Tunnel Bluffs hike

Tunnel Bluffs is one of my favourite all-year round hikes in the lower mainland with some wonderful views of the Howe Sound at the end.

The 12km hike takes about 3 to 5 hours and starts in Lions Bay, a 35 minute drive or 1hr bus ride from Vancouver. The best time to go is during a sunny weekday as traffic and parking on weekends can get quite challenging.

Parking in Lions Bay is very limited and paid everywhere at around 3$ to 5$/hour with some private parking lots letting you stay for the day for around 30$.

Starting at the Sunset Trailhead parking lot, most of the elevation gain of around 550m is done at the first three kilometers along a logging road. Then branch off to the well marked and built out Tunnel Bluffs trail:

There is moss along the way:

Towards the end, scramble up the bluffs which open up to a view that is always well worth the trip, even with cloud cover like in this panorama from March 2021:

Or on a sunny day like this in March 2026:

If you are lucky you might also have some curious friends visit: