Comments

Robin Hastings from North Vancouver writes:

Many of the trails at UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest have been recently renovated, with trail clearing and fresh woodchip installed. There are 4 forest trails of varying length and difficulty: red, yellow, green and blue, as well as a new system of trails through the arboretum at the main entrance. As it is a working forest, there is no camping, dogs or cycling allowed.

Posted: August 1, 2024 12:00:15 PM PST

donald crowe from COQUITLAM writes:

More stars if they allow bicycles. We have a generation getting older that needs bicycling as well as limited recreation outlets in the Lower Mainland. The Seymour demonstration forest has bicycling and no one is harming the forest. Rabid mountain bikers look for mountainsides not gentle land like Malcolm Knapp. What is it with Maple Ridge ? They also threatened to fine peaceful adults from going down to Kanaka Creek near small step like falls where the water is placid with interesting siltstone concrete like rock formations. The park official explained how lucky people were to not get a heavy fine (and no signage). He was in a good mood. Maybe rather than always being passive and people should demand better. Who's land is it ?

Posted: August 2, 2021 06:40:06 PM PST

Dani from Vancouver writes:

Did a mix of blue and yellow, including the lookout over the weekend. Trail is in good shape mostly but it is still pretty snowy for the last 150m or so of elevation gain. Plan ahead!

Posted: March 5, 2018 05:44:34 PM PST

Jellica from Vancouver writes:

Really interesting area as it is a working forest, so it was great to hike around and see different forest growth and areas. So majestic. Love it here.

Posted: January 17, 2018 02:19:46 PM PST

David from Slave lake writes:

Appearently it's okay for loggers to clear cut here and it's okay for vehicles to drive around on the roads, but I was told to leave for riding my bicycle on the road to loon lake.... what kind of rubbish is that?!? The most in invasive way to get to and from, and it's not allowed? On the road, at that... not impressed. I hope your loggers burn the works of it down...(as they are burning the plastic tarps in their slash piles that they clearly intend to burn with the rest....)

Posted: June 30, 2017 09:15:50 PM PST

Fred from Chilliwack writes:

I did the trail yesterday...the only problem I had was when I got to a gravel portion about one hour in. There was a little sign that said "you are here". I crossed the gravel portion, slightly to the left and found a blue marker going back into the forest. There was a sign that said "G30", or something like that. It was quite a climb. I was actually trying to find where it hooks back up with the yellow/red trail. I never found any yellow/red markers so I continued on following the blue markers until I reached a sort of memorial and just a bit further, a viewpoint. I gathered this was the wrong way because it was the end of the trail. I went back to the gravel portion and discovered another blue marker, just a bit to the right of the marker where I had just come from. I never bothered with this one...I thought I would get lost. I returned and went back the same way I had just come. I would have much rather done the complete loop. Does anyone know if I should have taken the other blue marked trail? I actually only saw the one blue marker at the beginning...I never went any further than that.

Posted: June 1, 2016 07:56:53 PM PST

Mani from Surrey writes:

Did this a few weeks ago. Bridges are intact so you can complete the Blue Trail without crossing any streams, as people have mentioned below. The trail is mostly well marked, but may get a bit confusing at times...but getting lost is half the fun!

Posted: May 23, 2016 04:00:17 PM PST

Crystal from Maple Ridge writes:

I'm a newcomer to BC, and fairly rookie hiker. Hiked the Blue Trail today, including the extra climb up to the lookout - which we did kind of by accident but it was well worth it. With several rest/water breaks and a few minutes at the lookout it was a really fantastic 2.5 hour hike.

The trails are mostly very well marked. The only place we ran into a bit of trouble was near the creek, shortly after the fork that takes you either to the lookout or keeps you on the main path. You come out of the woods to a road, and just to the right on the other side of the road there is a marker, and MANY people have obviously tried to walk in up there as there is a well-trodden trail that takes you to a steep slope path right down next to the creek. We should have known by the absence of markers that it was not the right path...we walked/bushwacked a short ways and eventually saw the ACTUAL trail above us, by the road. So, what we should have done was stay on the road a bit, it curves left around a bend then the trail starts back into the woods where there is a sensible well-marked place to cross the stream.

Otherwise, it's a beautiful and challenging (for newbies) hike with very varied terrain and landscapes. We will do it again!

I do agree with another commenter, that the elevation gain must be more than 140m, especially if you do the lookout.

Posted: September 7, 2015 12:09:19 PM PST

@Pope604 from Surrey writes:

Completed the Blue trail today but be warned. Completing the Blue trail required crossing very high fast moving rapids. It took about 45 minutes to find the right crossing and it was one of the wettest days to go, which probably contributed to the rapid waters. It was a nice hike though. If you take out the high water, it was not too challenging. It took 3 hours total but could've done it in 2 hours.

Posted: March 21, 2015 03:24:48 PM PST

Geoff from Maple Ridge writes:

Hiked Yellow Trail today. A very good workout, definitely suitable for beginner hikers (like me). Good runners will be ok but not flipflops.

Pretty buggy through the woods but not too bad. Says 1.5 hours, I finished in 1 hr but I have big steps. :-)

The end of Yellow Trail is poorly marked and overgrown. Follow the fence when you get to the field, don't turn right at the bridge by the info shelter to go back into the trees. Following the fence, soon you will find Yellow Trail is well marked again - it hooks up with Red Trail soon.

Posted: August 10, 2014 03:33:43 PM PST

Bj Clayden from West Vancouver writes:

Love this forest, but have never been able to solve the blue trail at the upper end where it crosses the creek. Was up on Sunday and saw all the fresh trail markers, but crossing the road and then climbing down to the creek level - which was swollen with the rain and running like crazy - I have never been able to pick up the trail on the other side to complete the loop moving east. Any suggestions? We were trying to bushwack in the pouring rain, up and down the creek but could not find any sign of a trail.

Posted: October 3, 2013 04:33:41 PM PST

Cosine from VANCOUVER writes:

Also, my gps shows the elevation gain as 300m.

Posted: September 7, 2013 11:34:19 PM PST

Cosine from Vancouver writes:

BIG BLUE IS BACK!

It appears that the blue trail has been remarked, there are fresh blue tags the entire length of the trail, should be no more problems with hikers missing the trail.

I did the blue trail today, it's in good shape, a bit overgrown in places but nothing major. The time is marked as 3 hours but I move slow and finished in 2.5. Pretty quiet on the trail, even on a Saturday I only saw two other people the entire time.

Even with the new trail markers some care is required at the top of the blue trail where the rough portion (marked with a dotted line in the maps along the trail) begins to find all the places where the trail pops in and out among the roads, I took a few missteps but managed to find my way after a bit.

Posted: September 7, 2013 11:30:38 PM PST

Ian from Maple Ridge writes:

Just returned from doing Red Trail with my young kids.
Trail in great shape for the time of year!

Posted: December 28, 2012 04:26:58 PM PST

JC from Vancouver writes:

My husband and I went to the forest today, intending to hike the blue trail. Just ten minutes along, we wound up at a fork in the trail with no markers in sight. One way was well cleared, but appeared to loop back in the direction from which we came. We tried it anyway, but turned back after walking a few minutes and not seeing any blue markers. Back at the fork, the other way was severely overgrown. Perhaps that's why we couldn't see any trail markers. We tried to plow through the branches and spikey vines anyway, but turned back again when the trail showed no signs of improvement and we were getting swarmed with clouds of bugs.

We ended up doubling back until the last yellow trail marker we saw, and taking the yellow trail instead. We ran into a couple of guys who told us they had spent three hours looking for the blue trail yesterday, and tried again today but ended up taking one of the other trails as the blue trail remained elusive. That made us feel a bit better about not being able to find it either.

If you go at this time of year, make sure you bring bugspray. If not, it won't be a very leisurely hike. Any time we stopped or slowed down to try to look at the map or take a picture, we got swarmed by mosquitoes and other insects. So we hurried through the entire hike, slapping at our arms and necks. Not exactly the experience we were hoping for.

Posted: August 13, 2011 03:56:15 PM PST

Ben from coquitlam writes:

I go here at least once a week to enjoy peaceful mind without interuption. Not that popular trail. Clean and easy hike. Here, there's only description about blue trail but there are more shorter trails around this park. In winter, it is dangerous on snow and some slippery areas. Please don't litter, don't smoke and don't feed wild animals.

Posted: January 14, 2011 09:34:55 AM PST

Jana Kaderabek from Maple Ridge writes:

All trails is exelent and I loved go there :o). There is peace full and you filling Mother nature all around !

Posted: October 13, 2010 07:28:37 PM PST