Walnut Grove is home to beautiful trails, so of course, we had to try each one. The best part is: there’s a hike for everyone. Whether you prefer a casual stroll through the forest or an intensive trek up a mountain, find your perfect adventure below!
1) Houston Trail, located within Derby Reach Regional Park
This hike is a mere 5 minutes from the heart of Walnut Grove, on your way to Fort Langley. This loop format trail is between 3.5-4.5 km, depending on which trail head you enter. The Houston Trail is a beginner trail that’s suitable for the entire family, and is fully contained within a dense forest.
The path has a generous width, groomed gravel and dirt throughout, and is horse and dog friendly (but no bikes). Being a loop based trail, there is a net elevation of 0 meters, but keep in mind that the trail is filled with rolling hills – one reaching over 20% grade. As mentioned, the Houston Trail is family-friendly, with the possibility of pushing a stroller if you’re ready for a few short but grueling ascents with the added weight.
2) Evans Peak, located within Golden Ears Provincial Park
Ascending the peak of Evans Mountain, found within the massive terrain of the Golden Ears Provincial Park, is a challenging, mid-range hike due to the 950 m of elevation gain over the 12 km round-trip hike.
This hike will fall into the 4-6 hour range, depending on your group’s fitness level. Be prepared for a climb here, as the trail is a steady ascent, with even steeper sections to complete the trek to the peak. As you near the peak, you will come across some mild scabbing over rocks and rooted sections, use caution and take your time. The upcoming views overlooking Alouette Lake are worth it.
Keep in mind that this trail will maintain some snow-pack in the spring / early summer months, so plan accordingly.
3) Golden Ears Peak, located within Golden Ears Provincial Park
The Golden Ears Peak is “the big one” of the Langley / Maple Ridge region. This hike covers 24 km round trip, climbing 1500 m, and reaches an elevation of just over 1700 m.
Reaching the Golden Ears peak is typically either done as a full 8-10 hour day hike or as an overnight camp-out at the Alder Flats to break up the journey. When planning this hike as a day-hike, be very conscientious of timing. Get an early start and plan accordingly as the parking lot will be locked up at dusk for the night.
The first half of this hike does not cover much climbing until you reach the Alder Flats. After that is when the real ascent begins. The path will continue to climb, crossing over numerous areas of rocky terrain, rooted sections, and wooden ladders to assist your ascent safely. The overall gain in elevation will lead to a temperature drop even through the hot summer months, so extra layers in your pack are a good idea.
Another worry through the summer is bugs – keep a bottle of bug spray with your group when you plan to tackle this climb.
This is a great hike that adds in some degree of technicality and will definitely challenge your endurance throughout the long day – but the views of the Alouette, Pitt Lake, surrounding ranges, and the floor of the Fraser Valley are well worth the sweat!
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