The Best Trail Running Routes in British Columbia

The Pacific Spirit Regional Park offers an expansive natural space with numerous trails to run. The park is situated just east of the University of British Columbia campus on the west end of Vancouver proper....

Stanley Park is the one park that I visit if I only have an hour or two to spare to run while in Vancouver. It is situated between downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver is home to mature old-growth forest, including massive cedar trees, a lake and lagoon, paved paths, singletrack, and seaside paths to run....

Park at the top of Alpine Way - but be sure to watch out for the no parking signs! The route starts on the gated logging road (Rick's Roost) switchbacking up a few kilometres to meet the Sproatt-Flank Trail....

The Stanley Park Seawall is an incredible local amenity for Vancouver residents. This beautiful oceanside pathway circumnavigates Stanley Park and provides separated lanes for bicycle and pedestrian traffic. These separated lanes are necessary due to the massive amount of traffic that this pathway enjoys....

Lost Lake Park is one of the most popular trail running destinations in Whistler, thanks to its easy accessibility from Whistler Village. By following the Valley Trail, you can literally run to this forest area from the heart of Whistler Village without ever getting into a car....

Kill Me Thrill Me is a true classic Whistler trail, and over the years its appeal has faded little. Kill Me Thrill Me is an up-and-down singletrack trail interspersed with big rock slabs....

The trail from Deep Cove to Quarry Rock is an easy, enjoyable run that offers a great stint of lush singletrack in dense forest and a halfway point that overlooks Deep Cove and the harbor....

The easiest singletrack trails in Whistler can be found in Lost Lake Park. But, like all the trail running in Whistler, there still isn’t anything “easy” about even the in-town trail system....

The Baden Powell Trail (BPT) offers a marathon-distance trail run that crosses from Horseshoe Bay on Howe Sound to Deep Cove on Indian Arm. The trail is a North Vancouver classic and is a must-run for those visiting the city....

The Hanes Valley Loop offers a long and challenging trail with a remote backcountry feeling accessed directly from the edge of the city. This route is one of the best long, challenging trails in Vancouver and offers a strong balance of difficulty, technicality, and awe-inspiring vistas....

The Howe Sound Crest Trail (HSCT) is an excellent point-to-point trail running adventure that follows the Sea-to-Sky Highway heading north of Vancouver. The route extends between Cypress Mountain in the south and Porteau Cove in the north....

This is a very steep climb for the distance covered. You will start climbing right away and gain lots of elevation for each KM. The trail starts off gradual but then starts getting steep....

If you can tackle only a single trail on a visit to Vancouver, the Grouse Grind should be it. The Grouse Grind is the most iconic Vancouver hike. It is often referred to as "Mother Nature’s Stairmaster....

The Owl-Tenquille Traverse connects its namesake lakes via an open alpine trail (mostly) system. It's easy to complete in either direction. One of the most difficult parts is the logistics of a point-to-point run! The direction described is ever so slightly easier with an overall elevation loss....

Every Sea to Sky resident has dreamed about Mt. Currie and every visitor has looked up at it's steep north face. Climbing to the summit is a worthwhile trip, especially if you can travel fast and light in trail running style! The first trick is finding the trailhead....

The original Alcoholic Traverse connects Brandywine to Brew Peaks. With changes to access, Brew Peak is more difficult to reach so there are several variations. Connecting Brandywine, Cypress Peak, and Tricouni Peak offers an awesome linkup of alpine scrambling....

Joffre Lakes has become one of the most popular hiking trails in the Sea to Sky corridor. BC Parks recently had to institute a permit system to limit the number of hikers on the trail, capping the visitors at 1,700 per day....