Burnaby Mountain to Rose Garden

Burnaby Mountain to Rose Garden is a solid city-side escape in Burnaby, climbing from North Road up through the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area to the rose garden and viewpoints near SFU. It’s about 10.5 km out and back with roughly 352 m of gain, usually taking around 3 hours, and feels like an easy hike fitness-wise but still gives you a decent workout thanks to the steady uphill. Expect a mix of forest, service roads, and a bit of sidewalk near the top as you head toward the Rose Garden and views over Burrard Inlet and Vancouver.

The route winds through a network of well-marked trails like North Road, Function Junction, Upper Cut, Gear Jammer, Trans Canada Trail, and Powerline. The lower sections offer a choice between shaded forest or a more open stretch under the power lines, and most of the walk is under tall evergreens that keep things cool even on sunny days. At the top by the Burnaby Mountain Rose Garden you get wide views, art installations, cherry blossoms in spring, and handy amenities like washrooms and a drinking fountain.

Right now, the big thing to know is that the Velodrome stairs and stairway sections are closed, which means you should treat Burnaby Mountain to Rose Garden as an out-and-back, not a loop. Trails are in good shape, mostly gravel and wide, with no snow reported and lots of shade, but bring a map app because it’s easy to veer onto side trails. Watch for mountain bikers, start early if you want easy parking, and expect steeper climbing on the first half with a relaxed downhill cruise back; this one works well year-round on dry days and even as a night hike with proper lights.