What to know about the Diez Vistas Trail Vancouver
The Diez Vistas trail at Buntzen Lake is a popular Vancouver hike. Its full name, Sendero Diez Vistas, means the path of ten views.
There are 10 viewpoints along the trail with most of them looking out over the Indian Arm towards Mt Seymour.
Though the elevation change on this hike isn’t huge, don’t underestimate it as the terrain is often rooty and rocky meaning it’s not the easiest hike near Vancouver!
It’s a hike I’ve been fortunate enough to do a couple of times now. Once in more snowy conditions on icy trails as a winter hike in Vancouver, and another in the summer, starting early in the morning to beat the crowds and finishing off with a refreshing dip in Buntzen Lake.
This is a super popular hike near Vancouver and for good reason. You get to combine forest trails with lake views, city views, views of Burard Inlet, and some elevation (but not too much). It’s kind of got everything.
Plus, it’s a great year-round hike, and as it’s at a lower elevation it’s often one of the first snow-free hike in Vancouver in spring.
If you’re looking to hike the Diez Vistas trail, here’s everything you need to know before you go including how to get a Diez Vistas parking pass.
The Diez Vistas Trail Buntzen Lake
This guide includes information on the hike, what to expect, and other Vancouver hikes you should try.
The Diez Vista Hike Guide
The Diez Vista hike begins from the far end of the main Buntzen Lake parking lot to the one you drove in on.
We hiked the trail clockwise, which begins from the southern end of the parking lot. You can also hike this anti-clockwise if you start from the far end of the parking lot.
To hike it anti-clockwise, follow the signs at the bottom of the car park and begin walking through the woods.
You’ll soon come to a small bridge that crosses over marshy areas at the southern end of the lake.
Once you’ve crossed this bridge, the route crosses a service road then bends round to the right, through the forest, and begins climbing.
You’ll come to a junction with Horseshoe Trail but continue straight to stay on the Diez Vistas trail.
After several kilometers, hike under the power lines and continue climbing.
When you reach the switchbacks you’re at the steepest part of the trail.
At the end of the switchbacks, you’re rewarded with a view of Sasaamat Lake and Belcarra Regional Park. This is the end of the Diez Vistas trail to Vista no 1, but there are some more great viewpoints to come!
If it’s a clear day you should also be able to see Vancouver and Burnaby in the distance.
Not long after is your second viewpoint which looks over Buntzen Lake.
Continuing on, you’ll hike along a ridge with glimpses of the Indian Arm.
Though there are several viewpoints along this stretch, many are overgrown and it’s hard to count 10 viewpoints in total on the Diez Vistas trail! Keep your eyes open to see what you can find.
The trail is well-marked and often busy. Eventually, you’ll head down a steep gravel section and see a trail forking to the left.
At that point you’ll begin heading back in the direction you came, crossing a suspension bridge at the north end of the lake.
This area is usually a lot more peaceful than the rest of Buntzen Lake so enjoy it!
The rest of the trail goes along the lakeshore as you head back to the parking lot having completed the Diez Vistas loop
Buntzen Lake Diez Vistas trail statistics
Know what you’re getting into when hiking the Diez Vistas and the Buntzen Lake trail.
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Diez Vistas trail length: 15 km
- Elevation: 460 m
- Duration: 3-5 hours
- Trailhead: Buntzen Lake main parking lot
- Diez Vistas Alltrails map (for Diez Vistas and lake Buntzen loop)
AllTrails is my go-to hiking app for finding, planning, and navigating while I’m out on the trails. With offline maps on AllTrails+ you can be confident you’re still on the right track, even without mobile signal.
What to pack for the Diez Vistas trail
What to pack for this hike depends on what season you’re hiking in.
- Check out my day hike packing list here.
- If you’re hiking in summer you should pack sunscreen, sunglasses, layers, water and bug spray as well as everything in the 10 essentials for hiking list.
- Here is what to wear hiking in hot weather
- Check out this post on the best leggings for hiking or what to wear hiking in summer for more details and my gear recommendations.
- If you’re hiking in winter after the snow has started falling you’ll need microspikes at the very least. If there is a lot of snow you will probably need snowshoes.
- You should also take plenty of layers including a fleece layer, a puffy insulated jacket and a wind and waterproof outer layer. Hats and gloves are also necessary as well as a good backpack to keep everything in.
- You should also pack water and some snacks too to keep you going as they’re part of the 10 essentials for hiking!
- Planning a hiking date? Check out what to wear on a hiking date but still look cool.
How to get to the Diez Vistas trailhead
The Diez Vistas trailhead is at Buntzen Lake in Port Moody, about 30km from downtown Vancouver.
Buntzen Lake gets extremely busy in the summer months and on sunnier weekends year round so go early if you plan to complete this hike.
Diez Vistas parking is found in the Buntzen Lake Park area near Sasamat Lake.
There are a couple of large-ish parking lots but despite this parking has always been a pain over the last several years.
It gets full very early in the day on weekends over summer and it’s it’s not unusual for the road and parking lot to the lake to be closed to traffic in which case getting public transit to the trailhead is a great option.
Bus to Diez Vistas
If you don’t have a Diez Vistas pass, you can still hike the trail by getting public transport there.
The 182 bus operates from Port Moody Centre Station to Anmore daily.
The closest stop to the lake is stop #53245, Southbound Sunnyside Road at Anmore Grocery Store.
It is a 2 km walk to the main parking area and South Beach. Follow signs that direct pedestrians to South Beach.
Translink offers the 179 seasonal bus that operates on Weekends and Holidays from Canada Day weekend through to Labour Day.
The 179 departs from Coquitlam Central Station hourly and takes riders to the main parking area.
For bus schedules and information, visit the Translink website.
Diez Vistas Parking Pass / Buntzen Lake Parking Pass
From May to the beginning of September, drivers to the Buntzen Lake area (which includes the Diez Vistas hike) need to book a free parking pass online in advance of their visit.
You will need to create a User Account with BC Hydro and if you repeatedly ‘no-show’ (reserve a pass but don’t use it) you will have your account suspended and will not be able to park at Buntzen Lake.
You can register for a parking pass one-day in advance. You have the option of registering for a morning pass, afternoon pass, or a full-day pass.
If you’re doing the Diez Vistas Hike then you should reserve a full-day pass to ensure you’ve enough time to complete your hike without having to rush.
What to know before going
- Best time to hike Diez Vistas: You can hike this trail year round though please pack microspikes when hiking late autumn – spring as there’s often snow/ice on the trail.
- Be adventure smart: Remember to respect the terrain, environment, and other users while you are enjoying the trails. Follow the three Ts—trip planning, training, and taking the essentials. AdventureSmart is a great resource to help you get informed before heading outdoors.
- Pack your 10 essentials
- Remember to leave no trace
- This trail is dog friendly (on leash)
- Check AllTrails for a Diez Vistas trail map.
- Diez vistas weather: Check weather conditions in advance of your hike and plan accordingly.
FAQs about Diez Vistas Vancouver
Is Diez Vistas trail open?
How long is Buntzen Lake trail?
Final thoughts on Diez Vistas Buntzen Lake
The Diez Vista and Buntzen Lake loop trail, known as the 10 vistas hike Vancouver, is one of the most popular hikes to lakes in Vancouver.
Not only do you get to see a beautiful lake in Vancouver, get views of the Indian Arm out towards Deep Cove, and get some beautiful forest trails too, but you’ll get several other great views along the way.
This is a trail that I’ve enjoyed several times and, who knows, maybe one day I’ll sign up for the Diez Vista 50k and take on an Ultramarathon in this beautiful part of BC and the other Buntzen Lake trails?!
If you’re looking for more hikes nearby, be sure to check out this guide to Jug Island hike, Quarry Rock in Deep Cove, and all my other hiking guides which are predominantly focused on Vancouver hikes after spending 6 years living there.
For round-up guides to the best hikes, check out this guide to the best hikes in the fall in Vancouver, as well as the best hikes in Squamish, and the best easy Whistler hikes.
Last Updated on September 15, 2023 by Hannah
Hannah started That Adventurer after graduating back in 2013 and has documented all of her adventures since then. From backpacking South America to city breaks in Europe, a 3 month road trip across the USA in a self-converted van and 6 years living in Canada, you’ll find posts on all of this.
Hannah specialises in active travel and on That Adventurer you’ll find hiking, walking, biking, skiing and all sorts of active travel guides to allow you to see a destination in an adventurous way.
Now back in Europe, you’ll find new guides as Hannah and her husband spend the next year ‘digital nomading’ from Norway to Portugal, Switzerland to Scotland and places in between.
