Burke South Summit and Pika Peak

Burke South Summit and Pika Peak is one of those Coquitlam hikes that feels way more remote than its location suggests. This out-and-back route is long, steep, and steady, covering about 20 km with over 1,100 m of climbing to around 1,240 m, so it earns its “difficult” rating. Expect a full-day effort for most people, but also a quiet mountain feel with far fewer crowds than nearby North Shore trails.

The approach up Harper Road is a straightforward gravel grind shared with mountain bikes, but once you hit the proper trail the character changes fast. You move into forested singletrack, passing creeks and viewpoints as you work toward Burke South Summit and then on to Pika Peak. Views from South Burke can be a bit blocked, so the payoff comes if you push on to Pika Peak, where you can catch wide-open sightlines toward Golden Ears and the surrounding Coast Mountains when the weather is clear.

Recent hikers report a long, relentless uphill with only a handful of other people on the actual hiking trail, but plenty of bikes on the road approach. Expect lingering snow patches higher up well into spring, with some sections making route-finding tricky when markers are buried, and glare off the snow can be harsh without sunglasses. In bug season, a head net is almost mandatory, and you’ll want at least 3–4 litres of water, trekking poles for sketchy creek crossings like at Sweat Teams Falls, and solid awareness for wildlife, as black bears and plenty of scat are common. Best window for Burke South Summit and Pika Peak is usually late spring to early fall, outside of heavy snow and seasonal closures in the Pinecone Burke area.