Skip to content

COLUMN: Celebrating International Trails Day in Squamish

Adventure seekers to casual walkers, there is a trail for everyone
pix

This international celebration of trails, and the healthy lifestyle that they encourage, began in 1992. It is held on the first Saturday in the month of June and encompasses all trail-related activities. 

The intent is to promote public awareness of, and appreciation for, outdoor activities that contribute to our health. Encouraging cooperative efforts among all the different trail users and bringing together all trail enthusiasts is also an important aspect of this day.

Everyone is encouraged to get out and about: walk, stroll, hike, bike, run, ride and perambulate on Saturday, June 3.                                    

Trails are meant to be shared and International Trails Day is a great opportunity to meet new people and share new experiences. 

Squamish has a vast network of recreational trails, covering more than 200 kilometres and offering something for everyone.  

Like to look at tall trees? Try the Ray Peters trail in north Brackendale. 

The tang of salt air will lead you to the Chelem Trail, the Squamish Nation name for eel grass, off Spit Road in the estuary. The sound of chuckling water will sooth your soul as you hike the Four Lakes trail in Alice Park. 

For those who prefer roaring water, the waterfalls on the Ring Creek and Powerhouse trails will suffice. 

Flatlanders longing for the smell of fresh “road apples” will be lured to Loggers Trail south of Brennan Park Recreation Centre. 

Those aching for an adrenaline rush can be sated with the wide choice of mountain bike trails provided by the keen volunteers of SORCA. 

While sedate bikers will enjoy the Discovery Trail from downtown to the Mamquam river, birdwatchers will find hundreds of species on the edge of urban sprawl with good results along the dikes such as on the Swan Trail. 

People who use wheelchairs can access most dike trails from the paved Corridor Trail, which runs from the Chances casino north to Tantalus Road. 

Trail maps are available at the Squamish Adventure Centre and most outdoor activity shops in town. 

Pick a new trail and take yourself and a neophyte out for a stroll in our near backcountry.

A trail for everyone 

We live in an urban oasis of nature with a vast network of trails tempting all of us to get outside. 

These trails are an easy means of access to the revitalizing tonic of the wilderness.

You can move at your comfort level surrounded by lush forest and concentrate on navigating roots, rocks and water courses. This is an outdoor activity that is good for body and soul, especially the medical benefits of mobility. 

Physical activity in a clean environment has to be good for you. There is a local trail to match everyone’s ability, Get out there!                                                          

Anyone with a fondness for a clear night sky – one not polluted by the glow of urban overcrowding – merely has to go beyond our municipal core to see the billions of stars.

The Elfin Lake Trail in Garibaldi Provincial Park is one of the best areas free of light pollution. Getting up in altitude is a good method of escaping urban glow and sky pilot trail in the Sea to Sky Gondola area offers easy access. 

Other options are the end of Forest Service Roads along the Mamquam and Squamish rivers. 

The vast open sky showing its billions of sparkling stars is a good reward for a bit of wilderness travel. 

Be prepared with warm clothing, flashlights, a camera and a plan left with a friend and/or neighbour.                                                                                                                               

Pristine is the most frequent adjective assigned to our local area. Keeping it this way is of paramount importance, not only for the economic benefits from tourist visiting the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada” but mostly for our own selfish desire to live within easy access of nature. Pitch in to keep our trails neat and inviting and volunteer to aid local trails groups. 

And, above all, get out and enjoy what the Sea to Sky Gondola says is “Extraordinary by Nature.”  

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks