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Hike Description

Lighthouse Park is a popular outdoor destination in West Vancouver, BC. It is about 75 hectares (185 acres) in area and it's almost completely covered with rugged, virgin rainforest. At the southernmost tip of the peninsula is Point Atkinson which includes an impressive landmark lighthouse built on granite boulders jutting out into Burrard Inlet. The lighthouse is one of the oldest on the West Coast. In fact, the original lighthouse was built in 1874 and was relaced by the current building in 1912. The lighthouse was automated in the 1990's.

Point Atkinson was first charted and named by Captain George Vancouver in 1792 and is a National Historic Site of Canada. The Point Atkinson Lighthouse is the location of Starboat Cove, which may be reached by hiking the Valley Trail in this park.

The park contains the city's last remaining stand of first-growth Douglas-fir, as well as some magnificent Western hemlock and western redcedar. Although most of the region has been logged, the trees in what is now the park were spared as they provided a necessary dark background for the lighthouse. The area was thus set aside in 1881 as the lighthouse reserve. Some ancient trees reach heights of up to 61 m (200 ft) and are around 500 years old. A tree that fell in the 1990s had enough rings to suggest that it had already been a mature tree at the time of Christopher Columbus.

There is a complex network of hiking trails in the park, some of which are fairly rough and can be very slippery when wet. The park receives more than 50 inches (1,300 mm) of rain annually and has an abundance of various ferns, berries and mushrooms.

Visitors should wear good walking shoes as the trails are often slippery due to the damp microclimate. Another word of caution: do not leave any valuables in the car as the parking lot at the entrance to the park is a scene of regular break-ins.

Getting There

Access to the park is through Beacon Lane off Marine Drive. To get here, take the Upper Levels Highway (Highway 1/99) to the Horseshoe Bay exit (Exit 1). You can pick up Marine Drive from here. Alternatively you can come along Marine Drive from West Vancouver after crossing the Lion's Gate Bridge.

A wooden sign marks the entrance to Beacon Lane. You will also see a wooden bus shelter by the road which is where you can disembark the 250 bus should this be your means of transport. Please see the vital statistics section above for transit timetables.

The Hike

This is a great hike for families, especially those with younger children. You can do the complete circuit in a couple of hours (with kids) and it's just enough for them to handle without getting too tired.

At the south end of the parking lot, what will appear to be the top end when you get there, is an information board, and the entrance to the park. There is a map of the trails here and you can even take a paper copy with you on your walk. We haven't added the trails to the map above as we wanted to keep it simple but you can download a copy of the Lighthouse Park trail map here. This is not a long hike but there are a number of different trails to try and if you do it all you would end up walking about 10 km (6.2 mi)!

Beacon Lane actually goes all the way down to the lighthouse but is closed to the public by a steel gate which you must now pass to begin your adventure. It's only a 10-15 minute walk to the lighthouse if you follow the lane. You do have the option to head off along one of smaller trails that wind through the magnificent forest around you.

Just before you arrive at the lighthouse you will come across a few old cabins, one of which is Phyl Munday House. Phyl Munday and her husband, Don were alpinists who are famous for their exploration of the unknown Coast Mountain wilderness between 1920 and 1949. Phyl made many great accomplishments during this time but perhaps the most famous was her ascent of Mount Waddington, BC's highest peak at 4044 m (13260 ft). She was one of the first people to do this! The Munday House is open on Sundays from 2-4pm.

In the building next to Phyl Munday House you will find flushing toilets. There are picnic tables for a few families in from of Munday House and also behind it. Just west of here is a great lookout point where you can snap a lovely photo of the lighthouse. There is also another, slightly nicer, picnic area here. If you continue along the rocky trail you will come to trails which head down to the East and West beaches. East beach is a little more sheltered but West beach is a great spot for sunbathing in the summer. You can swim in the bay here but, of course, be careful!

If you head out onto the rocks and look over towards Vancouver you will see False Creek and Stanley Park. It's funny to think that once upon a time that whole densely populated area would have been covered in trees much like the ones you are currently hiking through!

Standing above the rocky cliffs is quite exhilerating, especially on a stormy day. It's worth going out there when the winds are up but again, be careful! Scattered atop these cliffs are numerous arbutus trees, giving a very unique feel to this hike. Continue on the Shore Pine Trail to return to the parking lot. There are some towering trees to be seen on the way up. You will pass through a grove of amabilis firs which are quite breathtaking. On the way up, make sure you take a detour to Juniper Point. This is where you will likely find the rock climbers and it's an amazing, beautiful place. You might like to spend the afternoon here! The whole circuit will take about an hour but remember, there are other criss-crossing trails to check out too!

Recreation

There's quite a bit to do at Lighthouse Park. Apart from the obvious hiking, many people descend on the park for swimming and rock climbing in the summer. It's also a hotspot for scuba diving too!

Park brochure map