Mastering the Squamish Day Trip
It’s that time of year when many are scrambling to fill their calendars with summer camps, cabin stays, visits to the inlaws and, hopefully, a little downtime in-between.
Here’s the good news. A day trip to Squamish requires very little effort at all, and delivers a ton of options, from mountain biking to hiking to lake swimming, all within an hour’s drive of Vancouver. The bad news? You might want more than just a day.
Most mountain bikers already know about Squamish’s extensive trail network, but if you’re not yet too familiar with it, Half Nelson is a good place to start. One of the area’s highest-rated mountain biking trails, Half Nelson is a fun and flowy pump track complete with swooping corners, wide bridge features, builtup berms and plenty of jumps. The two-kilometre trail is suitable for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders and takes about thirty-five minutes from start to finish.
While many flock to Alice Lake Provincial Park, about fifteen kilometres north of downtown Squamish is a spot called Brohm Lake, a popular swimming lake for visitors and locals alike. The water here is refreshing, not too deep and easily accessible from the Sea to Sky Highway, making it a great stop before or after your next adventure. This area does get busy and parking is limited so you’ll want to get there early for the best spots.
It’s getting harder and harder to find someone who hasn’t been up the Sea to Sky Gondola or hiked the Stawamus Chief, and rightfully so. If you’re looking for something a bit different, Smoke Bluffs Park will reward you with new views and a great spot to check out the rock climbers and the rest of the action in town. The area’s loop trail is easily accessible and will take about thirty to forty-five minutes.
Break for lunch or dinner or post-adventure drinks at the Howe Sound Brew Pub and try their award-winning seasonal ale King Heffy Imperial, a refreshing German-styled wheat ale that is a tribute to those bold enough to conquer the Squamish rocks.
Local trail information, rentals and maps are available at the Visitor Information kiosk within the Squamish Adventure Centre, conveniently located along the Sea to Sky Highway. Stop there first for more recommendations on what to do, where to eat and how to get the most out of your day.
www.exploresqua-mish.com