Dog Mountain

Dog Mountain in Mount Seymour Provincial Park, North Vancouver, is the classic “big view for small effort” hike. This 4.8 km out-and-back trail has about 162 m of gain, tops out around 1049 m, and most people take 1.5–2 hours, not the 26 minutes the stats claim. It’s rated easy, but the roots and mud give it a bit more bite than the numbers suggest.

The Dog Mountain trail starts from the Mount Seymour parking lot and quickly trades ski hill noise for quiet forest. The first half is a mostly smooth, gently rolling path past First Lake, then the character changes as you hit long stretches of exposed roots, rocky patches, puddles, and short, steeper bits. At the viewpoint you’re standing on open rock looking straight out over Vancouver, Burrard Inlet, and the North Shore mountains, with a real “wow, that was quick” payoff on a clear day.

Right now, expect lots of roots, mud, and some ongoing erosion in the second half of the route; this is not a good place for trail running or flimsy shoes. Wear proper hiking footwear, bring spikes or crampons in winter or on icy days, and trekking poles help when it’s slick around First Lake. Bugs can be annoying in warmer months, dogs must legally be on leash even though some aren’t, and the trail can close in spring for snowmelt, so always check Mount Seymour or Vancouver Trails for current conditions before heading up to Dog Mountain in North Vancouver.