Golden Ears Park | BC Parks
Book camping
Home
›
Find a park
›
Golden Ears Park
Golden Ears Park
Lower Mainland
.
View detailed map
.
Book camping
Get a day-use pass
Show photos
11
On this page
Highlights in this park
Know before you go
Maps and location
Things to do
About this park
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
Contact
On this page
Highlights in this park
Know before you go
Maps and location
Things to do
About this park
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
Contact
Highlights in this
park
Golden Ears Park is one of B.C.’s largest parks and one of the province’s most popular camping destinations. With recreation opportunities just over an hour east of Vancouver, the park draws visitors from across the Lower Mainland, and beyond.
The park offers these visitors three large campgrounds and an extensive system of hiking and horseback-riding trails. Alouette Lake, meanwhile, is a popular spot for swimming, windsurfing, water-skiing, canoeing, boating, and fishing.
The landscape of Golden Ears Park offers an excellent example of B.C.’s coastal western hemlock forest. The park’s extensive backcountry is mountainous and extremely rugged.
Brochures
Golden Ears Park information guide (for reading on your computer or phone) [PDF]
Golden Ears Park information guide (for printing) [PDF]
Show more
Know before you go
Advisories
Loading...
Visitor guidelines
Keep your campsite clean in bear country
Golden Ears park is bear country. All campers must keep their sites clean and free of unattended food, cooking, and scented items.
Leaving anything with a smell unattended can attract bears. This puts people and bears at risk, so do your part to keep campgrounds clean and safe. Store all attractants in your vehicle or a food cache anytime they will be unattended, even for short periods.
To learn more about bear safety and responsible camping, watch the video below, see the
Golden Ears bear safety
page, and visit our
wildlife safety
page.
Check the trail and access conditions
Before you head out, check the latest trail conditions report. Make sure everybody in your party has the equipment and ability required for the current conditions.
In recent years, access to this park has been repeatedly impacted by extreme weather. Before heading to the park, always check the
advisories
for information on closures.
To get information on hikes in this park, see the
hiking
section of this page.
View the
Golden Ears Park trail conditions report
[PDF]
(May 19, 2026)
.
Leave a trip plan
Before heading into the backcountry, make a detailed trip plan. Include your destination and planned return time. Leave the plan with someone you trust, to help emergency services find your party if you run into trouble.
You can make an ideal backcountry trip plan with the
AdventureSmart trip plan tool
.
Emergency shelter available
There is a shelter on Panorama Ridge on the Golden Ears Trail, available for use in emergency situations only. Non-emergency overnight stays are not allowed. The shelter cannot be booked through the reservation service.
Equipment rentals available
Canoes and kayaks are available for rent at the Alouette (South Beach) day-use area, weather permitting. From May long weekend to late June, rentals are available on weekends. From late June to Labour Day, they are available daily.
For more information, talk to the park operator. To get in touch, see the
contact
section.
No cell phone service
Cell phone service is poor or not available in many areas of the park. These include the campgrounds and Alouette (South Beach) day-use area. If you are hiking in the backcountry, bring paper maps. Consider bringing a satellite phone for emergencies.
No harvesting
Harvesting mushrooms or any other crops is forbidden in all BC Parks. The only exceptions are for Indigenous Peoples and harvesting permit holders.
No drones
Operating drones without permission is illegal in BC Parks. In the rare cases when we grant permission, you must keep your drone away from wildlife and other visitors.
To learn more about drones in BC Parks, visit the
responsible recreation
page.
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Staying safe
Responsible recreation
Day-use guide
Wildlife safety
Fishing and hunting guide
Reservation policies
Get information on:
Frontcountry camping
Group camping
Backcountry camping reservations
Backcountry permit registration
Day-use pass
Maps and location
Maps
Park map [PDF]
Gold Creek Campground map [PDF]
North Beach Campground map [PDF]
Alouette Campground map [PDF]
Golden Ears parking map [PDF]
Getting there
Golden Ears Park lies in the Coast Mountains, 11 km north of Maple Ridge on the north side of the Fraser River. Access to the park is by vehicle via Dewdney Trunk Road through Maple Ridge.
If heading west, turn right onto 232nd Street. Or, if heading east, turn left onto 232nd Street. Then turn right onto Fern Crescent at the traffic circle and follow the road into the park. The campgrounds are approximately 11 km north of the park entrance.
The campground gatehouse is at
17801 Golden Ears Park Campground
. The communities, towns, and cities closest to this park are Maple Ridge, Mission, and Pitt Meadows.
Parkbus
This park is serviced by Parkbus, an environmentally friendly and affordable transportation service from downtown Vancouver to select BC Parks. To find out more about
Parkbus
, and see routes and schedules, check the Parkbus website.
Things to do
Expand all things to do
Hiking
Golden Ears Park provides many opportunities for walking and hiking. To get trail and parking maps, see
maps and location
. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, please keep to designated trails and obey posted signs.
Day-use passes
You may need a day-use vehicle pass to access Golden Ears Park during peak season. If you have a valid reservation for overnight camping, you do not need a day-use pass. For details, please visit the
day-use passes
page.
Swimming
All the campgrounds and day-use areas in Golden Ears Park are conveniently located for swimming. Marked swimming areas are available from June 17 to September 5 at:
Alouette (South Beach) day-use area
Campers’ Beach between Gold Creek and Alouette Campgrounds
If you are swimming outside the designated areas, exercise extreme caution as powerboats may be operating on the lake. Also, watch out for strong currents near the mouth of Gold Creek, which can be extremely dangerous.
For more safety tips, see the
staying safe when swimming or visiting the beach section of our marine visitor guide
.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Canoeing
Canoeing and kayaking are very popular on Alouette Lake. Golden Ears Park also offers campsites that are only accessible via water. For information, see the
marine-accessible camping
section.
Canoe, kayak, and pedalboat rentals are available at the Alouette (South Beach) day-use area, weather permitting. Rentals are available on weekends from May long weekend to late June and daily from late June to Labour Day.
For more information on canoe rentals, talk with the park operator. For park operator details, see the
contact
section.
Kayaking
Canoeing and kayaking are very popular on Alouette Lake. Golden Ears Park also offers campsites that are only accessible via water. For information, see the
marine-accessible camping
section.
Canoe, kayak, and pedalboat rentals are available at the Alouette (South Beach) day-use area, weather permitting. Rentals are available on weekends from May long weekend to late June and daily from late June to Labour Day.
For more information on canoe rentals, talk with the park operator. For park operator details, see the
contact
section.
Fishing
There are fishing opportunities in Golden Ears Park. No powerboats or other motorized craft are allowed on Mike Lake.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the
fishing and hunting guide
.
Interpretive programs
Find fun summer outdoor learning experiences with Discover Parks Ambassadors here all summer long. For specific dates, along with many more seasonal and year-round activities, visit
discoverparks.ca
.
Pets on leash
Dogs and other domestic animals are welcome in Golden Ears Park, but they must be kept under control. Dogs must be leashed when you are in campgrounds or on trails within 1 km of the Parkway Road.
Trails beyond 1 km of Parkway Road are considered backcountry. Dogs may be off a leash, if they are under control. Backcountry areas are not considered suitable for pets due to rugged terrain and the potential for wildlife encounters.
Domestic animals are not allowed in picnic areas, marked-off swimming areas, or park buildings. Dogs are not allowed at the main part of Alouette (South Beach) day-use area. Dogs are allowed in the day-use areas at two beaches:
North Beach
Leashed dogs are allowed at the day-use area near where Gold Creek flows into Alouette Lake.
Alouette (South Beach)
Leashed dogs are allowed in the day-use area between the boat launch and canoe rental shop. This area is accessible from parking lot one.
Cycling
Cycling is allowed on roads and marked biking trails in Golden Ears Park. Over 20 km of trails in the park can be used for cycling. To check the park map for designated cycling trails, see
maps and location
. For information on using bikes with electric assist motors in this park, see the
e-biking
section.
Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
E-Biking
Bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are allowed on designated trails within Golden Ears Park. To check the park map for designated trails, see
maps and location
. E-bikes must meet the
e-bike rules and classifications outlined on the cycling page
.
Waterskiing
There are waterskiing opportunities on Alouette Lake.
Windsurfing
There are windsurfing opportunities on Alouette Lake.
Horseback riding
Golden Ears Park features over 20 km of gravel and dirt horse trails. For specific trails, see the park map in the
maps and location
section. Horses are not allowed on trails other than those designated on the park map. A permit is required for commercial use of horse trails.
Camping with horses is allowed at the Woodlands groupsite. Camping with horses is not allowed anywhere else in the park’s frontcountry (any area less than 1 km from a park road). This includes, parking lots, day-use areas, and vehicle-accessible campgrounds, other than the Woodlands groupsite.
Day-use stopover is allowed at the South Beach corral area. However, horses must remain within the corral or on a designated horse trail. Check the
advisories
and
trail conditions report
before heading out, to ensure the park is accessible and conditions are suitable.
It is dangerous for horses to go past Viewpoint Beach on the East Canyon Trail. The floodplain area of Gold Creek has mudholes.
Horses are not allowed on the East-West Canyon Connector Trail or Gold Creek Bridge.
Climbing
There are no recommended technical climbing opportunities in Golden Ears Park. Two mountain climbs are accessible via official trails. These require intermediate climbing skills to reach the peaks. Both are long, strenuous hikes, requiring proper equipment and experience.
Alouette Mountain
You can access the Alouette Mountain climb via 11 km of trails from Mike Lake. Use the Incline and Alouette Mountain Fire Access Trails to reach the base of the climb. A return trip will take nine or 10 hours. Be sure to take water and expect snow well into June.
The Golden Ears
The climb to these peaks is accessed from the West Canyon parking lot via the West Canyon-Golden Ears Trail. This 12 km trail has an elevation change of 1,500 m. Suggested one way time is seven hours. The round trip is an overnight expedition for all but the fittest.
Climbers can ascend the North Ear from the east side across a permanent snowfield. We advise extreme caution to anyone planning to attempt this ascent. Proper equipment is essential. Water may be scarce beyond Alder Flats, and you should expect snow on Panorama Ridge well into July.
Campsites are available at Alder Flats and Panorama Ridge. See the
backcountry camping
section for more information.
For more events and activities happening at this park, visit
discoverparks.ca
. Discover Parks is developed by
BC Parks Foundation
, our official charitable partner.
About this
park
Expand all about this park
Cultural heritage
Human activity in Golden Ears has been confined to the accessible Alouette Valley in the south of the park. The lake currently known as Alouette and its surroundings are on traditional hunting and fishing grounds of two First Nations. These are Douglas-Lillooet (Interior Salish) and Katzie (Coast Salish).
History
In the 1920s, the forested slopes of the Alouette Valley became the site of B.C.’s greatest railroad logging operation. This ended in 1931 when a fire swept through the valley.
The park was named after the twin peaks of Mount Blanshard. Originally part of Garibaldi Park, the establishment of Golden Ears Park in 1927 recognized the almost impenetrable mountain barrier between the two areas.
Conservation
Golden Ears Park represents the Coastal Western Hemlock bio-geoclimatic zone. It is characterized by a second-growth forest of western hemlock, western red cedar, and Douglas fir. There are a series of sphagnum bogs at the south end of Alouette Lake.
Wildlife
The park’s lush plant growth, numerous waterways, and mountainous terrain provide habitat to a variety of animals. These include beaver, deer, black bear, and mountain goat. For information on birds in Golden Ears, download the
bird checklist [PDF]
.
Cougars are not uncommon in Golden Ears Park. For information on staying safe around dangerous animals, see the
wildlife safety
page.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.
Contact
Reservations, changes, and cancellations
Our call centre is open from 7 am to 7 pm Pacific Time. There is a $5 fee for reservations, changes, or cancellations made by phone.
Phone number:
1-800-689-9025
(toll-free from Canada or the US)
Phone number:
1-519-858-6161
(international)
Contact form and live chat
Frontcountry campgrounds and day-use areas
This park is operated by Alouette Park Management Ltd.
Email
:
info@alouetteparks.ca
Phone
:
1-604-466-8325
Website
:
alouetteparks.ca
Instagram
:
@alouetteparks
X-twitter
:
@alouetteparks
General questions and feedback for BC Parks
We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time.
Email:
parkinfo@gov.bc.ca
We acknowledge all First Nations on whose territories BC Parks were established. We honour their connection to the land and respect the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories.
Get a permit
Park-use permits
Filming in parks
Travel trade
Get involved
Donate
Buy a licence plate
Volunteer
Stay connected
Contact us
BC Parks blog
Site map
Disclaimer
Privacy
Accessibility
Copyright