First Camp and Chaster Falls

First Camp and Chaster Falls is a short, punchy climb just outside Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast, and it wastes no time getting your legs working. At only 2.6 km out and back with about 233 m of gain, it’s compact but rated challenging for a reason, with steep sections that make that 1 hour 16 minute average feel pretty honest.

The trail to Chaster Falls is well built and well maintained, winding through classic coastal forest before tightening up into steeper, rooty stretches. You’ll earn the waterfall view, but most hikers say the payoff is worth the grind, and in winter you might even catch the falls partly frozen, which gives the whole canyon a very different feel.

Recent hikers on First Camp and Chaster Falls report that the trail holds up well, but it gets extremely brushy in the rain, so expect to get soaked without proper shells. In snow, it’s a lot more slippery and feels tougher, so traction helps, and the steep steps can be rough on kids, older dogs, or anyone with knee issues. This area is real wildlife habitat, with at least one recent black bear encounter where the bear didn’t back off, so carry bear spray, make noise, and be ready to turn around; treat this as a serious, short mountain hike, not just a casual stroll close to Gibsons.