Diez Vistas Trail — Attraction in Belcarra

This review is catered towards dog owners looking to take their furry companions on a hike to the Diez Vistas lookouts.

Note that dogs are required to be on leash on the trails that lead to Diez Vistas.

There are different ways to get to the Diez Vistas lookouts since the trails in the Belcarra, Sasamat and Buntzen area are all interconnected. Typically you would either start from White Pine beach or Buntzen lake. I started from White Pine beach using the Buntzen Ridge trail, then the Sugar Mountain trail and finally the Diez Vistas trail.

Overall the hike to Diez Vistas is a challenging workout with a decently rewarding view at the end. It’s more suitable for physically fit people with active mature dogs. If you’re looking for some intense exercise outdoors with your dog while enjoying some nice scenery, this is the perfect place for you. But if you’re looking for the best view, comfort and relaxation, or have a young puppy, then this hike might not be for you.

Difficulty: 3/5 This is a pretty hard and physically demanding hike regardless of which trail you take to get there. There is a very steep section that goes on for quite a while. If you start at the Buntzen Ridge trail like I did, the first part of the hike is moderately steep but soon starts levelling out and after you cross the power-lines and get on the Diez Vistas trail it gets super steep and rough. It takes 1.5 to 2 hrs to get to vista number 1.

Popularity: 4/5 This is a moderately popular trail. I ran into quite a few other groups while hiking this trail on a cloudy/rainy day. But overall it was pretty quiet and the viewpoints were not crowded. I imagine there will be more people in the summer on days with nicer weather but should not be crowded.

Activities: 2/5 This is purely a trail to viewpoints so there is no other activities you can really do with your dog other than enjoy a challenging hike and some nice views!

Views: 4/5 The view at Vista number 1 is quite good but it’s not a very expansive and panoramic view due to trees surrounding the viewpoint. There are a number of other vistas if you keep going north along the trail but Vista number 1 has the best view, so it’s not really worth hiking to the other viewpoints for the view.

I really enjoyed the views along the trail as well. Lots of ferns, large pine trees and other plants that give you a great experience of the temperate rainforest.

Comfort: 2/5 If you’re looking for comfort and a relaxing time with your dog then Diez Vistas isn’t for you. It’s a tough hike to the top and there aren’t many comfortable places to sit down and rest on the trails.

Safety: 3/5 It’s a safe hike if you’re prepared and lots of people hike here but I want to note some of the risks for dog owners as well.

Parts of the trail are very steep and rough so may not be suitable for young puppies. There are also lots of areas where the trail is next to a steep drop or cliff. Dogs are technically required to be on leash so it can be difficult and potentially dangerous to navigate the steep and rough sections with an energetic dog that likes to pull.

There are bears in the area but you’re unlikely to run into them on the trails since lots of people use the trails.

The trails themselves are pretty well marked and signs are clear so it’s easy to not get lost.

There are no natural water sources on this hike especially in the summer so make sure you bring plenty of water for your dog!

Access: 4/5 Pretty easily accessed by car. You can start at either Buntzen lake or White Pine beach. Parking at Buntzen lake is free but requires you to reserve your spot in advance whereas White Pine beach is paid parking. It can be quite difficult to find parking at White Pine beach during the summer months, especially weekends. There is also a bus that goes to...

Took us 4 hours (with a 10 year old) to go out and back. Difficulty: starts easy, last part is quite challenging.

Trail was dry and easy to follow (orange markers on trees turn into diamonds when it gets steep). Once you get past the power lines, there's a warning for bears and "rugged wilderness". That's the beginning of the hard part.

About 2.5 h to go up and 1.5 to come down. The way up is a real workout for your knees and thighs. Recommend wearing proper hiking shoes and using hiking sticks. The last 25% before reaching the parrot is very steep and saw some people give up when they were about 20 min from the peak.

The last part of the hike has lots of rocks, roots, narrow sections. The view is totally worth it though! Lots of seating by the bluffs at the top and along the way to rest and hydrate.

Only real bathroom is at the beach by the lake. Dogs need to be leashed.

Come down slowly, take it slow if you're not an experienced hiker.

10/10 recommended but only...

The views are really nice! You get to see Deep Cove, panoramas of the various lower mainland skylines, the mountains and Buntzen lake. The initial few km is a bit of a grind from Buntzen lake up a steep, narrow, rooted trail through virgin forest. Once you get up on the ridge, it becomes far easier, with more gentle topography. There are many viewpoints (hence the name, 10 Views), however, several of them are now overgrown. Hiking during the fall, I ran into some minor patches of snow. The trail is fairly well marked, however there were a few points that where I had to double check that I was still on the right path. The hike is roughly 3 hours to complete if you are relatively in shape, which makes it a...