Hiking and Biking Routes on the Lower Sunshine Coast
Hiking and biking routes on the lower Sunshine Coast are many and varied. I think I've mentioned a few times that most trails are not meant to be ridden in isolation. Instead, most often you will ride or hike a trail in combination with one or several other trails. It will depend on the area you are in, the length of the trails, how far you want to go and how many trails are in that area. Because I ride or hike everyday, I thought I'd start to document my favourite routes and share them with you.
Do you have a favourite trail or route you'd like to mention? Scroll down to the bottom of the page and share it!
Many of the routes listed are over two hours if you are hiking and will likely take you an hour or more if you are riding. Most are also loops or circles, because this is my preference. I much prefer hiking or biking a circle route so that I don't have to retrace my steps and cover the same trail twice. However if there is a great destination to get to like a lake, then I will do the there and back.
I have listed routes by area to make it easier for you.
Gambier Island
Gambier Lake has several different trails to choose from, however this hike is one of the easiest and most popular. This doesn't mean that it's an easy hike. It's not...
Langdale/Gibsons
Langdale to Sprockids Bike Park
The Langdale to Sprockids Park hiking and biking route is a great hiking and biking route, and if you are stuck waiting for a ferry, it is conveniently close to the terminal...
Mount Elphinstone Summit Trail
Mount Elphinstone is one of the highest peaks in the lower Sunshine Coast area. The trail to the top is fairly new and I believe was only completed this last spring. When you get to the top, the views are expansive and you can see for miles and miles, all the way to Vancouver...
Sprockids Bike Park White Trail
This hiking and biking route is a great one to take particularly if you are unfamiliar with the Sprockids Mountain Bike Park. It allows you to orient yourself a bit and you'll pass the trail heads to Lunge, Langdale Falls, Pressure Drop, Wildman, Hwy. 102, Sidewinder, Ridge, the new Fuzzy Hugs trail and more...
Roberts Creek
Hwy 102 to Sprockids Bike Park
Hwy 102 is a great and popular trail between Roberts Creek and Sprockids Bike Park. Very often the route people take, generally by bike, is to park at the bottom of the Forest Service road and then ride the 6.5 km up the road to Hwy 102, along 102 to Sprockids and through the bike park out to the highway and back on the road to the bottom of the Forest Service road...
Mach Chicken is an extremely popular downhill trail located in Roberts Creek. It was the featured event on day two of the Sunshine Coaster Mountain Bike Race on the weekend of May 1 & 2, 2011. If you hike it like I did, be sure to keep an eye out for the riders as they come down the trails at a very high speed and cannot stop quickly...
Pell Road Trail Route (West Roberts Creek)
The Pell Road hiking and biking route is found in the West Roberts Creek area, which is a little less traveled than the central Roberts Creek trails. The combination of easy and intermediate difficulty make this a nice ride for someone fairly new to biking, but there is enough difficulty to entertain all but the most advanced biker. Nice for hiking as well. Hiking time is about 1.5 hours and biking time will likely be around an hour...
Who knew that Roberts Creek had a really pretty waterfall just a short 1/2 kilometre hike from the end of Day Road! Well...someone probably knew, but I didn't. I stumbled upon the Roberts Creek waterfall when I was hiking and gpsing the trails around Day Road up to Branch 04 of the Roberts Flume Forest Service Road...
For some reason, I can't help thinking about Cowboys and Wagon Trains when I think of the Trailfest Wagonroad hiking and biking route. I think maybe this used to be some kind of wagon trail in the past, but I'm guessing here...
Sechelt
Bachelor Lake is just one of many lakes in the Tetrahedron Provincial Park and has one of four cabins built and maintained by the Tetrahedron Outdoor Club...
BLT is a new trail built last fall which means it's nice and soft for hiking and biking. Not too difficult for riding either as it isn't very technical and doesn't have any technical features. Only thing to make it a bit of a challenge is the climb (as usual). Hiking time if you go all the way out to Dusty Rd. and back again is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours...
Huigis (pronounced Huggies) and Duggies are ridiculous downhill trails for mountain bikers, but can also be hiked. Distance to the top is about 1.6 km (1 mile) and gains approx. 213 metres (700 ft.)...
West Sechelt
Desoto Ridge is a beautiful hiking and biking route in the West Sechelt/Big Tree area. Hiking time is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours and biking will be somewhat less. Excellent trails take you through the Big Tree Recreation area, up Skullduggery and then across Overeasy to the Ridge and Rock and then back down again..
This hiking and biking route - Lee's Big Easy, VFR and Big Tree - is one of my favourite hikes (I don't ride this one - too much hill!) Hiking time is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, less (maybe) to bike...
Halfmoon Bay
Located in Halfmoon Bay and close to the Suncoaster Trail, Cabin Fever, built specifically for the 2010 BC Bike Race, and Millipede combine to make a great hiking and biking route. Total distance covered is about 5 kms or 3 miles, has an elevation gain of approx. 200 m and takes about 1.5 hours to hike. Biking of course will generally take less time...
Carlson Lake is a very popular destination for fly fishermen, dirt bikers, atvers and 4X4ers. It is also a fantastic place to hike or bike into.
Dragonfly Lake is a tiny lake just a little southeast of Carlson Lake in the Halfmoon Bay area. It is along a rough dirt track that is named Carlson Lake Rd...
The Homesite Creek area is located between the north end of Redrooffs Rd. and Secret Cove. This hiking and biking route is one I've been riding and hiking for over 15 years. I really love this part of the Coast. Part of the route has also been incorporated into the Suncoaster Trail...
Homesite Creek area to Sechelt
So here's the deal, to get from Halfmoon Bay to Sechelt you don't actually have to exit out onto the highway at the end of phase one of the Suncoaster Trail...
The Homesite Suncoaster Trail route is about 16 kilometres long (10 miles). It is a beautiful area and I feel one of the prettiest sections of the Suncoaster Trail (excepting perhaps the section between Ruby Lake and Klein Lake). Part of this route covers forest service road unless you choose to simply backtrack...
The Pterodactyl hiking and biking route is a trail that will take you about an hour to hike and somewhat less if you are riding. The ride is a little technical, but no real climbing involved...
The Triangle Lake trail is a popular Halfmoon Bay hike. It is one of the very few "hiking only" trails on the Sunshine Coast...
Trout Lake is a beautiful lake located in Halfmoon Bay and is a great destination for hot summer day. My favourite thing to do is combine a hike or bike with a dip in the lake...
Located in Halfmoon Bay, Woodpecker is a moderate ride - so very doable if you aren't the most experienced or talented rider like me. Most people will ride this in about an hour...
Madeira Park
AC Canyon is a trail that takes you from the end of the Suncoaster Trail where it heads over to McKay Rd. to Menacher Rd. and onto the Suncoaster Trail again. In other words, you don't have to exit the Suncoaster Trail at McKay Rd. and Hwy. 101 and ride the highway to Menacher Rd...
Francis Point is a beautiful Provincial park with beautiful trails along the beach. This is not a long hike (about 1 to 1.5 hours total max.), but it is one of the most beautiful...
McNeill Lake Circle Route
McNeill Lake is a beautiful spot to hike or bike in the Middlepoint area of the Sunshine Coast. This route circles the lake, but if you don't take a little detour, you will never actually see it. However, you will follow McNeill Creek for a short distance along the way...
Rocky Mountain Luge is a challenging trail for bikers and hikers located in the Madeira Park area...
Pender Harbour
Mount DanielThe views from Mount Daniel are to die for and well worth the climb. This small mountain is approx. 440 metres (1443 feet) high and takes about 40 minutes to an hour to climb depending on your fitness level (obviously). The distance covered is approx. 3 km each way...
Mount Hallowell is a strenuous hike in the Pender Harbour area. It’s a great workout hike because you gain an elevation of approximately 1,050 metres (3500 feet)...
Ruby Klein Traverse - Suncoaster Trail
The Ruby Klein traverse is actually just a piece of the Klein Lake section of the Suncoaster Trail. Other than the piece that runs from Middlepoint Rd. to the logging roads at Homesite, this is my favourite. The view from the top is most definitely my favourite view of any along the Suncoaster Trail...
I was once again (I've been in several times over the years) awestruck by the beauty and power of this amazing phenomena and area. It is always well worth the trip and I thoroughly enjoyed it...
Have a great trail or route you'd like to share?
Do you have a favourite trail or hiking/biking route here on the Sunshine Coast? We'd love you to share it with us!
What other visitors have said...
Click below to see submissions from other visitors to this page...
Salmon Hatchery Hike Over Sakinaw Lake 
Take Lee Road a couple kms (you will pass the trailhead for Pender Hill on your right as you go) and then left onto Milne Road. Park at the end before …
Pender Hill, Pender Harbour
Best view in the Pender Harbour area. Steep hike but only 20-30 minutes, well worth the effort. Take a picnic for the view at the top, you'll want to …
Roberts Creek
Guy's Gulch to Mach Chicken was a good run, awesome speed, and berms. We were unsure where to go after the end of mach chicken. Ended up going down some …
Sprockids Bike Park
I have lived on the coast for 20 years and had no idea the extensive work that has been done up at Sprockids.
It was very inspiring to see all the thought, …
Powerlines Not rated yet
As an Alberta visitor in the Halfmoon bay area, I find that most of the trails are gloomy and dull. I've done most of them now that are bounded by …
Bogey, Pender Harbour Not rated yet
Super fun hill climb with a few awesome descents. Head up Bogey to the top of "close encounters " drop down this super flowy trail and cross the sun coaster …
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I began this site as a labour of love and in response to what I believed was a need to have one comprehensive website with detailed information about all trails on the Sunshine Coast.So here it is several months later and I've had so much fun hiking, biking and gpsing nearly every trail on the Sunshine Coast. Along the way the site has gained some loyal followers and we would love to know your thoughts about this page, site and/or the Sunshine Coast...
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