Trans Canada Trail (West Vancouver)

A mixture of trail and service road running from Horseshoe Bay to Cleveland Dam in West Vancouver

Statistics

Total Distance: 25.0 km (one-way)
Estimated Time: 8.5 hours
Average Grade: 3.3%
Structure: Linear - One Way
Elevation Gain: 830 m
Start Elevation: 0 m
Max Elevation: 830 m

Directions

Trail can be accessed from many points, including Horseshoe Bay; west end of Seaview Walk (parking lot at Marine Drive and Eagleridge Drive); Nelson Canyon Trail (parking lot off Westport Road below Upper Levels Highway); Cypress Falls Park (hike up service road to trail); Quarry Lookout (parking/picnic area off Cypress Bowl Road); British Properties (various access points) and Cleveland Dam. Buses: Horseshoe Bay - 250/257; Seaview Walk - 250; Cypress Falls Park - 253; British Properties - 254/256; Cleveland Dam - 232/236.

Details

The trail is a mixture of trail and service road, and travels from Horseshoe Bay along the lower and mid-slopes of Black and Hollyburn Mountains to Cleveland Dam. Intersections are generally well-marked, with white square and yellow diamond markers along trail.

• Horseshoe Bay: walk up Keith Road to trail that leads up to Marine Drive. Cross road and continue along west sidewalk in front of school. Follow trail that leaves sidewalk and goes between several public buildings (police, community centre) and the golf course. Cross Marine Drive and continue to Eagleridge Drive. 1.5 km. Elevation 0-80m.

• Seaview Walk: 2 km. An old rail bed. Frequent dog walkers. Elevation 80-100m.

• Nelson Canyon + Eagle Creek Trails: 4 km. Dogs now allowed off leash. Elevation 100-440m.

• Eagle Lake road: 1.5 km. Paved, one lane. A nice view. Elevation 400-440m.

• West Cypress Creek Road (one lane gravel road): 4 km. A long slog up plus a long horizontal section. Outhouse at west end of horizontal section. Elevation 400-830m.

• East Cypress Creek Road (one lane gravel road): 4 km. Views from powerline. Picnic table at lower viewpoint. Elevation 620-780m

• Skyline Trail: 8 km. Mostly trail. Crosses many creeks (bridges on all creeks). Elevation 90-660m.

The Seaview Walk-Nelson Canyon-Eagle Creek section of TCT is usually snow-free in winter, and can be done in a loop with the Nelson Creek access road above Cypress Falls Park. (2 hours one way)

Skyline Trail may also be partly snow free in winter, though much less so.

TRs:

http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26705

http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25733

http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25442

http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25166

Trails Canada TR: http://www.trailsbc.ca/southwest_region/west_van.asp

Photographs

GPS Waypoints

Upper Seaview Walk trailhead (Cranley Drive) N49.36010 W123.26305 10U 480899 5467521
Seaview Walk / TCT junction N49.36108 W123.26314 10U 480893 5467630
Beneath Trans-Canada Highway overpass N49.36209 W123.26215 10U 480965 5467742
Trail begins following old highway N49.36292 W123.26156 10U 481008 5467834
Old highway bridge N49.36276 W123.26028 10U 481101 5467816
Water resevoir N49.36344 W123.25874 10U 481213 5467891
Whyte Lake trail junction N49.36683 W123.25437 10U 481532 5468267
TCT begins following services road N49.36692 W123.25363 10U 481586 5468277
TCT leaves service road N49.36565 W123.25408 10U 481552 5468136
Viewpoint N49.36630 W123.24845 10U 481961 5468207