British Columbia: Hiking - Walking

British Columbia's unique western location means it has excellent hiking and walking trails and walking is one of the best ways to get around British Columbia’s cities (from a sight-seeing point of view) even in winter. When in Victoria and Vancouver bring a street/Skytrain map to plan your itinerary or simply wander around the harbourfront areas, Stanley Park or Gastown with historic cobblestone streets. If you plan to hike some of British Columbia's nature trails there is simply no shortage. BC has five national parks and over 400 provincial parks. Enjoy ever-changing scenery from forests to lakes and mountains to orchards, lush valleys and coastline Pacific rainforests. British Columbia's regional and national parks, wildlife reserves and wide variety of trails make British Columbia an ideal hiking location. Accommodation can be found along many of the routes. Some favourite hiking routes in BC include: Iceline Trail / Little Yoho / Yoho Valley Loop in Golden; Great Divide Trail: Maligne Lake to Jasper Alberta; West Coast Trail in Bamfield; The Rockwall in Radium Hot Springs; Baden-Powell Trail (Grouse Mountain) in North Vancouver; Black Tusk in Whistler; Forbidden Plateau in Nanaimo; Alpine Loop in Golden; and Hamilton Falls and Hamilton Lake in Golden. Be sure to wear good walking shoes, bring sunscreen and a hat, water bottles and insect repellent.