Quarry Rock
49°20′ N 122°57′ W4 km round-tripall year
Quarry Rock in Deep Cove suits walkers who want a short forest hike on the Baden-Powell Trail to a rocky lookout over Indian Arm, and Destination Vancouver puts it at 4 km round trip with 100 metres of gain in about 1.5 hours. Panorama Park's small lot fills fast on sunny weekends, so ride the 211 or 212 to Panorama Drive instead of driving.
Photo Xicotencatl · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Field card · Hike · No. 013 · checked 16 Oct 2026
Wear shoes that grip on the roots and stairs.
Is it for you?
Quarry Rock gives you a view over Indian Arm for an hour and a half of walking, and the bus drops you in the village.
You’ll love Quarry Rock if
- You want a short hike with visitors or older kids and a lookout at the end.
- You're travelling without a car, since the 211 and 212 stop on Panorama Drive.
Think twice if
- You want the rock to yourself in summer, when Destination Vancouver says the crowds peak.
- You need a level path, because the route climbs and drops through creek gullies.
Pick the right months for this hike
The District sets no seasonal closure on the trail. Destination Vancouver recommends fall, once the summer crowds have thinned. The District charges for parking at Panorama Park and Deep Cove Park only from 1 March to 31 October, so a winter visit means free parking.
Plan how you get back down
Quarry Rock is an out-and-back walk, so you return to Deep Cove the way you came on the Baden-Powell Trail.
Know what catches hikers out here
- The rock outcrop at Quarry Rock ends in sheer cliffs, so keep well back from the edge.
- Just past Francis Creek two trails branch left up the hill toward Indian River Drive, and Destination Vancouver says to stay right for Quarry Rock.
- The route rises and drops through creek gullies on roots and stairs, so expect more climbing than the map suggests.
Give the wildlife room
WildSafeBC says black bears live throughout British Columbia. They usually den from December to April, and some stay active through mild winters wherever they find food. Pack out every scrap of food and give any bear plenty of room. Feeding bears, cougars, coyotes or wolves is an offence under BC's Wildlife Act.
Follow North Shore Rescue's advice
North Shore Rescue answers about 130 calls a year and asks every hiker to leave a trip plan and carry its ten essentials, even on a short walk like this one. The District of North Vancouver warns hikers not to rely on a phone, because many of its forest areas get no signal. Hike with a friend if you can, and call 911 early if someone is hurt, since a North Shore Rescue callout costs nothing.
The walk to Quarry Rock follows the first stretch of the Baden-Powell Trail, which the Girl Guides and Boy Scouts of Canada started in 1967 as a centennial project and finished in 1971. Watch for its blue and orange fleur-de-lis markers. From Panorama Drive the trail turns up the hill between two houses and starts right beside someone's driveway. New stairs carry you up the first 70 metres of climbing at once.
Once over that first rise the path levels out and then dips in and out of creek gullies. About 20 minutes along you cross a big wooden bridge over Cove Creek beside an old-growth Douglas fir, and later you drop to a second bridge over Francis Creek. Two trails split off to the left after it, so keep right. The forest opens onto the rock, which looks across Indian Arm and Deep Cove to təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra on the far shore.
The storm of 2021 tore up the trail and kept it closed until spring 2023, and the rebuild left new stairs and bridges along the way. In October 2025 the District kept the trail open while a crew rebuilt sections of the rock stairs under a stonemason's instruction.
Winter is the cheap season here, because the District charges $3 an hour at Panorama Park and Deep Cove Park only from 1 March to 31 October. Light fades early under the trees in December, so start in the morning and carry a headlamp. The 211 runs from Burrard Station and the 212 from Phibbs Exchange, and both stop on Panorama Drive in the village.
Worth knowing
- Walk north along Panorama Drive from the village to the crosswalk at the far end of Panorama Park, where signs point you up the hill to the trailhead.
- If you drive, aim for Panorama Park's lot early, since most other parking in Deep Cove is for residents only.
- Wear shoes with good grip for the roots and stairs in the creek gullies.
Quick answers about Quarry Rock
How long is the Quarry Rock hike?
Destination Vancouver puts the Quarry Rock hike at 4 km round trip with 100 metres of elevation gain, and it takes about 1.5 hours. You return the way you came on the Baden-Powell Trail.
Is the Quarry Rock trail open?
Yes. The trail to Quarry Rock reopened in spring 2023 after storm repairs, and the District of North Vancouver kept it open during its stair work in October 2025.
Can you bring a dog to Quarry Rock?
Yes. The District of North Vancouver's Dog Walker's Guide marks the Baden-Powell Trail toward Quarry Rock leash optional for dogs that stay in sight and under voice control, and Destination Vancouver advises keeping dogs on leash.
How do you get to Quarry Rock without a car?
Take the 211 from Burrard Station or the 212 from Phibbs Exchange to Panorama Drive at Naughton Avenue in Deep Cove. The Quarry Rock trailhead is a short walk north along Panorama Drive.
Can you hike down Quarry Rock?
Quarry Rock is an out-and-back walk, so you return to Deep Cove the way you came on the Baden-Powell Trail.
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