Cypress Provincial Park

Please Note:

• Marked winter access for Hollyburn Hiker’s Access from Upper Romstad to Hollyburn Peak will be removed for the season in the last week of March 2013.
• Marked winter access for Black Mountain Plateau Loop will be removed for the season in the last week of March 2013.

Know Before You Go

Backcountry Safety Notices

• Trail report [pdf]
• Get safety information and winter ski activities and conditions (non-government website)
• Current Conditions - North Shore Avalanche Bulletin

The mountainous backcountry is extremely rugged. Hiking in this area should be attempted only by experienced backcountry travellers. Anyone contemplating an extended or overnight hike should inform a friend or family of their intended route and anticipated return time. Please note that open fires are not permitted in the backcountry.

National Topographic Series Map Sheet 92G/06 (North Vancouver) at a scale of 1:50,000 cover the park area. This map is available from Government Agents and most map retailers in British Columbia.

There is a drinking fountain located at Cypress Mountain Resorts - Black Mountain Lodge. Water is scarce along the Howe Sound Crest Trail. Carry lots of water or a water filter and fill up wherever possible.

During the period from November to May, backcountry travellers are required to show an Access Corridor Waiver to travel through the Controlled Recreation Area, which is operated under permit by Cypress Mountain Resort. This Access Corridor Waiver is available without charge and may be obtained from Cypress Mountain Resort.

About This Park

The towering North Shore Mountains which form a backdrop to the bustling city of Vancouver have beckoned outdoor recreationists for many years. Until the opening of the Lions Gate Bridge in 1939, a fleet of ferries transported hikers and skiers across Burrard Inlet on the first leg of their journey to Hollyburn Ridge, which is now part of Cypress Provincial Park.

Bounded on the west by Howe Sound, on the north and east by the ridgetops of Mount Strachan and Hollyburn Mountain and to the south by West Vancouver, Cypress sits like a ship's crownest high above Vancouver.

On a clear day the views are spectacular! To the south is the sprawling metropolitan area of Vancouver, while to the southeast is snowclad Mount Baker in the Cascade Mountain chain. To the west and southwest lie the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island with Georgia Strait in the foreground.

The diversity of natural features, old-growth trees and outdoor recreation opportunities both summer and winter, is due partly to the climate of coastal British Columbia. The mean annual temperature of around 9-10 degrees Celsius (49-50° F) results in many warm days for hikers and sightseers. No matter what the season or the weather, Cypress Provincial Park is an enjoyable place to be. Hiking, sightseeing, photography, wilderness camping, skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snow tubing and snowshoeing and other snow-related activities are just some of the activities the park offers.

Cypress Mountain was the official freestyle skiing & snowboard venue for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic winter games.

Park Size: 3,012 hectares, including the Howe Sound Crest Trail.

Location and Maps

• Location Map

The access road to Cypress Provincial Park is from the Upper Levels Highway (routes 1 and 99) in West Vancouver and enters the park at an elevation of 300 metres. From the city of Vancouver, access is by crossing the Lions Gate Bridge to the Upper Levels Highway via Taylor Way in West Vancouver. The closest communities are West and North Vancouver.

Maps and Brochures

Any maps listed are for information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

• Park Map (updated July 2011) [PDF 630KB]
• Brochure [PDF 129KB]
• Howe Sound Crest Trail Brochure (Map) [PDF 55KB]
• Howe Sound Crest Trail Brochure (Text) [PDF 150KB]
• Yew Lake Barrier Free Interpretive Trail [PDF 563KB]
• Cypress Alpine & Nordic Areas Trail Maps for skiing or snowboarding (off government page)

Nature and Culture

• History - In 1939, the official opening of the Lions Gate Bridge linking Vancouver and West Vancouver by His Majesty King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, signaled the end of the West Vancouver Ferry era and heralded the start of a population expansion in the city. As the population of the area increased there was an increasing necessity for more areas for skiing and hiking which resulted in the creation of Cypress Provincial Park.
• Conservation - The park has many natural highlights, including several sparkling mountain lakes--such as Blue Gentian, First, Yew, Cabin and West--that are nestled below the peaks of Mount Strachan (1,454 m), Black Mountain (1,217 m) and Hollyburn Mountain (1,325 m).
  
  Where the access road enters the park, at an elevation of 300 m, you pass first through a coastal Douglas-fir forest; this is a fire-scarred area with even-age stands of mixed Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Logging activities prior to the establishment of the park have opened much of the forest floor to the luxuriant growth of vine maple and cedar. Between 800 m and 940 m elevation, the forest gradually changes and, as the ridge tops are approached at 1,300 m above sea level, mountain hemlock, amabalis fir and yellow cypress, for which the park is named, predominate. The lush understory consists largely of shade-tolerant ferns, huckleberries, red and white heather, and false azaleas.
• Wildlife - A variety of large and small mammals inhabit the park. Coyotes and deer are often seen close to the access road. Black bears, squirrels, hares and weasels may be encountered in the backcountry. Adding colour and sound to the park are a variety of birds like ravens, gray jays, chickadees, warblers, woodpeckers, grouse, hawks and owls.
• General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information

Management Planning

Management Planning Information

• Approved Master Plan for Cypress Provincial Park. [PDF 1.13MKB]
  DISCLAIMER:
  This is NOT the original management planning product. This document has been scanned from the original format of the plan. It may contain some formatting changes, however the content is consistent with the original.

Activities Available at this Park

Cycling

Hiking

Pets on Leash

Wildlife Viewing

Winter Recreation

Facilities Available at this Park

Picnic Areas

Pit or Flush Toilets

Walk-In/Wilderness Camping

Wheelchair Access