Comments

Kelsea from New Westminster writes:

Tried to do this trail today but there is a sign at the trailhead saying that the trail is temporarily closed due to fire risk. There was also a bear very close to the trailhead as well.

Posted: July 25, 2021 06:54:20 PM PST

Nicole from Vancouver writes:

Very important to note that you can either start the hike at Sumas mountain park OR follow sumas mountain road (ignoring the signs for sumas mountain) and start the hike along the side of the road. It’s very confusing because no one seems to note there are different places to start this hike. For people who do not hike often, this is a very very very difficult hike! Do not listen to the moderate rating! Most of this hike is uphill and on loose ground. The signage is absolute garbage and Chadesy lake is underwhelming. The view from the top of Sumas is beautiful but the bugs at this time of year make it almost impossible to enjoy. Coming down the mountain is extremely hard on your knees and if you follow the orange markers you will get lost! There are markers where there is no need for there to be markers! This is probably due to there being two start points, it’s awful.

Posted: June 1, 2021 08:54:44 AM PST

Elizabeth from Richmond writes:

We hiked this May 16, 2021. A little muddy in spots but overall dry. Using All Trails we recorded this hike to be 18km from Sumas mountain highway, after it turns into gravel. We hiked one way around the lake on the way up and other other side on the way down. Took us about 6 hours including lunch at the top.

Posted: May 17, 2021 08:58:04 AM PST

Alix from Vancouver writes:

Hikes this on 23rd June 2020. We parked on Sumas mtn road, it was 15.5 km in total and elevation gain was about 900M, took us right around 5 Hours to complete. Trail is muddy in some areas especially once past chadsey lake, but manageable. Again once past Chadsey lake the trail is a little poorly marked, just pay attention to the orange markers and you should be fine. View is nice but blocked by a couple trees, so a bit underwhelming, great work out though.

Posted: June 23, 2020 07:42:07 PM PST

Serena Dawson from Vancouver writes:

Hiked this on 9th May 2020

Me and my husband are fairly quick hikers, and we did it in around 5 hours (with stopping). Nice view at the top but it is masked by some trees unfortunately. Nice area to stop for some food at the top. Trail was snow free and we had no issues following the markers.

Would recommend this hike if you want something to start the hiking season off that is challenging enough to getting back your endurance, but not too high that there is snow for this time of year.

Posted: May 22, 2020 10:48:13 AM PST

Abdul Khattab from Surrey writes:

I did this hike on April 14th, 2020. I will say off the bat that I was very unsure of doing this hike due to the vast array of reviews in the comments section.
After doing the hike, I highly recommend it to anyone in decent physical condition who doesn't mind breaking a sweat (or a couple). This hike is split into two sections. There is a trail prior to Chadsey Lake and then a decommissioned trailed post-Chadsey Lake. I would highly advise against parking at Chadsey Lake and skipping the first portion of this hike. Reason being that the first portion of the hike is much more well maintained and it consists of the majority of the hike. Including the several lengthy breaks I took to enjoy the scenery, this hike took me 7.5 hours to complete.
The first section is indeed steep, muddy at times, as well as well marked and well maintained. There are some sections where you are walking on narrow trails with a steep slide down but I have a fear of heights and I could still do it so you can too! This portion of the hike is quite enjoyable and should not be skipped by parking at the lake.
The second portion of the hike (post-Chadsey Lake) is what people are referring to when they are commenting that the hike is not well maintained. Of course it is not well maintained, it's a decommissioned trail. However, it is very well marked with orange markers so keep a close eye out for these markers, follow them, and you will do just fine. This portion of the hike took me one hour to get to the peak and involved hiking through snow and ice for half of it due to the high altitude. But again, it is very doable and nothing excessively difficult. The peak is absolutely breathtaking from how high you are. This portion of the hike is less enjoyable than the first portion, but it is still fun and should not be skipped due to the fact that the trail is no longer being maintained. It is still safe and a great challenge!
All in all, I would recommend this hike to anyone who has a bit of experience with hikes of this length! Just keep a close eye out for the markers on trees and you will be alright, it's a great trail.

Posted: April 16, 2020 09:19:40 PM PST

Team3 from Coquitlam writes:

(21 Jul 2019) We started from the Upper Suman Mountain Parking lot up Taggart Road. Really lovely and well marked trail to the lake, but the trail around the south side of the lake appears to be unmaintained with a lot of downed trees, so we had to stick to the north side. Quite buggy the whole way - bring the bug repellent. Perfect hike for the hottest day of summer so far. All in the trees and a cool swimming lake at the end. Our data showed 8.6 km round trip and you do a total of about 150- 200 m elevation gain with some up in both directions. The road to the parking lot is pretty rough, but that didn't seem to stop the guy in the BMW 3series!

Posted: July 22, 2019 07:49:34 AM PST

Nicola from Maple Ridge writes:

Can everyone please look out for a missing dog. Bertie. Small white and beige looks like a Maltese and wearing a blue jacket.

Posted: January 19, 2019 01:03:08 PM PST

George from PITT MEADOWS writes:

Just a comment regarding the elevation gain and distance. Cumulative elevation gain of this hike to the eastern lookout is closer to 1050m if starting from Sumas Mtn road. When you finally get to the Eastern lookout take the small trail on the left (about 100m long) and you will be treated to a beautiful view. If the elevation gain is to much for you, another option is to start at the Chadsey lake parking lot which will save you 500m of gain. I have never been to this starting point but ran into several people who had parked there to spend the day at the lake.

Posted: October 22, 2018 09:54:26 AM PST

Dschi from Germany writes:

We went to this trail today. Started at 10:30 am.
Little bit hard to find the trailhead and parking. Only recommend to park there if you have a truck.
Roundtrip was in total 17.5 km and close to 1000 m elevation gain, including all ups. Even the one at the end back to the trailhead.
Made it to the lake, around 6 km and 600m elevation gain, in about 2.5 hrs. Had a great time skinny dipping into the lake.
Hiked up to the lookout. Kind of nice view, but a bit disappointed, too many trees in the way. Would love to have a view towards Abbotsford. Took us 45 min from the lake to the lookout, close to 3 km and 350m elevation gain.
Enjoyed the lake again on our way down. Made it to the parking lot at 6:30pm.
We had three major stops (lake, lookout, lake) with about 30 min each. This makes 6.5 hrs of hiking time.
We can recommend this trail to almost everyone, but keep in mind it's 17.5km roundtrip and not 13 something.

Posted: August 1, 2018 10:10:43 PM PST

bahung from van? writes:

Attempted trail on friday (June 15th 2018). Found it a little hard to even find the trail at first. The trail is not maintained very well. Me and my friend were literally pushing and brushing against overgrown plants for the first 30 minutes of the trail. We decided to stop continuing on the trail after 45mins of trying as it seemed very easy to make a wrong turn when much of the time you're pushing plants out of the way to find the path.

And thats what happened. We got lost for an extra 30mins off trail finding the way back. Somehow got off trail, eaten by bugs the entire time. Not an enjoyable experience, the trail needs major clipping/cutting work done.

Posted: June 18, 2018 05:57:29 AM PST

Heather from Vancouver writes:

Hi all :) Just tried to hike this trail yesterday, August 7th, and it is closed due to fire risk :(

Posted: August 8, 2017 10:49:19 PM PST

Guide To Vancouver from vancouver writes:

Hey guys, I've put together a helpful video of this hike that shows you what you can expect to see and you can check it out on youtube, I'll drop the link below

https://goo.gl/6RkpMw

We did this hike by starting in the Chadsey Lake parking lot and making our way down to the lake. This way makes it a much shorter hike and probably cuts off 6km and 2-3 hours from the listed times. So if you want to try a shorter version of this hike start at Chadsey lake. To get directions there just put "Chadsey lake" in google maps and hit directions.

The trail leading up from the lake can be a bit hard to spot. so keep an eye out.

Mosquitoes were bad at the end of june so bring some bug spray or long sleeves

also you can walk up the dirt road from the chadsey lake parking lot to the view point in probably 30-40 minutes if you just want to see the view.

Posted: July 8, 2017 11:01:21 PM PST

Leesa from South Surrey writes:

A great day and hike. We made it about 15 min past Chadsley lake and then headed back down. We had 40 lb. packs on as were using it as a training hike for the West Coast Trail. We weren't sure what to expect after reading various reviews but did not find the trail hard to follow. There were technical areas but overall a really enjoyable intermediate hike. Look forward to going back without packs and getting up to the lookout.

Posted: June 4, 2017 08:04:22 PM PST

Yumi from Surrey writes:

Great little gem in Abbotsford! Very quiet with lots of wildlife (snakes, birds, squirrels - I didn't see any bears.) The lighting was perfect for forest photography during the mid-morning if you're into that sort of thing. There was a race going on during the weekend I went but despite this, there weren't that many people on the trail. There seems to be multiple entries into this trail. Be aware that the parking from this trailhead is on a steep gravelly hill that may not be the best if you're driving a tiny car with terrible traction-less tires. ;)

Posted: May 31, 2017 09:05:12 PM PST

Jack from Abbotsford writes:

*WARNING, BEARS IN THE AREA*
This is an awesome hike. As such, don't allow the following story to discourage your patronage of the trail; I'm posting it to serve as a reminder of safety, not as a means of discouragement:

Several days ago I decided I wanted to go for a hike. Sumas Mountain was close to home, and I was familiar with the trail so I figured I'd go for it. I did, however, make this decision in the late afternoon. I started the hike at 7:05pm having googled the sunset time in Abbotsford as being 8:49pm. Having done the hike before, I "knew" it wouldn't take me more than 2hrs roundtrip (I tend to run). This didn't include going past the lake at all, as the previous times I'd done the hike I never had enough time to go to the peak. (I have a tendency to leave in the afternoon, and race against the sunset... stupid, I know.) With the idea of having never reached the peak in my head, I was somewhat determined to make it to the top. Though with this, came the problem of having underestimated the amount of time it would take to make it all the way up. I got to the smaller lookout that comes after the lake and before the "Eastern Lookout" and decided that with about only a half hour of sun light left, I would be seriously jeopardizing my safety if I chose to continue upward. As such, I chose to begin my descent and hastily made my way down the trail. At this point, I knew that some portion of my return would be in the dark. After 2 minutes of running down the trail I heard something down below. A rustling sound of sorts. While I knew it was not likely to be of a human origin, it never crossed my mind that the sound was generated by an animal that could be of danger to me. So I continued down the trail; running. Shortly after, I came to an immediate stop, after turning a small corner, halting a mere two meters in front of a bear cub that stood right on the trail. Instinctually, I yelled "AH!" and the cub skittered away. Knowing mother bear would be nearby, and prepared to defend the safety of her cub, I hurriedly continued down the path. After 15 seconds of sprinting, I once again heard something down ahead of me. This time, I considered the danger of what might have laid ahead. I was f$&@ed, I thought. Surely, this was mother bear and she would charge toward me and maul my face off. This consideration propelled my legs to move as fast as they possibly could have, away from the sound. Very shortly I reached the lake, thinking I'd made some distance between me and the bears. In hindsight, my proximity to them was probably not all that far. With the notion that predatory wildlife were surrounding me, I continued down the trail. After about 10 minutes it was suddenly upsettingly dark. And I still had quite some distance to go. Fortunately, however, I made it all the way down without being mauled by a bear, or pounced upon by a cougar.
Let this be a lesson. Don't start too late, and be prepared.

Posted: May 30, 2016 03:54:46 AM PST

Lola from Langley writes:

We hiked yesterday from the Chadsey Lake Trailhead Parking Lot to Chadsey Lake and then beyond to the Sumas Mountain peak. This route is much shorter than the description on this page, as you park above the lake and hike down about a kilometer to the lake. To get to the Chadsey Lake Trailhead parking, we exited Hwy. #1 at Whatcom Road, got on the the north side of the freeway, heading east on North Parallel Road for about 2 km, turned left on Sumas Mountain Road and went about 8 km. Watch for the signs to Sumas Mountain Regional Park where you have to turn right on Batt Road, drive 1 km, and then turn right on Taggart Road. This road does become gravel and we were in a truck, but there were cars that traveled the gravel road as well. After traveling on Taggart Road about a kilometer, we passed a parking lot, where there is a large display map of the mountain bike trails, and continued another 4.5 kilometers (all on gravel) to reach the Chadsey Lake parking. Nice view from here of the valley looking west towards Abbotsford. There is also a new clean outhouse just down the trail past the gate. Not far past the outhouse we entered a forest trail labelled with a small Chadsey Lake sign. At one point we reached an impasse due to downed trees, but we could see a gravel road close, so we walked around to it. The gravel road was a short walk up, and we were back on the trail heading down to Chadsey Lake. This trail joins up with Centennial Trail not too far from the lake. We went around Chadsey Lake to the right, when facing the lake. This trail was not well maintained with downed trees, etc. We could have tried the longer trail around the lake to the left, but both meet up with the trail that leads to the peak. Elevation change from lake to peak is about 800 feet. Great view from the peak of the Fraser Valley (Chilliwack) looking east. At one point along the peak trail you also see through the trees north across the Fraser River to Dewdney/Hatzic Lake. Total distance was about 7 km. round trip from parking to peak and back. It took us about 4 hours with a stop at the peak. On the way back, once we got to the gravel road, we missed the trail that we started on, but we ended up back at the parking lot on the road anyway. The hardest part of the hike for us, when you are most tired at the end, you have to climb about 300 feet of elevation from the lake back to the parking. We started at 8 am on a Saturday and were the first to park in the lot. When we got back at noon, the lot was pretty full. Lots of mountain bikers parked there as well. If you want you can just start the hike from the parking lot continuing up the gravel road, but when you get to a fork in the road, stay on the left fork, follow it to the end and it will lead you to the trail. Next time we will come prepared to swim at the lake if it is a hot day!

Posted: May 15, 2016 04:49:11 PM PST

Nick from Abbotsford writes:

I want to start by addressing Nathaniel's comment posted below. Today was my first time hiking Sumas Mountain and I almost didn't go because of his comment. I'm glad I ended up doing it though! Please ignore Nathaniel's comment. His comment couldn't be farther from the truth. The guy is a complete toolbox and is obviously trolling the comments section. The trail is beautiful and well worth it!

I do agree that there are some challenges with the trail markings; however, after about the first 30-45 minutes, the route becomes extremely clear and easy to follow. It's a mountain after all so this should be somewhat expected. I did end up veering off the route a couple of times; however, it was quite easy to find my way back, discover where I went wrong, and get back on track.

The lake was absolutely beautiful. Not a mud puddle like Nathaniel suggests. It's a lot bigger than I expected and it looks very clean. Also, everyone that I spoke to while on route was extremely friendly and helpful.

I would absolutely recommend this hike to anybody living in Abbotsford. It's a really nice change up from the heavy traffic Abby Grind. Happy Hiking!

PS - can we please remove that Nathaniel guy's comment? He's obviously bitter about something and his comment is completely inaccurate.

Posted: April 27, 2016 10:15:49 PM PST

nathaniel from abby writes:

Horrible hike. Trails are not marked. It is really easy to lose your way. The lake was a disgusting mud puddle. The people you met were rude. The locals there are backwood folk and really give the impression that you aren't welcome there. Would not recommend this hike to my worst enemy.

Posted: April 24, 2016 02:02:01 PM PST

Glen Ferris from Langley writes:

I brought my Youth Group here for Easter. The lake has a beautiful view and we did communion at it. The hike up is pretty moderate and really easy to follow. There's a water station up by the lake to fill your water bottles. It took us 4hrs round trip.

Posted: March 26, 2016 12:18:24 AM PST

Chris from Langley writes:

Awesome hike. Followed the orange tags and didn't have any issues. Trail is in great condition other then being a little overgrown in spots. Took around 4 hours to the lake and back. Didn't summit. Would highly recommend

Posted: September 16, 2015 08:44:32 PM PST

Melinda Russell from Abbotsford writes:

Great hike but be careful not to lose the trail. We vered of course a couple of times while following the ribbons. Trail is in excellent condition right now.

Posted: September 7, 2015 06:05:31 PM PST

Mason McMurray from Abbotsford writes:

Trails are currently closed due to extreme fire danger.
Closed to vehicles, Motorbikes, ATVs, mountain bikes AND FOOT TRAFFIC.
The park gate is closed - there are signs that you could get towed for no parking in front of it.
I did some research and the park is suppose to reopen sometime in late October.

Posted: August 24, 2015 04:33:02 PM PST

Darlene from Abbotsford writes:

I went up there for the first time today. Am curious how the road is past the first gate? Up to the public parking? I drove to the first parking lot but because I have a car I wasn't sure if it was a 4x4 only or ?
Also it seems most of the trails are for mountain bikes? Like Emma Peel. Is that true?

Posted: July 11, 2015 09:58:21 PM PST

James from Vancouver writes:

*bug alert*

Hot canada day hike, the lake was an excellent payoff! The climb up was challenging in the heat. Be sure to bring bug spray as the mosquitoes are everywhere and made the hike a much less enjoyable and is the reason for the 3 stars. We were itching all the way up and down!

Posted: July 1, 2015 06:25:57 PM PST

Dana from Surrey writes:

Hiked it today. The first portion is overgrown but the trail gets better past the gravel road. Made it to the lake but didn't summit. Well maintained after the gravel road with a new bridge and signs.

Posted: June 3, 2015 04:03:38 PM PST

C from Surrey writes:

I don't know why everyone on here is complaining so much... this was a great hike!

I followed the map on this site and had no problem finding the trail head. As for the split paths, it is fairly obvious which way is right after a minute of going down the wrong path. Sure this adds a few minutes to your hike, but is not a big deal. Lots of forks in the second half of the hike merge together after a few minutes anyways.

From the lake, follow the trail markers for the Eastern Lookout to get to the viewpoint. Nice view of the Valley! Total trip time 4h 40min with a 20min break.

Posted: May 19, 2015 09:49:10 AM PST

A from Abbotsford writes:

I am a geriatric pack a day smoker in a wheelchair, and I did this trip in 5 hours, whilst stopping at Chadsey lake for lunch for about 30 min and losing the orange tags for about 20 min.

Posted: February 28, 2015 07:00:35 PM PST

Courtney from Abbotsford writes:

Garrett,
I just did the trail today and it was fantastic! Bit chilly but it was very refreshing :)

Posted: February 27, 2015 07:58:00 PM PST

Garrett from Langley writes:

how is this hike in the spring I know the weather is going to be really nice for the next week or so, so do you think the trails would be open? any thoughts ?

Posted: February 18, 2015 11:58:04 AM PST

C from Vancouver writes:

Maria - the distances are round trip.

Posted: September 25, 2014 01:15:44 PM PST

Ben from Sherwood Park writes:

Great run up. Went as far as the lake and turned back as getting late. Took about 4 hrs in and out.

Bottom section below the logging road steep and a bit boring, but above the road really worth the trip, excellent fungi, old growth and nice vistas.

Posted: August 21, 2014 06:36:41 PM PST

Kal from Surrey writes:

AMAZING experience!!!

The ribbons are MISLEADING!!!

Follow the orange tags nailed into the trees, first fork u want to go left, second fork go right. Those are the only two areas lacking orange tags. Great view from the clearing. The clearing is not as "unfortunate" because u can see all the younger trees that the logging company planted.

It gets much more beautiful once u pass the gravel road, less overgrown shrubs. 4 stars only because of the misleading trail in the beginning.

Posted: August 4, 2014 09:56:08 PM PST

Maria from Abbotsford writes:

hi, I have a question please.
Is that 13,5 Km one way or return?
Thanks !

Posted: June 4, 2014 12:03:47 PM PST

derek from Chilliwack writes:

Hiked the trail today and it is in very good shape. A few muddy spots but no big deal. I think a dog would be able to find his way up as there are some flat rocks to jump up on. When I got to the lake you could go left or right. to the right the trail starts back down the mountain and wasn't well maintained. Came back to the lake and went right and went up to the top ( about 1 km of gravel road) then back into the bush for .5 km(sign on the right) for the views of the valley. Total time was 5 hours.

Posted: October 24, 2013 03:52:24 PM PST

christine from coquitlam writes:

Do you think dogs can get up the washed out cliff area you have to climb with ropes. I have an Alaskan malamute so was wondering if she is able to make it all the way to Chadsey Lake or is the cliffs with ropes section too tough for her to get up. Let me know. Thanks christine

Posted: October 17, 2013 11:46:34 PM PST

Colin from Richmond writes:

Went up the trail on June 30th and the condition is okay with some muddy area.

The tip about the not so clear trail signs is something one should be aware of. Always follow the orange/red metal tags and do not rely on the ribbons. You can also see signs that says centennial trail showing after every dozen tags or so, this is the route to take. My friend and I took a couple detours trying to follow the ribbons and ended up in areas with dense vegetation and got scratched by some poison oaks.

After we reached the lake we spoke to a couple folks and apparently you can drive up to the top of the mountain and take a short cut to the lake. (For those who wants just a short hike)

Once you reached the top, there is not much to see except a cell phone tower.

Further down walking east for about 10 min from the tower, you can find east valley view point with a nice view of Mount Baker and Chilliwack. To get to this view point, try to follow the yellow metal tags(again the trail is not really visible and it took a couple tries to find it).

On the way down, try to be careful as sections of the trail can be slippery. We met a group of firefighters carrying down a lady with an broken ankle. It is nice to know that cell phone tower on top works and you can still get help when you need it.

Posted: July 1, 2013 07:07:05 PM PST

Alison from Aldergrove writes:

Hey any updates on this trail .. reading the comment from June 3 .. thinking of doing this .. this weekend ? wondering the conditions of the trail ..

Posted: June 21, 2013 12:00:36 PM PST

Richard from vancouver writes:

Hi
So any update on the trail ? Is it muddy ? Also wander whether the view is scenaric or not...Thanks
cheers

Posted: June 19, 2013 03:37:41 PM PST

Robert Ly from Vancouver writes:

I'm a bit confused. So there are 2 trail entrances? One from the bottom by the river, one that starts at the very top and they're connected.

Early May, I went and it was a bust. I first went down to the trail head by the river, where this website sent me to, but there was a sign that mentioned the trail is closed and needs maintenance. Feeling lost, a local was mowing his lawn and I ask for directions and he told me there was another place to head up. Its best not to just randomly knock on doors and ask for help because their are no trespassing signs. After I reached up to the yellow gate, I felt uneasy because of the dirt trail that lead to the top had rocks as large as my fist scattered everywhere. I couldn't drive up.

I would still like to go.

Posted: June 3, 2013 07:32:01 PM PST

Tara from Vancouver writes:

This trail is poorly marked. Suggestions: try to follow the organe nails aluminum as much as possible if you can find them. Along the way, you'll also find ribbons leading the way occasionally. However, some of the ribbons actually lead to the wrong way. We were mislead by ribbons a few times. Do allow some extra time for getting lost.

Posted: May 19, 2013 11:20:00 PM PST

Marion from langley writes:

If you park near the stream and make
your way past new gravel roads and
a clearcut, the "Centennial" trail
starts up to Chadsey Lake. It used to better marked, but I enjoy this route
much more than the Upper trail on top
of the mountain road.On this one you
will pass two streams, a viewpoint onto
the prairie, a steep sidepath on the
side of the Mountain. You might also
see a coyote, or fresh trout swimming
in the lake when you get there. An amazing place; still serene and quiet.

Posted: April 28, 2013 08:33:50 AM PST

Jeremy from Abbotsford writes:

I don't think you went far enough. I stopped there the first time i went up Sumas Mtn. If you keep going up that road you'll get to a view point which is farely new. There is another toilet and a place where a map should be but no map. I recently found out that if you go further up the mtn there is another yellow gate if it's open you can drive right up to the summit where the Chadsey lake trail head is.

Posted: July 31, 2012 06:53:42 PM PST

hedgies from Vancouver writes:

It was very difficult to find the trail head, there was no clear signage of where to head, we ended up going past the yellow gate which eventually lead us to the parking lot. The trail head has changed, now there is a parking lot, toilet and map. The forest mentioned in the trail description was cut down so the trail we thought started at a deforested path. The trail we ended up on was a mountain biking trail. We also came across 3 bears during our hike, which was a bit much. It is spring/summer so it would be expected but just be aware, so come prepared.
The trail it self and the map didn’t seem to match up we never made it to the lake it self but found many different trails intersecting.

Posted: July 2, 2012 06:00:56 PM PST

dono from Langlrey writes:

The entrance to the trail was hard to find and was not clearly marked. Its on the right side of the road as you come down the trail. Th3 trail was not well marked as to how to get the lake.

Posted: October 11, 2011 11:19:52 PM PST

Klaus Kittel from Surrey writes:

I like to thank Vanessa and particularly Alison for their recent feedback. On short notice we changed to Elk Mountain and enjoyed that hike thoroughly.

Posted: August 31, 2011 12:53:00 PM PST

Alison Smitten from vancouver writes:

***BUG ALERT***

Hiked this trail 3 weeks ago....so many bugs it was insane!! I gotten bitten like crazy even with lots of bug spray on.
Trail very over grown and not very clearly marked.

Not my favourite....would definately not do again.

Posted: July 25, 2011 04:25:40 PM PST

Vanessa from Surrey writes:

Word of caution:

Trail is very overgrown, constantly battling bushes and branches. There were many muddy patches, and eroded steep sections to maneuver through. MOSQUITOES galore...I mean 10-30 swarming your body at any given time! There are also trails that fork, which left some uncertainty about which way to go.

I would suggest the nearby Elk Mountain hike for clear, well-maintained paths that are nearly mosquito-free!

Posted: July 2, 2011 11:04:08 PM PST

Monica from Abbotsford writes:

Hiked this beautiful trail this afternoon! For us the round trip was just under 2hrs. If you decide to do this hike make sure to take your bug spray, and keep your eyes open for the trail markers, they're hard to see at points.

Posted: July 2, 2011 10:11:11 PM PST

Jo Welch from Abby writes:

Accessing Sumas trail during the detour. Take Whatcom Road exit which is now punched through to McKee Road. Right on McKee and then left on Sumas Mountain road down to the trail marker.

Canuckle head: thanks for that as we got a little mixed up once we hit the FSR and were on the for a bit before I found the trail.

Happy trails to you all.

Jo

http://www.abbotsford.ca/Assets/Abbotsford/City+Page/2011-04-30+City+Page.pdf

for further info

Posted: June 11, 2011 10:25:29 PM PST

Canuckle Head from Vancouver writes:

We recently hiked Sumus Mountain trail and had a great time, however, there were a few things that would have helped before going on this trek. The trail is located off of Upper Sumus Mountain Road, but the only street sign we saw was Sumas Mountain Road which eventually turned into a gravel road. When the road starts going downhill, there are three road signs on the left with arrows, then another three signs on the right of the road with arrows. The trail head is located OFF the road behind the middle sign on the right. There are a few thin orange ribbons hanging from the trees with an opening leading into the woods to the start of the trail. There is no trail head sign or parking lot, so you just have to park along the side of the road.

The trai is very well marked for a good while. The part that can cross you up is where you have to take a left to stay on Sumus Mountain trail. There is a free standing white sign with an arrow that should be pointing straight to Bakstud Road. At this point DO NOT GO STRAIGHT, instead take a left (no matter which direction the sign is pointing) to stay on Sumus trail.

You will eventually come out to a forestry road. This is the point where you take a right for 30 meters. On the left, there is another white sign (which is split in half and has faded writing on it). Go left at this opening to continue along the trail.

The last tricky section is the point where you have to look for the fallen tree that is parallel to the trail. There are several fallen trees that seem parallel. The one you are looking for is on the LEFT and has another fallen tree beneath it with an opening cut out of it. Go under the and through these fallen trees to continue on the trail which backtracks on the other side for a short while.

If you are at this point of the trail, you are very close to Chadsey Lake which is a perfect place to enjoy your lunch.rn Normally I wouldn't go into such detail about trail directions, but this particular trail had obscure signs at certain points, some pointing in the wrong direction and a trail head with no sign or parking. I hope these comments will be helpful for any that decide to go on this trai, which ended up being a great hike. Have fun!

Posted: May 13, 2011 08:02:50 PM PST

Tatiana from Abbotsford writes:

Everyone Visiting Sumas Mountain Park: Please remember that there are residents who live here and our backyards are not your garbage disposal sites nor your "toilet". The speeds on our "country" roads should be respected - wildlife does not know to "look both ways" and pets, children are at play here. Enjoy - it is a beautiful, natural site!

Posted: November 8, 2010 12:19:00 PM PST

Carolyn Bartel from Chilliwack BC writes:

October 14, 2010 Six of us started the hike at the west side off Sumas Mountain Road, which has a start that is a bit tricky to locate but keep your eyes open for the markers. Once on the trail, it was clearly marked and we often saw the old Centennial Trail metal markers. The weather was great, beautiful fall coloured leaves provided a soft cushion on our feet until we hit the gravel road. Watch carefully for the markers, head right and then keep hiking into the beautiful moss covered forest. There wasn't a bug to be seen all day, love it when one hikes in fall. The forest changed looks and feels throughout the hike with a huge area of fallen trees and a stream to navigate over. The junction to Chadsey Lake can be missed but look for the inukshuk on the path and lots of markers and you'll be fine. If you start going downhill you're in a loop that will take you right back to the start of the hike. Chadsey lake is very serene and a beautiful destination. Bring along a lunch and enjoy the view. We were unable to hike the summit as it was closed off due to blasting. The hike is very well marked and is an easy gradual rise in elevation.

Posted: October 14, 2010 04:30:41 PM PST

Kim from Vancouver writes:

We did this hike Aug 15, 2010.
It's very overgrown in some sections but beautiful.
It's challenging and serene.
Someone was kind enough to leave some bug spray at the trail head. There weren't many mosquitos but the ones that were there were very efficient. We've got a good 30-40 bites each!

Some of the trail is poorly marked and we found ourselves going in circles a few times, but we got our wits and enjoyed the hike. There is blasting past the lake so you can't complete the hike to the summit.

Posted: August 16, 2010 01:51:46 PM PST

Marion Sherman from Langley, B.C. writes:

Chadsey Lake is very spectacular.
Hiked it a few times, but turned
back in 2007 cuz of the logging
road. Once I saw a huge trout
caught in the Northern stream,
got eaten alive by mosquitoes in
the summer, had a cool swim and
watched fly fishing, even brought
my hubby up there to enjoy the
view! The Northern mountain trail
is my favourite, steep hiking, a
view of Mission and Hatzic, and
a stream before you see the beauty
of this marvelous lake tucked away
on Sumas Mountain.Aaaaahh, paradise!
M. Sherman,Langley

Posted: June 13, 2010 06:57:33 PM PST

Katarina from Vancouver writes:

Hiked the trail May 16, 2010. Saw the signs about the trail closure due to blasting but continued on anyway. Lo and behold, we made it to the peak, and there were no signs of any blasting, and the trail was in even better condition than the trail below the sign. Someone has built some very nice little bridges, and everything is well maintained, unlike the washed out stairs and washed out cliffs with ropes to grab onto in the lower section! So it seems like someone should remove those signs because they are apparently outdated! We met others at the peak too. Some had come our direction, from the west, and others had come from the east. Overall, a very nice hike. Very cool and refreshing with lots of shade and lush vegetation.

Posted: May 16, 2010 06:58:34 PM PST

Brad from Langley writes:

We hiked the trail on 8 May 2010 and the top part was still closed due to blasting. You can get to the lake but then it becomes unsafe to go any further. Still a nice challenging hike.

Posted: May 8, 2010 05:20:45 PM PST

Simon from Cloverdale writes:

There are trees down in alot of places, that require some crawling and climbing to get around. The trail drains surprisingly well, but could use some Maintenance for sure.

Posted: January 30, 2010 12:13:32 PM PST

Dave from Abbotsford writes:

Everywhere smells like poo.lol
bring your nose plugs.

Posted: December 13, 2009 10:12:02 AM PST

Cheryl from Vancouver writes:

Smells like poo, Not well marked. Kind of creepy. Lots of slugs. However, outhouse provides toilet paper. woot!

Posted: August 9, 2009 09:16:42 PM PST

Shannon from Abbotsford writes:

We hiked this trail on June 6, 2009 and the top portion of the trail was closed for blasting.

Posted: July 2, 2009 01:57:13 PM PST