Flee away from the hustle and bustle of city life in Vancouver as you are only a few hours away from one of Canada’s most scenic provincial parks – Golden Ears Provincial Park, for some great camping, hiking, water skiing, and many more activities.
The extensive network of hiking trails and horseback trails from the horseback riders will leave you astounded as you witness how long these trails took to be made naturally.
Golden Ears Park will amaze you with the many adventurous activities they offer. People who fancy hiking trails, climbing mountains, canoeing, and horseback riding will be very pleased.
1. About Golden Ears Provincial Park
Golden Ears Provincial Park was originally a part of the Garibaldi Provincial Park, an even bigger provincial park. This provincial park is also very reputed for its extensive system of hiking and horse trails.
The Golden Ears Provincial Park is a mountainous beauty located about ten kilometers north of Maple Ridge.
The park has three beautiful campgrounds: Alouette, Gold Creek, and North Beach.
2. Vehicle Accessible Campgrounds
Golden Ears Park has three main campgrounds with vehicle access, and additional walk-in/wilderness and marine campsites are available.
2.1. Alouette Campground
Known for being the largest campgrounds of Golden Ears Park, it has several campsites with basic amenities. It is also reputed for the Alouette Lake, serving as a wonder for the summer season.
Alouette Lake is a large lake within Golden Ears Provincial Park, popular for various summer activities, and is located about 10 km from Maple Ridge.
Alouette Lake is set to satisfy your needs, from hiking to cycling and canoeing. It becomes a common sight to spot horseback riders and try some horseback riding.
This campground, having the facility of quite a few parking lots, leads to it being a crowded place during the summer season.
2.2. Gold Creek Campground
The second largest campground of the three main campgrounds has almost 148 campsites and is the only campground that keeps operating the whole year.
Gold Creek Campground is a well-protected area, just like Alouette Lake. It is a splendid destination for spending a long weekend with friends and family while cherishing nature’s sights.
Gold Creek Falls, accessible via the Lower Falls Trail, is also popular. The trail is wide and well-kept for the entire distance to the waterfall. This is an easy hike; hence, it is ideal for families with young hikers because it has little elevation gain.
Before arriving at the Gold Creek Falls waterfall, the Lower Falls Trail meanders through a lovely section of forest, and the waterfall takes about an hour to reach.
2.3. North Beach Campground
This is the smallest of the three main campgrounds of Golden Ears Parks. With over 55 campsites, the North Beach area is a fascinating place with immense beach area and beauty.
Alouette Lake and Gold Creek campgrounds are huge and accommodate many people. North Beach can only accommodate a few as there is only one drinking water tap and three pit toilets.
Unfortunately, this, as well as Alouette Lake, is not open year-round.
3. Additional Wilderness and Marine Campsites
3.1. Wilderness Camping
West Canyon Trail holds Alder Flats, a wilderness campsite without vehicle access. These are backcountry camping areas without picnic tables.
Alder Flats is one of the walk-in backcountry campsites of Golden Ears Park, not a group campground.
3.2. Rustic Marine Campsites
The Rustic marine campsites are located on Alouette Lake at Moyer Creek. Unlike most campgrounds, such as Gold Creek, there is a prohibition for starting campfires, but portable stoves can be used for cooking.
Also, there is no garbage collection; hence, visitors must pack out their trash as the locations are remote.
4. Activities Available At The Park
4.1. Canoeing/Kayaking
Alouette Lake has a huge canoeing community. Rentals for canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats are only available on the weekends from the long weekend at South Beach.
4.2. Climbing
Alouette Mountain and the Incline Mountain’s Fire Access Trails scale almost up to 11 kilometers of trail. This will take about a ten-hour trip while returning.
You should be prepared and bring drinking water and some light food. You can also expect snow at the start of June.
4.3. Cycling
Biking trails of up to 20 kilometers can be found in the Golden Ears Parks. Always wear a helmet while biking in the park.
4.4. Fishing
You will require a license for fishing in British Columbia, but once you have that, you can be assured of a great fishing trip.
4.5. Hiking
With plenty of designated hiking trails in the Golden Ears parks, hiking will require intermediate skills, at the least, as the trails are not very easy for everybody. Some of these hikes will require a few hours just to scale up.
4.6. Horseback Riding
Over 20 kilometers of horse trails through the grave and dirt will seize your mind with its beautiful sights on the way.
Golden Ears Park does not allow horse camping in vehicle-accessible campgrounds or front country camping.
Horses are only for morning use and are prohibited from crossing a few designated horse trails.
4.7. Windsurfing
People interested in windsurfing will be pleasantly surprised to feel the strong winds carrying their surfboards.
Wrapping Up
Golden Ears Park is a wonder of a park many people miss out on. Located in the heart of British Columbia, it offers breathtaking landscapes and many outdoor activities like camping, hiking, water sports, etc.
The park also caters to various preferences, from vehicle-accessible campgrounds like Alouette and Gold Creek to the secluded charm of North Beach. So, if you are an adventure enthusiast, this place is a must-visit!
In conclusion, Golden Ears Provincial Park isn’t just a beautiful destination but also an adventure haven that offers visitors a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So what are you waiting for? Head to this amazing destination now!
Last Updated on by Ananya Sreen
