Hanes Valley hike

We suggest doing the Hanes Valley Loop using a shuttle as you start and end in different places. You can do this as a complete circular hike, starting and ending at Lynn Valley.

To do the Hanes Valley hike using a shuttle, park a 2nd car at Grouse Mountain, and drive to start the hike in Lynn Valley. While you can do this as a circular hike, it’s really nice taking the Grouse Mountain Skyride down after a great hike.

Also, note that the Hanes Valley hike is a technical hike, and includes some sections where you have to use your hands to get up a steep boulder field, so if you don’t like hikes that you need to use your hands, the Hanes Valley hike is not for you.

Finally, this hike is nearly impossible to complete during early summer, as creek crossings are still quite dangerous with snowmelt and there is snow up high. Wait until mid to the end of July to do this route, during the late summer days, the Hanes Valley hike is an absolute treat.

Start the Hanes Valley hike at the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. We prefer starting here as it’s much easier and safer to go up the boulder field then down. From the northern end of the parking lot, follow the Lynn Loop Trail north. Here, you’ll cross abridge over Lynn Creek, and find a sign-board with a hiker registration box. Enter your name and trip details here (just in case).

The Hanes Valley trail starts off on an easy note, all you have to do is follow the well-marked trail north for about 1.1mi until you come to a junction and a trail sign. Keep heading north, and you’ll notice you’re now on the Cedar Mills Trail.

Continue along Cedar Mills for about 1.4mi, then veers on the Headwaters Trail at the Debris Chute. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you spot the North Shore Rescue gear cache. Walk up the loose rock until you find the single-track trail once again, and carry on left at the junction.

At this point, the trail changes into a more challenging climb. Keep heading north, following the numerous yellow trail markers. Continue for almost 1.6mi to the next junction where you can go right to Coliseum Mountain. At the next fork in the road, just a few minutes from the mountain, head right towards Norvan Falls. This is just a slight, 10-minute detour, but it’s worth the effort.

From the Norvan Falls junction, stay left, heading over a metal bridge and onward to Hanes Valley. You’ll notice the trail becomes slightly less defined, but there are plenty of tree markers to help guide you.

The next marked junction in the trail is hard to spot, so keep an eye out Head west (left) , staying on the Hanes Valley route. From this junction, press onwards for 2.5mi, until you arrive at the Crown Pass. It is important you go left at this junction, or you’ll be completely off track).

Continue until you reach a creek crossing. The creek can be impassable during heavy rainfall periods or during heavy snow-melt. Carefully cross, using logs and large boulders in the water.

Once across the creek, you’ll notice the trail continues. There are a couple other creek crossings, but you will continue to follow the trail through the forest in the valley floor before coming out into the open. You’ll know you’re in the right spot when you see another North Shore Rescue gear cache and a helicopter landing pad. Stop here to rest up and enjoy a lunch break, the hardest part of the hike—the Hanes Valley itself—is next.

This next kilometer can be very dangerous, and if there is inclement weather, ice or snow covering the valley or fog it’s better to turn around. We like to wear a rock helmet as we proceed with caution for a kilometer up a steep, rocky boulder field. There (should) be orange tape to mark the trail, alongside some cairns but you’re basically going to go right up the gut of the valley, to the top of the rocky slope, gaining about 1640ft along the way.

Once you reach the top of the boulder field, stop and take a rest here among the shaded trees. You’ve arrived at the Crown Pass and you’ll spot a sign here for directions. Head left up towards Grouse Mountain and push yourself further up more challenging and steeper trail. This section is very technical and there are chain-assisted sections. Once you’ve completed a 1.0 km straight uphill climb, you’ll have arrived at the trailhead for Goat Mountain. There’s about 2 km of hiking left, but the most difficult part is over.

From here, follow signs down to the resort via. The Alpine Trail for the most direct route.

Follow the Alpine Trail, passing the Peak Chair, to the grizzly bear enclosure and finally the Grouse lodge. Take a well-deserved rest here with a snack from the lodge, then catch the gondola down to the Grouse Mountain parking lot.

If you wish to continue further for a much longer hike, though be forewarned, there are few scenic spots past this point, continue along Old Mountain Highway (by following the dirt road under the Olympic Express chair) all the way back down to the Baden-Powell Trail. Once you hit the junction, finish the 30k loop following the trail back to the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park parking lot.