#1 Lighthouse Park in North Van                   Beautiful Stops on the Sea to Sky

Easy Walk, Little Elevation Change (2k -10k) / Allow 30 Minutes - 2 Hours

Lighthouse Park is an extraordinarily little know piece of paradise, so close to to Vancouver as to see its tall buildings, yet immersed into a dramatically beautiful coastal rainforest.  A wonderful network of trails winds throughout massive Douglas-fir trees and Western Red Cedars as well as golden Arbutus trees stretching toward the ocean.  It is surprisingly convenient on the drive from Vancouver to Whistler.

The detour will only add an hour to your trip but the drive alone is well worth doing as Marine Drive runs parallel to the Sea to Sky Highway and is a wonderfully beautiful ocean hugging road that is alive with the beauty of Vancouver.  Wildly overgrown and narrow, this BC Coastal rainforest road hugs the edge of land in the midst of this evidently wealthy part of Vancouver.  You will have an amazing view across to Vancouver as you hug the coast.  The driveways you pass are windy and steep, and alarmingly close to the road.  Oncoming cars you pass slow down.  It's that narrow.

You are now in the real Vancouver.  The houses are old and beautifully immersed in the deep, dark rainforest that once blanketed the land where skyscrapers of the city now stand.  This is where you can look across to the amazing, beautiful and viciously crowded metropolis of Vancouver and feel in another world.  Quiet, serene, immersed in deep forest, and contrastingly beautiful to the beauty across the water.  Lighthouse Park is located at a beautiful piece of land in the edge of this.

More Info on Lighthouse Park in North Vancouver >>

#2 Porteau Cove                                              Beautiful Stops on the Sea to Sky

Easy: Drive Right to Pier / Allow 10 Minutes

Porteau Cove is a beautiful little stop on the way to or from Whistler.  There is a wonderful pier with viewing platforms that hover high above the ocean of this beautiful fjord - the most southerly fjord in North America.  There are several waterfront campsites here as well as convenient (from the highway) washrooms and showers.  Porteau Cove is well known in the Scuba Diving community for amazing diving.  In fact a ship was purposely sunk in the area to increase the already amazing diving appeal.

More Info on Hiking Trails in Squamish >>

#3 Shannon Falls & the Chief                        Beautiful Stops on the Sea to Sky

Shannon Falls: Moderate Walk, Several Stairs (.5k To Falls) / Allow 10-30 Minutes

The Stawamus Chief: Strenuous Hike, Lots of Stairs / Allow 2-3 Hours

Shannon Falls towers above Howe Sound at 335 metres as the third tallest falls in BC.  The wonderful, though very short trail winds through a beautiful old growth forest to get to the base of the falls.  From your car to the viewpoint takes only about four minutes, however the trail continues a bit further to a higher viewpoint (five minutes higher).  You can even continue along the trail and join with the Stawamus Chief Trail which goes to the three summits of the Chief.  The trail to the Chiefs peaks are very steep and almost constant stairs to be prepared for quite a workout comparable to the Grouse Grind in Vancouver.

The trailhead is just south of the Stawamus Chief trailhead, south of Squamish.  The Chief is the mammoth rock face that towers over Squamish. Though hardly believable from looking at, the summit is only a one hour hike.  In fact there are three peaks, South (First), Centre (Second), and North (Third). Each accessible from the single trailhead.  The trailhead to the Chief is easy to find. From highway 99, in Squamish. As you approach the Chief, visible for several kilometres, watch for the sign for "Stawamus Chief." The large parking lots are arranged next to the trailhead.

There is a nice campground, with plenty of tent sites at the trailhead.  A better route for a day hike is to start at Shannon Falls, it only adds about 1km but includes the spectacular Shannon falls as well as a nicer route as it joins the trail to the Chief part way up. The Upper Shannon Falls Trail extends past Shannon Falls.  To reach the Upper Shannon Falls Trail you must join onto the Stawamus Chief Trail and after a few minutes you will see a sign directing you to the right to the Upper Shannon Falls Trail.  It is a beautiful and similarly beautiful alternative to the very busy Stawamus Chief Trail.

More Info & Directions to Shannon Falls & The Chief >>

#4 Brandywine Falls                                       Beautiful Stops on the Sea to Sky

Easy Walk, Little Elevation Change (1k To Falls) / Allow 30 Minutes

Brandywine Falls is one of the must see sights between Vancouver and Whistler.  The falls drop from a 66 metre, starkly abrupt cliff to the valley below.  It is such a popular and beautiful sight that it is a Provincial Park complete with a large and elaborate viewing platform directly opposite the falls.  Located just 20 minutes south of Whistler, Brandywine Falls Provincial Park is just a short walk from the parking area next to the Sea to Sky Highway.

If driving from Vancouver, keep your eyes out for the Brandywine Falls sign on your right about 25 minutes north of Squamish.  The parking lot is immediately off the highway and the short 1 kilometre trail takes you over then alongside the Cheakamus River to the viewing area.  The only facilities in the park are pit toilets and picnic tables and there is no charge for hiking or for parking your vehicle in the park.

The gate off of the highway is locked at night and in the winter so at these times you simply park at the edge of the highway and hike past the gate.  In the winter you often see people strapping on snowshoes for the short trek to the falls in the snow.  Brandywine Falls Provincial Park is attached to the wonderful Sea to Sky Trail which runs between and beyond Whistler and Squamish.  It is a wide, gravel biking and hiking trail that will eventually extend north to Pemberton.

More Info & Directions to Brandywine Falls >>

#5 The Whistler Train Wreck                         Beautiful Stops on the Sea to Sky

Easy Walk, Little Elevation Change (.8k To Sights) / Allow 30-60 Minutes

It is hard to say enough about the Whistler Train Wreck.  It is fantastic for so many reasons.  First, its location.  Just a short 10 minute drive gets you to the trailhead parking, just off of the Sea to Sky Highway on Alpha Lake Road in Function Junction.  The hike begins on the Flank Trail then quickly branches off to the Train Wreck Trail through deep

forest.

The trail leads first to the Cheakmus River and some amazing viewpoints then continues through deep forest along this amazing river.  Around a bend in the Cheakamus, the forest reveals the first of seven, fantastic train wrecks.  Once again phenomenal views of the crashing river and then the amazing train wrecks come into view.  Graffiti style paint brings the dingy wreckage to life with shockingly beautiful colours.  The huge wrecks are enormous up close and mangled.  Some on their sides, some upside down.  Each one (there are several) is an interesting adventure to explore.  A sort of wilderness art exhibit.

The wreckage stretches for almost a kilometre and can bring out the kid in anyone.  The area is very kid friendly as the trails are wide and generally flat.  There are several extraordinarily surreal places to put up a tent or, as many often do, sleep on the edge of the incredible river or even in a wrecked car.  There are indications in all the cars of thousands of past gatherings which gives the place a charm that seems characteristically Whistler.  The Train Wreck is a spectacularly beautiful and interesting place, just like Whistler.

More Info & Directions to the Whistler Train Wreck >>