Baden Powell Trail

Nearly 50 kilometres of maintained trails make up the Baden Powell Trail. They go past the entrance to Grouse Grind‘s grueling trail of steps up to Grouse Mountain, through magnificent Capilano River Regional Park and past the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge in Lynn Canyon Park.

The Baden Powell Trail also cuts through part of Mt. Seymour Provincial Park, over the Seymour River and up to Quarry Rock overlooking Deep Cove and the waters of Indian Arm. It’s trails like the Baden Powell Trail that make the North Shore renowned for its natural splendour and outdoor recreation.

The Baden Powell Trail is not a loop, meaning that you need to arrange transportation differently for the start and end of your hike unless you simply retrace your steps. The trail also has numerous entrance points so you can break the hike up over different days and trips.

Bridge on Baden Powell Trail — A Bridge on the Trail in North Vancouver

Sections of the Baden Powell Trail

The trail is divided into four sections – Deep Cove to Lynn Valley; Lynn Valley to Grouse Mountain; Grouse Mountain to Cypress Mountain; and Cypress Mountain to Horseshoe Bay.

For the most part, the trails aren’t overly difficult, but they do run through multiple types of terrain. They also involve a fair bit of up and down, on uneven ground and staircases.

Each section runs close to suburban areas in parts and they are all very well used. Each of the four sections takes about four or five hours to complete and makes for a great weekend hike. Shorter stretches, such as from Deep Cove to Quarry Rock (the latter when open), take only about an hour one way.

The section of the Baden Powell Trail from just above Panorama Park in Deep Cove to Quarry Rock is about a one hour hike. It’s a beautiful trail through the trees and not overly strenuous, though it does have a decent amount of stairs. The view from the top on a sunny day is absolutely spectacular, and makes for a great resting spot before returning back down the hill.

Top of Quarry Rock — Quarry Rock in Deep Cove

Baden Powell Trail Video

To give you an idea of what to expect regarding the Baden Powell Trail, check out the following video. It features a short section between near Quarry Rock north of Deep Cove and a part of the trail that goes through Mt. Seymour Provincial Park. The terrain is similar to what you’ll find in other non-urban forested parkland on the North Shore.

As you can see from the video, the trail goes through a wonderfully natural forested area along the edge of the mountains in North Vancouver. Along the way there are stairs, the occasional bridge and various ups and downs. It’s an enjoyable hike and not difficult.

To watch a similar video of the same area see our article about Mt. Seymour Provincial Park.

Other Information

For more information about the approximately five-hour/12-kilometre eastern start of the route, click on the Baden Powell Deep Cove to Lynn Canyon Section of the trail.

For information on the roughly five-hour/10-kilometre central portion of the trail, check out the Baden Powell Lynn Canyon to Grouse Section.

To learn more about the region, see our articles about Deep Cove, North Vancouver or North Shore.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following:

North Vancouver's Baden Powell Trail