Wetlands Regional Park
109. Bridal Veil Falls (The park gate is closed in winter so you’ll have to walk in, adding a few extra minutes to your hike.)
110. Flood Falls
How many of these snow-free hikes in Vancouver have you done? Do you have even more to add to my list? Let me know in the comments?
Read Next
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- Coastal trails are always a good choice for winter hikes without snow. Check out my guide to coastal hiking in Vancouver.
- Winter can also be a great time to chase waterfalls. Here’s a Fraser Valley road trip that will take you on 4 short waterfall hikes back to back.
- Just because there’s no snow doesn’t mean it won’t be cold. Read my tips for winter hiking to keep warm and stay safe.
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1 Comment
Andrew
January 23, 2018 at 6:46 amThis is such an awesome list of fun! Thank you for giving me some more ideas of awesome hikes with no snow.