Tunnel Bluffs hike from Lions Bay in Vancouver

In Best hikes in British Columbia/Latest on the blog4 min read

Tunnel Bluffs is one of the most popular hikes in Vancouver and for all the right reasons. Not only does it offer breathtaking views at the top, but it’s also one of the rare hikes that’s accessible by public transport. In a city where most trails require a car to reach, that’s a big bonus.

There are two starting points for the Tunnel Bluffs hike:

1. Lions Bay trailhead – this is the only option if you don’t have a car. It’s a longer hike overall, but the incline is more gradual.
2. Tunnel Point parking lot located a few kilometres further up the Sea to Sky Highway. This route is shorter but much steeper. You’ll definitely need a car to get there as there’s no public transport access.

For this post, we’re focusing on the Lions Bay route.

Planning considerations

Getting to the Lions Bay trailhead by bus

If you’re starting out in Downtown Vancouver, hop on the 257 Horseshoe Express bus to Horseshoe Bay. And if you’ve never been to Horseshoe Bay before, it’s well worth spending 30 min or so there. Grab a coffee, find a bench by the water and soak up the views of Howe Sound and the surrounding mountains. Once you’re caffeinated and ready to go, catch the 262 community shuttle to the trailhead (a much smaller bus). Double check the timetable, especially in early summer or fall when it can change – it makes a big difference whether your last return bus is at 6pm or 9pm 😉

You’ve got two options for where to hop off: Oceanview Road or Brunswick Beach (the last stop). No matter which one you choose, you’ll have to walk a bit along the road to get to the trailhead (Sunset Trailhead parking lot). If you start from Brunswick Beach, the first part of the hike will be much steeper so that’s something to keep in mind.

Getting to the Lions Bay trailhead by car

You’ll find the Tunnel Bluffs trailhead at the Sunset Trailhead parking lot in Lions Bay. It’s paid parking, not cheap and on sunny weekends it fills up fast. You’ll want to have a backup plan.

One alternative is the free parking lot at Lions Bay Elementary School but it’s a 20 minute walk to the trailhead from there. There’s also some limited street parking along the way, but we’ve never personally tried it. But if you have no choice, the Village of Lions Bay website will tell you what you need to know about parking.

Obviously, don’t try parking along the highway. It’s not allowed and you will get towed.

Starting the hike

We always use the AllTrails app map for our hikes but this trail is very easy to follow. It’s well marked and popular with hikers, as it’s also the starting point for other trails like Mount Brunswick, West Lion and Mount Harvey. Even though the trail is busy, it’s not a constant stream of people – there were plenty of sections where it was just us and the nature around us 😊.

The vast majority of the elevation gain happens in the first couple of kilometres of the hike. It’s a pretty constant incline, but not too steep and technically easy, with most of it on a wide path. The second part of the trail is relatively flat but a bit more rugged with rocks and roots. There are a couple of small bridges and a waterfall – a perfect spot for a short break and some photos (though it’s likely to be quite busy as others hikers will have the same idea 😉).

Although this trail is described as ‘moderate’ on AllTrails, we’d say it leans towards to the ‘easier’ end of the ‘moderate’ scale. We saw many people in trainers (and even sandals!), casual non-hiking clothes and a few older hikers as well. Hiking poles might be helpful for anyone who likes a little extra help on the steep sections.

The breathtaking viewpoint at the end, overlooking Howe Sound, Bowen Island, the Sunshine Coast and the surrounding mountains makes it all worthwhile. It’s a busy trail, but fortunately the viewpoint is a big open space.

Coming back

Since Tunnel Bluffs is an out-and-back trail, you’ll be retracing your steps on the way back. As we mentioned earlier, a large portion of the trail is a steady incline (or decline on the way down) and much of it is loose gravel. Depending on your age, fitness level and footwear, it can feel slippery or tough on the knees so wear shoes with decent grip.

If you’re not driving, you can take a detour and head down to Brunswick Beach for a change of scenery. The final section of that route is a bit more rugged and slippery in places, but with decent grip on your footwear it’s pretty easy. This route will take you to the Brunswick Beach bus stop.

A heads up about bus 262 …

A quick heads-up about the return bus: it can get packed really quickly because it only fits around 20 people. On one of our hikes, we got on the bus at Brunswick Beach and when it stopped at the next stop, a big group of friends (20+) was waiting but only six of them could board. The rest had to wait for the next bus. With buses running only once an hour and no other transport options back to Vancouver, it’s best to catch the bus at Brunswick Beach especially on busy days. And if you’re traveling in a large group, it might be easier to just drive there.

Overall, the Tunnel Bluffs hike is a fun and relatively easy hike with awesome views at the top. We can’t recommend it enough!