Golden Ears Provincial Park
Fast facts
- Established: 1967
- Size: about 240 square miles (625 km²)
- Highest point: Golden Ears, about 5,600 feet (1,706 m)
- Main lake: Alouette Lake, with boat-access campsites
- Gateway: Maple Ridge, about an hour east of Vancouver
- Managed by: BC Parks
The landscape
Golden Ears is coastal western hemlock rainforest rising to a rugged, glaciated backcountry. Alouette Lake fills a long valley below peaks that include the twin summits of Golden Ears, which catch the evening light. Waterfalls such as Lower Falls and Gold Creek pour out of the mountains. Black bears, deer and mountain goats live here, and the backcountry is extremely steep and broken.
Best time to go
Summer is the main season for camping, swimming and paddling, and the park is very busy on weekends. The high trails keep snow late, often into July, and early fall brings clear days with shorter light. Winter storms bring rain low down and snow up high, and storms can close the access road.
Getting there and around
The park is reached through Maple Ridge by road, with the entrance about 7 miles (11 km) north of town and the campgrounds well inside. Trails start near the campgrounds and the West Canyon parking lot. Alouette Lake is used by canoes, kayaks and motorboats, and some campsites are reachable only by water.
Things to do
Easy walks lead to Lower Falls and along Gold Creek. The Alouette Mountain and Evans Peak trails give long, steep days. The Golden Ears Trail climbs to Panorama Ridge and beyond to the summit, a very long, hard route with exposure near the top. On the water, paddlers explore Alouette Lake from the South Beach day-use area, where canoe and kayak rentals run in summer.
Staying safe
Golden Ears sends more people to local search and rescue than its size suggests. The summit route is long, steep and exposed, often with snow and ice well into summer, and should be attempted only by experienced parties with the right gear and an early start. Weather changes quickly, so carry warm layers and a headlamp. Cell service is poor, so carry a map and a satellite messenger and leave a trip plan. Bears are common in the campgrounds, so store food properly.
Know before you go
Day-use passes may be needed in peak season, and backcountry sites need reservations or permit registration. Storms can close access roads and trails. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so check BC Parks advisories before you go.
- Coordinates
- 49.4897, -122.4444
- Magnetic declination
- 15.3° E (2026)
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass
A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.
Getting there 1
Park entrance
On the trail 18
Campgrounds
Huts and shelters
Sights 56
Viewpoints
Waterfalls
Lakes
Beaches
Heritage site
Points of interest
Peaks 25
Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).
Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →
- Best seasons
- Summer, Early fall
- Difficulty
- Easy to strenuous
- Access / trailheads
- From Maple Ridge, 232nd Street and Fern Crescent lead into the park, about 7 miles (11 km) north of town. The campgrounds are roughly another 7 miles (11 km) inside.
- Water
- Lakes and streams; treat all water. Taps at developed campgrounds.
- Cell / satellite coverage
- Poor or none in much of the park, including the campgrounds and South Beach. Bring paper maps and a satellite messenger.
- Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
- Emergencies: 911 (RCMP dispatch local search and rescue).
- Permits & regulations
- A day-use vehicle pass may be needed in peak season; a camping reservation replaces it. Backcountry camping needs a reservation or permit registration. The Panorama Ridge shelter is for emergencies only.
- Leave No Trace
- Keep campsites free of unattended food and scented items, camp only in designated sites, stay on trail and pack out all waste.
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October This month
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December
- Below-freezing nights
What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.
Plan a trip here →Averages for 1981–2010 from Environment Canada climate normals, measured at the Haney Ubc Rf Admin station, 8 miles (14 km)14 km (8 miles) away at 482 feet (147 m)147 m (482 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.
Nearby parks
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Garibaldi Provincial Park
Glaciers, volcanic peaks and the turquoise water of Garibaldi Lake, an hour north of Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway.
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Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
Three turquoise glacier lakes stacked below the Matier Glacier, a short, steep climb from the Duffey Lake Road north of Whistler.
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Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Rocky shores, arbutus and Garry oak on islands in BC's southern Salish Sea, reached by ferry or kayak from Vancouver and Victoria.
-
San Juan Islands National Monument
Headlands, meadows and two lighthouses scattered across Washington’s San Juan Islands, a ferry ride from British Columbia.
Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.
Looking for somewhere closer to home?
See every park and monument within a day’s drive of where you are.