Vancouver Hiking Trails RatingMount Elsay is a tough 16 kilometre roundtrip hike that takes you beyond Mount Seymour and the crowds into the desolate backcountry of Mount Seymour Provincial Park. To get to the marked Mount Elsay trail you have to follow the trail to Mount Seymour. Mount Elsay is a difficult and dangerous trail to hike if you are unprepared or poorly equipped. The trail is often very difficult and losing the trail is very possible even in good weather.

  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ProTremendous scenery & views
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ProQuieter than other Van hikes
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ProStart at beautiful Seymour Park!
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ProViews start from the parking lot
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ProWonderfully challenging adventure
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ProHike into deep wilderness
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ProFew water sources on the trail
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ProElsay Lake is amazing to camp near
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ConOnly suitable for experienced hikers
  • Vancouver Hiking Trails ConSome find it not worth the exertion

Vancouver Hiking Trails

Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverBlack Mountain  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverBrunswick Mountain  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverBurnaby Lake  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverBurnaby Mountain  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverColiseum Mountain  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverCrown Mountain  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverCypress Falls  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverDeeks Peak  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverDeep Cove  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverDeer Lake  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverDog Mountain  Moderately Steep Pay Use Trail - Hike in VancouverGoat Mountain  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverGoldie Lake  Steep Trail - Hike in VancouverGrouse Mountain  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverHollyburn Mountain  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverKitsilano Beaches  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverLighthouse Park  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverLynn Canyon  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverLynn Peak  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMt Elsay  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMt Fromme  Very Steep Technical Terrain - Hike in VancouverMt Hanover  Very Steep Technical Terrain - Hike in VancouverMt Harvey  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMt Seymour  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMt Strachan  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMystery Lake  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverPacific Spirit  Easy Trail No Dogs - Hike in VancouverRice Lake  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverSt Mark's Summit  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverStanley Park   Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverUnnecessary Mountain

The trailhead for Mount Seymour (which leads to the Mount Elsay trail) is easy to find once you have reached the main parking lot to Mount Seymour Resort.  To get to the main parking lot simply drive until you come to the end of the road and the end of the final parking lot (you will see ski lifts). Looking towards the end of this long parking lot you will see a large, round wooden map board.  Walk along the trees.  From here on there are frequent tree markers and signs directing you to Mount Seymour.  Follow this route until you get to the col between Second Peak and Third Peak where the Mount Elsay Trail starts.  The Mount Elsay trail that branches off of the Mount Seymour trail is, at times hard to follow as it descends west of Mount Seymour into the depression between Second Peak and Third Peak.  There is a sign "Danger - Steep Terrain".  At this sign look left to find flagging tape marking the trail to take to Mount Elsay.  This trail will lead along the edge of Mount Seymour and a metal, "Mount Elsay Trail" sign.

The trail then gradually ascends toward the summit of Mount Elsay.  At the ridge between the two mountains, Seymour and Mount Elsay the trail forks.  Following the rock cairns to the right into the rock field will lead to the Elsay Lake trail which allows for a different route on your way back.  To reach Mount Elsay, instead head steeply up, bearing left toward the summit.

Mount Elsay

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Vancouver Hiking Trails

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Vancouver Hiking Trails

Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverBlack Mountain  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverBrunswick Mountain  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverBurnaby Lake  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverBurnaby Mountain  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverColiseum Mountain  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverCrown Mountain  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverCypress Falls  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverDeeks Peak  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverDeep Cove  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverDeer Lake  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverDog Mountain  Moderately Steep Pay Use Trail - Hike in VancouverGoat Mountain  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverGoldie Lake  Steep Trail - Hike in VancouverGrouse Mountain  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverHollyburn Mountain  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverKitsilano Beaches  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverLighthouse Park  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverLynn Canyon  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverLynn Peak  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMt Elsay  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMt Fromme  Very Steep Technical Terrain - Hike in VancouverMt Hanover  Very Steep Technical Terrain - Hike in VancouverMt Harvey  Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMt Seymour  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMt Strachan  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverMystery Lake  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverPacific Spirit  Easy Trail No Dogs - Hike in VancouverRice Lake  Moderately Difficult Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverSt Mark's Summit  Easy Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverStanley Park   Difficult and Steep Dog Friendly Trail - Hike in VancouverUnnecessary Mountain

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