UBC Malcolm Knapp M, F30, C, and A10 Loop

UBC Malcolm Knapp M, F30, C, and A10 Loop in Maple Ridge is one of those low-key forest hikes locals love and tourists rarely find. This 5.8 km loop with about 212 m of gain is rated easy, but it still gives you enough incline to feel like you actually went hiking, not just strolling. It usually takes around 1 hour 45 minutes, and it’s noticeably quieter than the main Golden Ears trails.

The loop winds through classic coastal forest, with a mix of gentle flats and short, steeper pitches, plus a viewpoint with a picnic table that makes a solid snack stop. You’ll pass small streams, soft “spongy” ground in places, and long stretches where it’s just you and the trees, often with no one else around. The route options in the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest are endless, which is part of the fun and part of the challenge.

Current conditions on the UBC Malcolm Knapp M, F30, C, and A10 Loop are generally good, with only light mud and some slightly overgrown sections reported, but there have been occasional closures and reroutes, so expect to adapt. Trails are well marked, yet there are so many junctions that a downloaded map or GPS app is almost mandatory to avoid wandering off on a different loop. Poles can be handy for the steeper quarter near the start and first descent, and this Maple Ridge forest loop is hikeable year-round, though fall and winter bring more mud and fewer people, while spring and summer give you drier ground and longer, quieter evenings.