St Mark's Summit is a relatively easy way to get hiking deep into Vancouver's amazing mountains. Starting this hike at Cypress means you drive most of the elevation. Even though you still have another somewhat challenging 460 metres in 5.5 kilometres to hike, the beautiful forest and frequent Howe Sound views make it seem quick and easy.
Incredible views of Howe SoundFun, scenic, not too hard trailOn the Howe Sound Crest Trail!Camping is amazing & free!Dogs are welcomeStart at Cypress ResortMost find it easier than expectedTrail continue to The Lions!Snowshoe in the winter(difficult)
Very busy on weekends
Black Mountain 
Brunswick Mountain 
Burnaby Lake 
Burnaby Mountain Coliseum Mountain Crown Mountain Cypress Falls Deeks Peak Deep Cove Deer Lake Dog Mountain 
Goat Mountain Goldie Lake 
Grouse Mountain Hollyburn Mountain Kitsilano Beaches Lighthouse Park Lynn Canyon Lynn Peak Mt Elsay Mt Fromme 
Mt Hanover Mt Harvey Mt Seymour Mt Strachan Mystery Lake Pacific Spirit 
Rice Lake St Mark's Summit Stanley Park Unnecessary Mountain
It takes well under two hours for the average hiker to reach St Mark's Summit and the views are fantastic. Not only because of the incredible vantage point over Howe Sound, but the abruptness of St Mark's Summit. The cliffs below you are frighteningly vertical, making the views fantastically majestic. Also the sheer drop off makes Howe Sound and the speck sized boats seem so surreal. The third and possibly the best feature of the St Mark's Summit hike is the intricately huge and varied terrain on the summit. You stand and marvel at one viewpoint, then moments later your friend appears at an extraordinarily improbable, and worryingly dangerous rock outcrop a few dozen metres away. This hilarious game of hide and seek, seemingly can go on forever. As one leads to another, then another. Over and over, the St Mark's Summit reveals one breathtaking vantage point after another, until you are exhausted more with the views than the hike that got you there. When you estimate your hiking time for St Mark's Summit, be sure to include an hour at least at the top. And before you begin your hike back to Cypress, take a moment to glance back at the distant Lions. This incredible trail continues to them and beyond, you've just done 5.5k of the 29k, phenomenal Howe Sound Crest Trail. St Mark's Summit is part of the amazing Howe Sound Crest Trail in Cypress Provincial Park and is one of the many beautiful peaks to be climbed if desired on the 29k trail. Among the hiker friendly mountains (in order from Cypress north) on the Howe Sound Crest Trail are: Mount Strachan, St Mark's Summit, Unnecessary Mountain, The Lions, Mt Harvey, Mount Hanover, Brunswick Mountain and finally Deeks Peak. The beautiful Cypress Mountain Resort is the location of the trailhead to the hike to St Mark's Summit. As it is one of among several hikes along the Howe Sound Crest Trail, the trailhead signs and markers don't indicate St Mark's Summit. Instead you have to follow the well laid out and frequent signs that direct you to the Howe Sound Crest Trail and The Lions. The Lions is the well known and highly visible Vancouver mountain on the Howe Sound Crest Trail and sits just beyond St Mark's Summit on the trail. So if you follow the signs for The Lions you will reach St Mark's Summit.
Park your car at the huge parking lot nearest the Cypress Creek Daylodge and take a look inside. It has a very nice restaurant/pub and an array of beautiful and huge historical photos of the area dating back to the early 1900's. Particularly interesting are the photos of people in century-old ski gear standing at St Mark's Summit as you realize that this trail has been a cherished Vancouver recreational destination for quite some time. You will also find nice public washrooms and water fountains as well as take-away, concession style food and drinks for the trail. As you exit the daylodge, go down the gradual stairs the bend to the right and you will see a large Cypress Provincial Park map kiosk. From there you will see, about 10 metres away, the trailhead marked with the first of many, Cypress Provincial Park trail signs. It shows an arrow pointing to the nice gravel trail stretching into the trees and "Howe Sound Crest Trail".
