The Lions
49°28′ N 123°14′ W
The Lions trail from the village of Lions Bay suits fit, experienced hikers who want to reach the notch beneath the twin peaks above Howe Sound, where the Village of Lions Bay puts the West Lion at 1,646 m. The trade-off is a long, steep climb on a volunteer-kept trail, and in July 2026 Lions Bay Search and Rescue needed a night helicopter hoist to bring an injured hiker down.
Photo by Albert Stoynov on Unsplash and others, credited in the gallery
Field card · Hike · No. 017 · checked 16 Oct 2026
In summer, carry 3 to 4 litres of water each.
Is it for you?
The Lions give fit hikers a hard day out of Lions Bay that a TransLink bus can reach, and the climb asks for an early start and a firm turnaround time.
You’ll love The Lions if
- You hike long, steep days often and want a big objective close to Vancouver.
- You'd rather ride the 262 than fight for one of about 18 pay stalls.
Think twice if
- You want a winter outing, since BC Parks strongly discourages winter travel on the crest.
- You can't start early enough to be down before dark.
Pick the right months for this hike
BC Parks strongly discourages winter travel on the Howe Sound Crest Trail past Bowen Lookout, which covers the top of the Lions route. The Village of Lions Bay warns that high winds and heavy rain bring down trees and swell the creeks on its trails in any season.
Know what catches hikers out here
- BC Parks' Howe Sound Crest Trail map warns of unmarked hazards along the crest such as cliffs and exposed ridgelines, and says the orange markers can be intermittent.
- Lions Bay Search and Rescue hoisted a hiker by helicopter in July 2026 after he slipped on a three-metre rock step while descending the Binkert Trail in the dark.
- The Village of Lions Bay warns that high winds and heavy rain bring down trees and debris on its trails and swell the creeks.
- Cell reception is unreliable on the Howe Sound Crest Trail, BC Parks says, so carry another way to call for help and to find your way.
Give the wildlife room
The Village of Lions Bay asks visitors to secure their garbage or take it home so bears don't learn to look for human food, and leaving an attractant out or feeding a bear is an offence under section 33.1 of BC's Wildlife Act. WildSafeBC says black bears usually den from December to April. WildSafeBC says never to run from a cougar. Back away slowly while you make yourself look as large as possible, and pick up small children at once.
Follow North Shore Rescue's advice
Call 911 as soon as you're lost or hurt. Lions Bay Search and Rescue answers calls on the Binkert Trail, and in July 2026 it brought in North Shore Rescue and Talon Helicopters for a night hoist. Both teams ask for a trip plan and the 10 essentials on every hike in every season, and Lions Bay Search and Rescue reminds hikers that rescue costs nothing in British Columbia.
The trail leaves from the Sunset Trailhead lot at the top of the village, where the Village of Lions Bay runs about 18 pay stalls at $3 an hour up to $24 a day in 2026, for stays of up to 72 hours. Pay through PayByPhone or at the meter, which prints a receipt for the dash when the app won't connect. When the lot is full, the Village points drivers to the east side of Mountain Drive. Bylaw officers enforce parking every day of the week, and the Village sets its fines high on purpose.
Higher up, the route reaches the notch below the West Lion and meets the Howe Sound Crest Trail inside Cypress Provincial Park. BC Parks calls the crest trail remote and rugged, and its map warns of unmarked cliffs and exposed ridgelines along it. The summit of the West Lion lies beyond the notch. When a tired group chose not to attempt it in July 2026, Lions Bay Search and Rescue called that the smart decision. On the way down, one of them slipped on a three-metre rock step and had to be hoisted out by helicopter.
The Lions stand in the traditional territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), which its own land page describes as taking in all of Howe Sound and the rivers that drain into it. Without a car, TransLink's 262 runs about once an hour from Caulfeild and the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal into Lions Bay on the timetable effective 7 September 2026. Going north, get off at Crosscreek at Oceanview in the village. The last southbound bus calls at Isleview at Lions Bay Ave at 11:41 pm every day of the week.
Worth knowing
- Pack a headlamp for every hiker with spare batteries. North Shore Rescue says lack of light causes more of its overdue-hiker callouts than anything else.
- Leave a trip plan with someone reliable that names your route and the time you'll turn around, and agree on what they do if you're late.
- Carry more water than feels sensible. Lions Bay Search and Rescue tells crest hikers to carry 3 to 4 litres each in summer, when the Howe Sound Crest Trail runs short of water.
- From July to September, check the BC Wildfire Service before you set off, since wildfire smoke and closures shape Sea to Sky plans.
Quick answers about The Lions
Do you need a day-use pass to hike the Lions?
No. BC Parks requires day-use passes only at Joffre Lakes, Garibaldi, Golden Ears and Mount Seymour, and the Lions trail starts in the Village of Lions Bay, where you pay for parking instead: $3 an hour up to $24 a day at the Sunset Trailhead lot in 2026.
Can you take the bus to the Lions trail?
Yes. TransLink's 262 runs about hourly from Caulfeild and the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal into Lions Bay, and the last bus back south calls at Isleview at Lions Bay Ave at 11:41 pm on the timetable effective 7 September 2026. From the highway you walk up through the village to the trailhead.
Are dogs allowed on the Lions trail?
Yes, on a leash. Lions Bay's animal bylaw keeps dogs leashed inside the village on every trail missing from its off-leash list, and the Lions Trail is one of them. BC Parks prohibits off-leash dogs on the Howe Sound Crest Trail.
Can you hike the Lions in winter?
BC Parks advises against it. It strongly discourages winter travel on the Howe Sound Crest Trail past Bowen Lookout, and that stretch takes in the top of the Lions route.
Within 12 km
Hikes nearby
Within 12 km
Sights nearby
Within 12 km
