Cultus Lake Loop

Cultus Lake Loop in Chilliwack is a long, grindy day out rather than a classic viewpoint hike. At about 29.5 km with 1240 m of gain and a max elevation under 500 m, it’s more about distance and navigation than big climbs or alpine scenery. Most locals tackle it as a training route or long run and are happy to say “did it once” and move on.

The loop starts near the main beach at Cultus Lake on the flank of Vedder Mountain, then works its way around the lake on a mix of mountain bike, dirt bike, and horse trails. Expect lots of junctions, rutted sections, and stretches of decent singletrack you can actually run. Views are limited, but there is a solid lookout over the lake and communities below from the Lakeland trail section that gives you one real payoff.

Right now, the biggest challenge on the Cultus Lake Loop is navigation and access, not fitness. There is basically no signage, so you’ll be glued to a GPS map the whole time, and even locals still miss turns. Parts of the southwest side near Columbia Valley Road now have private property signs, so check access, consider doing out-and-back halves (main beach to near Lindell Beach, then Watt Creek to main beach), and be ready for overgrown lower sections and dirt bike ruts. This loop is best from spring through fall when the trail is clear and daylight is long enough to handle a 9–10 hour day.