Squamish Activities - Biking, Birding, Canoeing, Climbing, Fishing, Golfing, Hiking, Kayaking, Kiteboarding, Sailing, Sea Kayaking, Sightseeing, Skateboarding, Skiing & Snowboarding, Whitewater Rafting, Windsurfing

Adventure starts here! Squamish, the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada, offers an abundance of world-class recreation opportunities. Spring, summer, winter and fall, Squamish offers seemingly endless activities to keep all ages busy! Here is a list of activities that will get you started on your very own Squamish Adventure.

Biking - The forces of nature have left Squamish with the ideal landscape for both mountain biking and road biking. Mountain bike enthusiasts have sculpted Squamish’s unparalleled trails. Squamish has established itself as one of the premier mountain biking communities in British Columbia, if not the world, because of its abundant technical and fun mountain bike trails, rated as one of the top 25 places in the WORLD for wild and exotic biking! The community hosts the Canadian epic Squamish Test of Metal International Mountain Bike Race which runs in June of each year and draws many of the world's top riders to the Squamish area. The area host various mountain bike races including the Squamish Gearjammer which is a 50 km cross country mountain bike race.

Birding - Squamish is well known for its birds! The Squamish area has the greatest concentration of wintering bald eagles in the world. Brackendale, a community within Squamish, is the World Eagle Capital. Between November and March, literally thousands of eagles call the Brackendale area of Squamish home. The Estuary is where the fresh water river meets the sea. The Squamish Estuary provides a very unique eco-system that includes tidal canals with mud flats at low tide mixed with a canal like channel that flows through grassy wetlands. Naturally the Estuary is home to thousands of ducks and geese as well as over 200 species of birds such as Osprey or Hawks.

Canoeing - Whether you prefer lakes, rivers or oceans, Squamish has it all! The beautiful Squamish estuary is full of flora and fauna and is a wonderful place for a day paddle. Canoes can be rented in town if you don’t have one of your own.

Kayaking - The wild rapids of the Squamish River watershed offer water sport possibilities for people with all levels of experience. The Lower Cheakamus River is a fabulous venue for the intermediate paddlers, while the Upper Elaho can challenge the best white-water kayakers and rafters in the world. Squamish also boasts a kayak-training facility on the Mamquam River.

Sea Kayaking - There are some very scenic sea kayaking opportunities in the Squamish Estuary and around the Howe Sound. There are several areas to explore for a day paddle, those looking for longer trips should get maps and information before planning a trip. Whitewater Rafting - Whether you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, or spectacular scenery and pristine wildlife, there are several white-water rafting options available in the Squamish area. There are several rafting companies, which run a variety of commercial trips in the Squamish area. They offer guided rafting trips for people of all ages and thrill seekers of all skill levels.

Climbing - Adventurers like Jim Baldwin and Ed Cooper, who spent six weeks in 1961 scaling the Grand Wall of the Chief, brought worldwide media attention to the Valley. The granite cliffs surrounding Squamish (which includes the colossal Stawamus Chief, the world's second largest granite monolith) draw climbers from around the world. The Little Smoke Bluffs, Murrin Provincial Park, Comic Rocks and Cheakamus Canyon offer a multitude of one and two pitch climbs of all difficulties. Peak climbing months are between April and October but climbers get out there year round whenever the weather permits.

Fishing - The surrounding rivers, the Mamquam, Cheakamus, Squamish, and Elaho have been known to run thick with all five Pacific varieties of salmon as well as Dolly Varden char and cutthroat trout. Visitors interested in fishing must have a license and a book of regulations for a list of restricted areas and waters.

Golfing - There are golf courses such as Squamish Valley Public Golf Course, and another just down the highway, Furry Creek Golf & Country Club. Each of these golf courses offers breathtaking views in a beautiful setting. Squamish Valley Golf and Country Club: www.squamishvalleygolf.com - Canadian Championship course in the heart of Sea to Sky Country - open year round. It has18 holes, par 72 and four sets of tees. Featured in the front 9 are two lakes, a double green, a wonderful 308-yard par 4 along with a full sized practice facility. In keeping with the original landscape, the course incorporates the massive stumps from the first growth timber into the design. The course is a classic layout designed by Gordon McKay in the mid 60's and touched up by Robert Muir Graves in the 1990's. The golf course is an easy walk with food and beverage service at the 10th tee turn, snack cart service on the back nine or the Clubhouses award winning chef’s menu.

Hiking - There are seemingly endless hikes to choose from in the Squamish area. From ocean walks and river walks to hikes in the forest or up the mountainside, there is something for everyone! There are both short and long strolls, beginner to advanced walks, and gentle to strenuous hikes.

Kiteboarding - Squamish is well known as one of the most interesting places to kite surf in North America, as it is among the top few places in North America for high performance sailing days. Most kite surfers head out from the Squamish Spit, where the Howe Sound meets the Squamish River. The water is cold and wetsuits are a must! During the summer, the local Squamish Windsports Society provides a rescue boat and has staff on hand to provide information regarding site fees, safety regulations and proper kite etiquette. Even if you’re not a kite surfer or windsurfer, it is a thrill to head down to Nexen Beach or the Squamish Spit and watch these incredible athletes use the wind to fly across the Howe Sound.

Sailing - The word “Squamish” is derived from the Coast Salish word for Mother of the Wind. So, it’s no surprise that Squamish is an ideal destination for wind sports. Squamish sits at the head of the most southerly fiord on the BC coast, roughly 35 nautical miles north of Vancouver. A spectacular place to sail from or destination to, Squamish provides exquisite scenery and an abundance of wind for sailors and yachters.

Skiing & Snowboarding - The mountain environment around Squamish offers several good ski touring adventures. A favourite destination is the Elfin Lakes hut or the Red Heather hut in the Diamond Head area of Garibaldi Provincial Park. A favourite challenge is the traverse of the Garibaldi Neve, which brings you from Diamond Head to Garibaldi Lake. There is also great backcountry skiing to be found on Mount Garibaldi's Brohm Ridge and in the Cloudburst Mountain and Tricouni areas of the Squamish/Cheakamus Divide. Many people choose Squamish as a base camp for their winter vacations because of its convenient location and comparative affordability.

Windsurfing - The Squamish Spit located at the mouth of the Squamish River, where it enters Howe Sound, is considered by many windsurfing aficionados to be one of the top 10 windsurfing locations in the world. In the summer, when the sun shines, the thermal winds blow, allowing windsurfers to reach speeds exceeding 60 kilometres per hour. Novices can perfect their techniques on one of the many local lakes.