Trip 017 - April 12, 2010 (Monday)

Mount Hope Lookout Trail

Hope BC

Distance From Vancouver: About 150 km on Highway 1 East.

Liked: Picturesque trail, views from the top.

Of note: The trail is popular, there is a constant noise from Highway 1, the terrain is moderately challenging. Hiking boots and poles are recommended.

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Backroad Mapbook (2010 edition) Coordinates: Page 15 (Hope) F7.

Related Websites: District of Hope, Experience Hope.

Other Trips in Hope BC Area: Thacker Mountain Trail, Flat Iron Peak Trail, Needle Peak Trail, Sowerby Creek FSR Hike, Dog Mountain Trail, Jones Lake FSR Trip to Jones Lake, Yak Peak Trail, HBC Heritage Trail, Sowaqua Creek FSR, Zoa Peak Trail, Skagit River Trail, Skyline II Trail Hike, Silver Skagit Road, Mount Outram Trail, Othello Tunnels, Eaton Lake Trail, Town of Hope BC.

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Mount Hope Lookout Trail is located in Hope British Columbia, close to the Tourist Info Centre. This trail is not to be confused with Mount Hope Trail off Highway 3, where a forest service road has to be taken for the trailhead to be reached. The trail we hiked today leads to a lookout from where you can see Mount Hope in the distance.

This is a pleasant, if short, hike, with excellent views of the town of Hope, Fraser River, and the surrounding mountains awaiting at the top. Good hiking boots and hiking poles would be helpful. There is a small parking area by the trailhead, and there are separate trails for hikers and bicycle riders. If all the parking spaces are taken, you can park by the Tourist Info Centre 0.5 km away.

1. To find Mount Hope Lookout Trail parking, get off Highway 1 East at the Hope exit (#170), follow the signs to city center, and, within two minutes, you would arrive at the intersection below, where you would turn right.

TransCanada Highway 1 East in Hope British Columbia

2. Literally within thirty meters of turning right, you would make another right turn onto a road (seen in the photo below) which leads to a small parking area in less than a minute. "No thru road" sign is your landmark. You can park along this road too, though signs request to limit your stay to 4 hours.

Hope BC Canada

3. Here is the small parking area next to the Mount Hope Lookout trailhead.

Parking near Mount Hope Lookout trail - Hope British Columbia Canada

4. And to the left of the photo above is a gate, beyond which the trail begins.

Mount Hope Lookout Trail start - Hope BC Canada

5. You go up, and soon the trail becomes separate for hikers and bikers.

Mount Hope Lookout Trail separate bicycle and walking trails - Hope British Columbia Canada

6. The last sign before Mount Hope Lookout Trail enters into the woods.

Mount Hope Lookout trail - Hiking in Hope Area of British Columbia Canada

7. The path is moderately challenging, with some stones, but mostly it's a soft ground.

Mount Hope Lookout trail - Hope British Columbia Canada - BC Hiking

8. In ten minutes, there is an intersection with Joan Greenwood Loop Trail.

Mount Hope Lookout Trail intersection with Joan Greenwood Loop Trail

9. Mount Hope Lookout Trail features several ladders. They are so old that they appear to be a natural part of the landscape.

Photo of a ladder on Mount Hope Lookout Trail - Hope BC Canada

10. A few parts of the trail are steep and rocky.

BC Hiking - Mount Hope Lookout Trail

11. Another ladder.

Mount Hope Lookout trail - Hope British Columbia Canada - Hiking in BC

12. And one more.

Hiking in British Columbia - Mount Hope Lookout Trail

13. You also pass by moss-covered rocks, though the moss here is not as lush as on Mount Lincoln.

Moss-covered rocks on Mount Hope Lookout trail - Hope British Columbia Canada

14. Getting close to the top.

Mount Hope Lookout trail - Hope British Columbia Canada

15. And, then, a clearing. The final few steps are along a very rocky path.

The end of Mount Hope Lookout hiking trail - Hope BC Canada

16. Once you get out there, the views are to your left, and to the right would be more stones. If you decide to climb higher, beware that the rocks are very unsteady and would be slippery when wet. To get down would be even tougher due to the steepness of the mountain at this point. Here we are looking to our right.

Stones on Mount Hope - British Columbia

17. Time to see the views. Sunny days would be even better.

Town of Hope seen from Mount Hope Lookout trail - Hope British Columbia Canada

18. Zooming in to get a good look at Hope. The green building in the middle is "Buy & Save Foods."

View of Hope BC from Mount Hope Lookout trail

19. To the right we see a large mountain. Perhaps, this is Mount Hope we are looking out for?

View from Mount Hope Lookout trail - Hope British Columbia Canada

20. It is possible to walk for another 30 meters down the rocky path to sit at the second bench, and to have a better view of Fraser River on the left side.