Is the Howe Sound Crest Trail open?

Yes, in October 2026: BC Parks listed no closure. Construction started at Magnesia Meadows, Brunswick Lake and Deeks Lake on September 16, 2026. The trail is usually snow-free from about July to early October, and the section by the ski area is open to hikers June 1 to October 31.

How long is the Howe Sound Crest Trail?

BC Parks gives 29 km (18 miles) one way, from the Cypress Mountain ski area to Highway 99 just south of Porteau Cove. My GPS recorded 19.3 miles (31.1 km) over two days: 6.3 to my camp below the West Lion, then 13 to the highway.

Do you need a permit to camp on the Howe Sound Crest Trail?

No, in 2026: no permit, no reservation and no fee. You can camp anywhere along the trail north of Strachan Meadows; BC Parks names Magnesia Meadows, Brunswick Lake and Deeks Lake as the best areas.

Is there water on the Howe Sound Crest Trail?

Not reliably on the first half: BC Parks says there's no reliable water between Strachan Meadows and Magnesia Meadows. From Magnesia on there are tarns, streams and lakes. Treat all water.

Can you hike the Howe Sound Crest Trail in one day?

Fast, strong hikers do, in about 12 to 14 hours. It's long and committing, with scrambles over James and David Peaks in the middle, and exhausted day hikers are a common rescue call.

Where do you park for the Howe Sound Crest Trail?

Overnight parking at Cypress Mountain is free but only allowed in Lot 3B; cars left elsewhere are towed. The trail ends at the Porteau Road lot on Highway 99, with no public transit, so you need two cars or a ride.

The Howe Sound Crest Trail film: Coast Mountains

Coast Mountains · 2 days · 19.3 miles

Howe Sound Crest Trail Hiking Guide

Cypress Mountain past the Lions to Howe Sound in 2 days.

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Real pages from the guide. Tap one to see it big.

A day page
A day map and elevation profile
At a glance
The rules and camping

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The route

My GPS recording of 2 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the Howe Sound Crest Trail route: 2 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Cypress Mountain, Porteau Cove and The West Lion. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (USGS 3DEP, SRTM) on AWS · Rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 2 days
Distance: 19.3 miles
Climbing: About 5,230 ft (1,595 m) up
Nights: Anywhere on the trail north of Strachan Meadows
Permit: None
Route: Cypress Mountain ski area to the Porteau Road trailhead on Highway 99

What's inside

Where things stand. The trail in October 2026: open, no permit or fee, the construction at the camps, the seasons and the fire risk, checked on BC Parks' own pages.
Both days. Stats, the time I took, my notes, the trail, where to turn back, maps with elevation profiles, and links to that day in my film.
My GPX files. My own recordings of both days, with waypoints for Cypress Mountain, Bowen Lookout, St. Mark's, Unnecessary, my camp below the West Lion, the peaks, Magnesia Meadows, the lakes and the Highway 99 trailhead, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
The rules and camping. Where you can camp, the dry stretch with no reliable water, the shelters and the toilet, food storage, and the rules on fires, drones, dogs and the Lions.
Getting there. Cypress Mountain and Lot 3B, the Porteau Road trailhead, two cars or one car and a ride, the shuttle and what it costs.
Weather, bugs and safety. The months that work, snow, heat, fog and navigation, the scrambles, wildlife and what to carry.
Before you go and a trip sheet. One page of checks and a printable one-page summary of the route.

About this trip

In July 2023 I hiked the Howe Sound Crest Trail above Vancouver: from the Cypress Mountain ski area over St. Mark's Summit and Unnecessary Mountain to a wild camp below the Lions, then along the crest past Magnesia Meadows, Brunswick Lake and Deeks Lake down to Highway 99. It's the trip from my film Hiking the Howe Sound Crest Trail in Vancouver. This guide has my GPX files, maps and notes for both days, where you can camp and where the water is, parking and getting back from the far end, the 2026 construction at the camps, weather and bugs by month, safety, and a trip sheet.

Watch the film on YouTube (152K views).

The Day 1, Cypress Mountain to the Lions page from the Howe Sound Crest Trail Hiking Guide

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Cypress Mountain to the Lions

The whole day page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. The PDF opens right away and both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 40-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated October 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
Refunds: Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund: kraig@kraigadams.com.
Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

Is the Howe Sound Crest Trail open?: Yes, in October 2026: BC Parks listed no closure. Construction started at Magnesia Meadows, Brunswick Lake and Deeks Lake on September 16, 2026. The trail is usually snow-free from about July to early October, and the section by the ski area is open to hikers June 1 to October 31.
How long is the Howe Sound Crest Trail?: BC Parks gives 29 km (18 miles) one way, from the Cypress Mountain ski area to Highway 99 just south of Porteau Cove. My GPS recorded 19.3 miles (31.1 km) over two days: 6.3 to my camp below the West Lion, then 13 to the highway.
Do you need a permit to camp on the Howe Sound Crest Trail?: No, in 2026: no permit, no reservation and no fee. You can camp anywhere along the trail north of Strachan Meadows; BC Parks names Magnesia Meadows, Brunswick Lake and Deeks Lake as the best areas.
Is there water on the Howe Sound Crest Trail?: Not reliably on the first half: BC Parks says there's no reliable water between Strachan Meadows and Magnesia Meadows. From Magnesia on there are tarns, streams and lakes. Treat all water.
Can you hike the Howe Sound Crest Trail in one day?: Fast, strong hikers do, in about 12 to 14 hours. It's long and committing, with scrambles over James and David Peaks in the middle, and exhausted day hikers are a common rescue call.
Where do you park for the Howe Sound Crest Trail?: Overnight parking at Cypress Mountain is free but only allowed in Lot 3B; cars left elsewhere are towed. The trail ends at the Porteau Road lot on Highway 99, with no public transit, so you need two cars or a ride.

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