6 super-fun hikes for kids near Vancouver

105 Hikes author Stephen Hui highlights family-friendly trails in new book

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      Take a hike, kids! Doesn’t visiting beaver lodges, hollow trees, suspension bridges, tide pools, and waterfalls sound like fun?

      My new book, Best Hikes and Nature Walks With Kids In and Around Southwestern British Columbia (Greystone Books) is designed to help families explore the great outdoors.

      Best Hikes and Nature Walks With Kids describes 55 hiking trails near Vancouver. These hikes are ideal for children aged 4 to 11—but they’re not just for kids. Beginner hikers, seniors, nature lovers, and anyone seeking short hikes will enjoy these trails.

      Here are six delightfully fun B.C. hikes featured in my new book.

      Important reminders for hikers: check current conditions, take the essentials, leave a trip plan with a responsible person, and make sure to leave no trace.

      Cheakamus River.
      Stephen Hui

      Cheakamus Canyon

      Make a splash at Starvation Lake. Chase trains in the dramatic setting of Cheakamus Canyon. Take a hike on the Sea to Sky Trail and peer down at railway tunnels and bridges, and whitewater. If the kids are acrophobic, you’ll find out.

      Killarney Creek.
      Stephen Hui

      Killarney Lake

      Take the ferry to Bowen Island. Visit a fish ladder and waterfall. Spot a beaver dam and lodge. Look out for hollow trees and horseback riders. The hike to Killarney Lake offers plenty of interest to young ones.

      Lost Lake
      Stephen Hui

      Lost Lake

      Four lakes, one hike—it’s a sweet deal on Hollyburn Mountain. Enjoy the novelty of strolling through the cross-country ski area (for free) in the off-season, take a dip in a lake or two, and hunt for slime moulds in the forest. You’ll even go by a cabin called The Doghouse.

      Jug Island.
      Stephen Hui

      Jug Island Beach

      Jug Island Beach is an enchanting destination in təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park. The shoreline hosts barnacles, crabs, limpets, sea stars, and dramatically fractured, multicoloured rock. Comb the beach for interesting stones and shells but remember the fourth principle of Leave No Trace: “Leave what you find.”

      Mount Thom
      Stephen Hui

      Mount Thom

      Mount Thom is an enjoyable hike in any season, including the fall, when the brilliant foliage shines yellow, orange, and red. Climb the mountain from Chilliwack’s Promontory neighbourhood. On the summit, marvel at ravens soaring and diving overhead.

      Rainbow Bridge.
      Stephen Hui

      Flash Lake

      A jewel in E.C. Manning Provincial Park, Lightning Lake holds rainbow trout and its chilly bluish-green water makes for invigorating swimming. Another reason to visit is the rodents, namely the squirrels, chipmunks, and beavers. Leave the crowd behind by setting out for Flash Lake.

      Video: Watch the book trailer for Best Hikes and Nature Walks With Kids In and Around British Columbia.

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