Exploring Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver
When my husband and I took a seaplane flight over Vancouver not long after moving there, we saw a lighthouse surrounded by trees.
It looked as though the lighthouse would offer great views of Burrard Inlet and over to Vancouver so we decided to find out if, and how, we could get over there on foot.
It turns out the lighthouse even has its own park! Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver is free to visit and offers several miles of hiking trails through the old, uncut rainforests.
Whilst you can’t get super close to the lighthouse itself, several trails open up to views of the lighthouse and the sea just as we’d hoped.
If you want to escape the city for a few hours then plan a trip to Lighthouse Park with this guide to help!
Table of Contents
About Lighthouse Park
Lighthouse Park is unique in that it’s Vancouver’s last standing first-growth Douglas fir tree forest. AKA the trees are super, super old. The entire park is 185 acres and the lighthouse has been there since 1874 however the one you’ll see isn’t quite as old and was built in 1912.
The lighthouse has since become one of the most photographed landmarks in Lower Mainland BC!
It’s not just the lighthouse that you should visit this park for. The trails themselves are worth exploring and the waters around the park are a Rockfish protection area so keep your eyes peeled!
Which trails should I hike in Lighthouse Park West Vancouver?
There are several trails through the park and they’re all fairly easy. Only a few of them have a short hill to ascend or descend.
Before you start exploring take a look at the park map in the car park and plan your route.
I’d suggest planning a circular route to make sure you don’t miss the lighthouse at the far end of the park!
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.
Beacon Lane Trail
The shortest walk won’t take you long at all and goes directly towards the lighthouse. To take this route follow the wide trail for about 10 minutes.
Then, to the right of the picnic tables, a path leads up onto a rocky outcrop giving a view of the lighthouse just over the tree line.
There are plenty of signposts so you shouldn’t get too lost!
Hike to Starboat Cove
Another picturesque location is at Starboat Cove. Once you’ve got to the lighthouse head east for 15 minutes and you’ll come across a steep path that takes you down to a beach area.
The waves here are usually pretty rough and it’s not a golden sand beach, but it is picturesque!
Take a combination of trails
We took a combination of trails to get down to the bottom of West Beach Trail. We started on Lady Fern Path and switched onto the Seven Sisters Trail.
The advantage of doing this is that the trails were much emptier than the popular, and direct, Beacon Lane Trail.
Download the Lighthouse Park trails hiking map (PDF).
Is Lighthouse Park dog friendly?
Yes! Dogs are allowed off-leash (which is pretty rare for hiking trails around here!).
Just make sure they stick to the trails and don’t go exploring too far away from you.
We took one of the dogs we were house-sitting here and she absolutely loved it!
How do I get to Lighthouse Park?
If you’re driving, just take a left off Marine Drive in North Vancouver and onto Beacon Lane. Continue toward the Lighthouse Park parking lot as signposted.
If you’re using public transport for Lighthouse Park you’ll want to take the West Vancouver Blue Bus #250 Horseshoe Bay.
You can get this from all over downtown Vancouver or at the Park Royal shopping centre just over Lions Gate Bridge in North Vancouver.
Get off at the Beacon Lane + Marine Drive stop and walk along Beacon Lane into the Park.
Lighthouse Park Stats
Here’s everything you need to know about these walks to the West Vancouver lighthouse.
- Lighthouse park hike difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: minimal all over the park
- Dogs Allowed: Yes
- Time from Vancouver: 30 minutes
- Parking: Yes, free but limited. Get there early or late at the weekend.
What to pack for hiking Lighthouse Park Vancouver
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.
Last Updated on December 28, 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.
