Eagle Bluffs Hike in Cypress Provincial Park

The weather looked good for Saturday, October 3, so I planned a hike with Gaurav and his family. Due to some other commitments, we would have a late start in the day, so we decided on the Eagle Bluffs hike in Cypress Provincial Park. It is an intermediate hike that would take about four hours – perfect for the kids.

Gaurav and I have known each other since undergrad, and he was the only person I knew when I moved to Vancouver. Gaurav and his wife Indrani were of huge help in getting us settled in Vancouver.

Coincidentally, their seven-year-old daughter is also named Kavya. The kids have been playing together since they were three years old. This summer they have climbed and hiked together a couple of times. Needless to say, Kavya was excited to hike with Kavya.

I had never been on Cypress mountain, so I was looking forward to the hike. We reached Cypress around 2:45 pm and parked outside the gate, as the gate closes at 6 pm. After a quick washroom break for the kids, we made our way past the Cypress Creek Lodge towards the chairlifts. Around 3 pm, we were on the Yew Lake (Baden Powell) Trail.

Baden Powell Trail

As we continued on the Baden Powell trail, it got steep pretty quick. In 1.5 km, the elevation gain is around 275 m. It was tiring for the kids, and we took a couple of short breaks. Gaurav had recently purchased the child carrier backpack and this was his first long-distance steep hike. He was doing really well and stayed ahead of the group. He also follows an OMAD (one meal a day) plan, so his high energy level surprised me. Swara (two years old) enjoyed the ride in the carrier.

Eagle Bluffs Hike — On Baden Powell Trail

About 40 minutes into the hike, we were at a junction. The trail to the left went to Cabin Lake / Black Mountain, and the one to the right went to Theagill and Sam Lake. There was no sign for Eagle Bluffs, so I did a quick check on GAIA Maps to confirm.

Cabin Lake Trail

We would be taking the Cabin Lake trail and then connect again with Baden Powell trail. We were good. It’s a downhill hike from here, and in another 10 minutes, we saw a trail sign for Eagle Bluffs.

A group of hikers returning from Eagle Bluffs alerted us to bear presence near the lakes, but fortunately, we didn’t see any. The kids were on high alert and made enough noise for all the bears on the mountain to be aware of our presence.

The second half of the hike to Eagle Bluffs was relatively flat and easy. The kids played Atlas name game with names of places. As they ran out of options, parents chimed in, and eventually, the rules were relaxed to include any object.

As we got close to the bluffs, the bright mushroom on the trail got everyone’s attention. Here is what I found on the UBC Zoology website about the toxicity of this mushroom variety (Fly Agaric) –

“Poisonous, contains neurotoxins causing inebriation and delirium. It has been associated with poisoning in dogs and cats as well as humans. Some people have eaten it intentionally seeking its inebriating effects. It should be noted that very few people who have experimented with eating fly agarics have chosen to repeat the experience.“

Eagle Bluffs

It took us about an hour and fifty minutes to get to Eagle Bluffs viewpoint. We had some smoke from the wildfires in the US, but it was still beautiful. On a clear day, I think the views would be more expansive than the one at Tunnel Bluffs.

We settled down for lunch as we kept a close watch on the ravens. Swara was relieved to be off the backpack and walked around the bluffs.

Some more photos from the viewpoint –

After a good 20 minute break, we started our hike back at around 5 pm. We kept a good pace as we wanted to reach the parking lot before it got dark.

We were back at the lodge by 6:40 pm. It took us about three hours and forty minutes for a 9 km round-trip with 470 m elevation gain. The kids did really well.

On our drive back, we stopped by Blaze Pizza in North Vancouver for dinner. Indrani follows a Keto diet, and luckily Blaze offers a Keto Pizza option as well. Kids enjoyed the pizza as well as smores and brownie. It was a perfect way to wrap up an awesome day of hiking with family and friends!