Destination Hikes in and Around Southwestern British ColumbiaDestination Hikes in and Around Southwestern British Columbia

Towering waterfalls, ancient forest giants, colourful wildflower meadows, sparkling swimming holes, and exhilarating viewpoints. These are the destinations that take a hike from great to unforgettable. And southwestern British Columbia has all of these within an easy drive of Vancouver. From Stephen Hui, author of the best-selling 105 Hikes In and Around Southwestern British Columbia, comes Destination Hikes near Vancouver, featuring 55 new day trips that promise an abundance of scenic rewards for your efforts. Whether you drive north to the panoramic peaks of the Duffey Lake corridor near Whistler or west to the tidal lagoons of the Gulf Islands, explore sparkling alpine lakes east in the Chilliwack Valley or lush conifer forests in northern Washington, there's a hike to help you discover the best of the region's natural and cultural history. Like 105 Hikes, this easy-to-use guidebook provides detailed trail descriptions, stunning colour photographs, and topographic maps. It highlights trails of historical and geological interest--leading readers past petroglyphs and volcanic faults, along old trade routes and horsepacking trails. It guides readers to classic destinations such as the Twin Sisters (the Lions) that rise above Vancouver's skyline and to Yak Peak which looms over Coquihalla Summit. But it also leads to a 600-year-old tree on the less-travelled side of Lynn Creek and to remote swimming lakes in the northern reaches of Manning Park. Whether you're looking for a three-hour hike or a full-day adventure, a straightforward leg-stretcher or a more challenging outing involving route-finding and scrambling, this book has it all. Destination Hikes is not purely about the destination, however. It encourages readers to look around--at the abundant fungi lining the forest floor, at the carpets of wildflowers in meadows, at abandoned logging cables and fire lookout towers that tell tales of earlier times. It points readers to museums and memorials in the area that provide context for the hikes and honour the trail builders--named and unnamed--who created and maintain these hikes. The book also provides an at-a-glance summary of all hikes' special features, quality and difficulty ratings, and offers recommendations for kids and shoulder season too.