There are some great websites online (www.vancouvertrails.com) and information around for hikes in the Vancouver area with a lot of up to date details including directions, maps, and a forum to ask questions.  I haven’t felt that all the information available gives an accurate representation of the terrain itself, difficulty and what you should have with you for the terrain and also the area you are in.

I’ve put together a selection of trails that I have completed so far and given some additional details that you may find useful when planning your trip from my own experience.  Each review has a variety of information, that I will explain below, along with an elevation graph and some pictures of each hike I have taken.

I hope the information will help you better plan and safely tackle a hike or trail run locally.

 

 

Difficulty: The overall level of the hike.

Terrain: Some key information about the trail type to give you a better idea of the difficulty and what type of shoes would be best suited.

Distance: The overall length of the hike from start to finish.  Most will end and the starting point, others may be only one direction.

Gain: The total accumulation of height in meters  – use the elevation graph to understand the gradient over the distance covered.

Time: A rough estimate depending on your ability and how much you stop.

Trail Running: What kind of level of trail running you should be at to comfortably ‘run’ the route.  Easy = walking up hills or able to jog steady inclines.  Advanced = able to run technical and steep inclines without stopping.

Views: An idea of views along the route and at the finish.

Top Essentials Required: I will list all the key essentials I recommend for the hike and location. See the Hiking and trail running tips page for these.