Vancouver 
Within a 30-60 minute drive from the Lower Mainland, access to British Columbia’s north coastal mountains and all the public parks that help protect these areas is available. And if you’re looking for a park that has something for everyone and any outdoor interest, look no further than Golden Ears Provincial Park.
As a visitor to the Lower Mainland or British Columbia’s west coast, Golden Ears Provincial Park offers all you need to experience the best of the coastal mountains, even if for one day.
Explore One of BC’s Largest Parks
Explore on foot, on horseback, or by bike to uncover all the natural gems hidden around Golden Ears. From the Gold Creek to the remote shorelines accessible by boat, to the trails that climb high above the park or lead to incredible viewpoints, this park showcases all the wonderful aspects of the north coastal scenery. Time spent on the trails will reveal waterfalls, creek beds, hemlock forests, Gold Creek Canyon views, lakeside vistas, a diverse array of birds, and opportunities to spot mountain wildlife.
Golden Ears’ Hiking, Biking, & Equestrian Trails
Explore all the wilderness around Alouette Lake with the expansive trail network in Golden Ears Provincial Park. The network includes trails for hikers, multi-use trails that allow hikers, cyclists, and horses, or trails set aside for cyclists and horseback riders.
- Golden Ears Provincial Park is home to many different interpretive trails that make for quick or simpler hikes. Explore the Trail of the Fallen Giants (0.8km loop), the Tiarella Nature Trail (0.6km loop), the Mike Lake trail (2.1km loop), or the Spirea Natura trail (0.8km loop) to learn more about the park’s animals, birds, plants, trees, fish, and more.
- The Canyon trails on the north side of Golden Ears Park are multi-use trails which follow the Gold Creek. The West Canyon trail has a route at 10.3km out-and-back which follows the creek up to a small, secluded beach known as Hiker’s Beach.
- Whether you take the East or West Canyon trail, both will offer waterfall views over Gold Creek.
- The far west side of the park has a network of trails intended for horseback riding or mountain biking. These include the Mike Lake and Incline Trails, both ending at Mike Lake, the Eric Dunning Trail, and the Alouette Fire Access Road. In all, these trails create over 15km of riding routes. Additionally, bikers and riders can take a 16km route along the Menzies trail, which follows the shores of Alouette Lake from a distance.
Beaches, Boating, & More on Alouette Lake
Day use visitors and campers alike have a variety of ways to enjoy and embrace the crystal-clear mountain waters of Alouette Lake. Begin your summer adventures on the south side of the lake: the day use area has scenic picnic areas, a boat launch, a beach and swimming area, and a rental office that offers canoes or kayaks.
- Golden Ears Provincial Park is home to two beaches: a camper’s beach beside the Alouette Campground and a second beach next to the boat launch at the far south end of the lake.
- The beach areas are also the best spots around the large lake for a calm, peaceful paddle. Plus, as a lake surrounded by mountain peaks, the water’s surface experiences some serious winds. This lends the lake to other types of boating, like sailing and windsurfing.
- Motorized boating and all sorts of watersports are also allowed on Alouette Lake in areas separated from the paddle, float and swim areas. With this comes the opportunity for waterskiing, tubing, or wakeboarding.
- Try your luck with a rod for one of the many fish species in Alouette Lake: anglers may catch rainbow, lake, or cutthroat trout, northern pikeminnow, or stickleback. These similar freshwater fishing opportunities are available from the park’s much smaller Mike Lake or the Gold Creek.
Birding, Wildlife Viewing, & Nature Photography
Time spent on boats around the remote shorelines or on the trails within the Golden Ears wilderness should be spent with wildlife on your mind! As you leave Metro Vancouver and the cities of the Lower Mainland, the wilderness quickly becomes abundant, especially when heading northeast toward Golden Ears. Alouette Lake, plus its many adjacent waterways, the thick forest cover of second-growth trees, and the surrounding mountains or foothills, are home to a huge variety of animals, with likely chances at spotting:
- beaver, deer, black bear, and mountain goats.
- The bird population of Golden Ears Provincial Park is especially worthy of note, as over 250 different species are known to have flown through the park.
- The boat launch area faces northeast, while the camper’s beach faces east; so, these shoreline areas may offer some incredible sunrise views for a peaceful morning stroll or epic photos.
Plan for a Day at Golden Ears
As a day trip destination, Golden Ears Provincial Park is ideal for anyone in the Lower Mainland. Not only is the park close, but it has so much to offer for a quick escape from the city.
- Plan for a beach day! The large day use area is perfect for relaxation or reading, lazy floating, paddling, swimming, and picnics.
- Pack up a picnic and head to one of the quieter sites around Golden Ears Provincial Park like Mike Lake. The lake has a looping trail, fishing opportunities, picnic sites, and washrooms.
- Anyone wanting to spend a day on the water will want to plan ahead and get day use passes for the boat launch. Golden Ears is one of three BC Parks to require day use passes. Anyone without watercraft can lean on the park for canoe or kayak rentals.
Different Ways to Camp at Golden Ears Park
Find a spot for multiple days at Golden Ears Park with one of three front country campgrounds in the park: Gold Creek, Alouette (North and South), and North Beach.
- The North Beach campground is separated from the rest of the park by Gold Creek to offer sites both near the creek and near the lake. These sites are a bit smaller, and therefore a bit cheaper, than those sites to the south.
- And on the other side of the creek are the Gold Creek and Alouette Campgrounds.
- There are no services for the three campgrounds (electric, water, or sewer hookup), but all campers have access to outhouses, water, or showers. Plus, each campsite will have its own picnic table and firepit.
- Keep other nearby accommodations in mind as well; Golden Ears Provincial Park has large campgrounds but is also one of BC Parks’ most popular campgrounds! Maple Ridge, the closest small city to the park, has several more accommodation options with even more across the Fraser River in Langley, or across the Pitt River in Coquitlam.
Planning your trip
What: Golden Ears Provincial Park is one of BC’s largest provincial parks, with a majority of the park surrounding the equally as large Alouette Lake. The lake, campgrounds of the park, and trails are all nestled in the coastal mountains directly northeast of Vancouver and Maple Ridge.
The park’s overall beauty and proximity to a major urban centre help to make it a popular destination for every season. Alouette Lake is a crystal-clear freshwater lake surrounded by small creeks and the larger Gold Creek.
Warm-weather recreation in Golden Ears includes boating of all kinds, fishing, swimming, camping, hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
Location and how to get there: 40km northeast of Surrey via Fern Crescent (which turns into Golden Ears Park Rd.).
11 km north of Maple Ridge.
Best time to go: open year-round, with winter camping available
How much: camping $23-$35 per night
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