Pauline Clarke - The Silver Ghost - Thornhill Grind - Tower Trail

Pauline Clarke – The Silver Ghost – Thornhill Grind – Tower Trail in Maple Ridge is a forest loop with a bit of attitude, but still very manageable for most hikers. At about 6 km with 165 m of gain and a high point around 333 m, it’s rated easy and usually takes around an hour and a half, depending how much you poke around at the junctions. Expect a quieter feel than the big-name Maple Ridge hikes, with more locals, runners, and mountain bikers than tourists.

The loop winds through classic coastal forest, on mostly soft, shaded singletrack and old roads. There aren’t really any big viewpoints, so the draw here is the trees, the quiet, and that short, punchy climb up the Thornhill Grind section that gets your heart going before easing off into more relaxed walking. Parts of the trail are narrow with a steep drop beside you on the Thornhill/Ridgeline stretch, so you’ll want to pay attention to your footing and listen for bikes on the shared sections.

Recent hikers report lots of downed trees from storms, some overgrown stretches brushing your legs, and muddy patches or deep puddles after rain or snowmelt, so waterproof shoes help. Navigation is the main challenge: there are many unmarked intersections and a few misleading signs, and several people have turned this 6 km loop into 8 km by accident, so bring a GPS map and check it at junctions. There’s also been a wasp nest reported around the halfway mark where the foliage closes in, so move quickly through that area in late summer, and in winter expect packed snow and ice on the steeper bits, where spikes and gaiters make things a lot more comfortable.