You might know West Vancouver’s Cypress Provincial Park as a skier’s paradise, but in the summer the park is home to a huge network of hiking trails for all abilities, a mountain roller coaster, viewpoints, picnic areas, and lots more. To help you plan your trip, here are the best things to do at Cypress Provincial Park in the summer.

How to Get to Cypress Provincial Park

Take the Cypress Bowl Road exit from Highway 1 in West Vancouver. Follow the road up the mountain into the park. There are several different parking areas along this road.

Tips for Visiting

• Use the park map to find your way around.
• Dogs must be on leash in the park. Dogs are not allowed on the Yew Lake Interpretive Trail.
• Smoking, vaping, cannabis, drones, alcohol, campfires, and collecting plants are not allowed.
• There are toilets at most parking lots in the park.
• Some of the park has no cell phone service.
• Be bear aware. The park is home to lots of black bears. Learn about bear safety before you go.
• Be safe in the park. AdventureSmart recommends bringing a backpack with essential safety and first aid gear on every hike. Check the forecast and pack extra clothing for the weather. Leave a trip plan so someone knows where you are going and when you will be back.

Enjoy the View

Be sure to stop at the High View Lookout on your drive up Cypress Bowl Road. This roadside viewpoint has an incredible view of downtown Vancouver, the Lions Gate Bridge, and Burrard Inlet.

Take a Nature Walk

If you’re looking for an easy hike, the Yew Lake Barrier-Free Interpretive Trail is a great option. The two-kilometre trail loops past small ponds in sub-alpine terrain. Interpretive signs along the way explain this unique ecosystem. The trail is wide and has gentle slopes so it’s a good option for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility. Note: dogs are not allowed in this area.

Have a Picnic

Pack your picnic basket and have an alfresco lunch in the park. There is a great picnic area at Quarry Lookout, partway up Cypress Bowl Road. High View Lookout also has picnic tables overlooking the city. If you want to combine your picnic with a hike, pack your lunch and eat at the picnic tables on the Yew Lake Trail.

Try Geocaching

Have you heard of geocaching? It’s a hobby where you use a GPS device or a phone app to find a treasure hidden at specific GPS coordinates. There are secret caches of small treasures (called geocaches) across the globe, including a few dozen in Cypress Provincial Park. Read our guide to geocaching for tips on getting started, then check out the list of geocache locations at Cypress.

Eat at the Crazy Raven Pub

Grab and burger and a beer, then relax on the patio at Cypress Mountain’s Crazy Raven Pub. This summer they are open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Ride the Eagle Coaster

Cypress Mountain has a brand-new attraction for summer 2021: the Eagle Coaster. You’ll travel at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour as you plummet 279 vertical metres down the mountain on the 1.7-kilometre-long track. Book tickets online.

Bike Cypress Bowl Road

Experienced road cyclists love to challenge themselves by biking up Cypress Bowl Road. It’s 15 kilometres from the highway to the end of the road, with 720 metres of elevation gain along the way. Pause to enjoy the views at the top, then make the thrilling descent.

Climb a Mountain

Cypress Provincial Park has lots of great hiking trails to mountain summits. The moderate hike to St. Mark’s Summit on the Howe Sound Crest Trail is a popular option with a breathtaking view. Plan to spend 5 hours on the 11km hike. Eagle Bluffs is another great hike and also has a wonderful view. The 8km hike takes 4 hours. If you want a slightly quieter trail, head to Hollyburn Mountain. The 7km route leaves from the cross-country parking lot and takes 3.5 hours.

Go for a Hike

The network of trails in Cypress Provincial Park provides dozens of hike possibilities. Besides the mountain hikes listed above, we also recommend the short and easy hike to Bowen Lookout. It’s has a spectacular view of Howe Sound and Bowen Island. A trip around the Hollyburn Lakes is also pleasant. You’ll visit four small lakes and pass by several cute historical cabins. Or use the park map to plan your own route.

By TARYN EYTON
Source Inside Vancouver