Lower Mainland. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- Trail conditions report [PDF]
- Before hiking into the backcountry, always ensure a responsible person is aware of your trip plans, including destination, equipment carried, and planned return time.
- 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.
For more information on staying safe in the backcountry, see our backcountry guide.
Special notes
- 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.
- Cellphone service is poor or not available in many areas of the park, including the campgrounds and Alouette (South Beach) day-use area.
- Mushroom picking is prohibited in provincial parks, as stated in the Park, Conservancy, and Recreation Area Regulations.
- Drones should be kept at home. It is illegal to operate drones in the park without permission. If you have permission, keep drones away from people and wildlife. To learn more about drones in BC Parks, visit the responsible recreation page.
- Park hosts and a security patrol are available during the summer months.
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:
Reservation policies
Get information on:
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]
Brochures
Getting there
Golden Ears Park lies in the Coast Mountains, 11km 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 and if heading east, turn left onto 232nd. Then turn right onto Fern Crescent at the traffic circle and follow the road into the park. The campgrounds are approximately 11km north of the park entrance. The campground gatehouse is located at 17801 Golden Ears Park Campground.
The closest communities, towns, and cities 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
Golden Ears Park provides a variety of opportunities for walking and hiking among a setting of lakes, streams, mountain peaks, and valleys. 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, visit the day-use pass page.
All campgrounds and day-use areas are conveniently located for swimming. Marked swimming areas are available from June 17 to September 5 at the Alouette (South Beach) day-use area and at Campers’ Beach between Gold Creek and Alouette Campgrounds. Swimmers outside marked swimming areas should exercise extreme caution as powerboats may be operating on the lake.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Canoeing is very popular on Alouette Lake. Canoe, kayak, and pedalboat rentals are available at the Alouette (South Beach) day-use area, weather permitting. Rentals are available on weekends only from May long weekend to late June. They are available daily from late June to Labour Day.
Please call the park operator at 604-466-8325 for more information about canoe rentals.
The park also offers boat-accessible camping.
There are kayaking opportunities in this park.
There are fishing opportunities at this park. No powerboats or other motorized craft are permitted on Mike Lake.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
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.
Your dog must be under control at all times and on a leash no more than two metres long. This includes when you are in campgrounds and on trails within one kilometre of the Parkway Road.
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 permitted at just two of the beaches:
- North Beach day-use area (near the outflow of Gold Creek into Alouette Lake)
- The part of Alouette (South Beach) day-use area between the boat launch and canoe rental shop, accessible from parking lot one
Trails beyond one kilometre of the Parkway Road are considered backcountry and dogs may be off a leash, if they are under control at all times. However, backcountry areas are not considered suitable for dogs or other pets due to rugged terrain and the potential for encounters with bears and other wildlife.
Cycling is allowed on roadways and marked biking trails in Golden Ears Park. Over 20km of trails in the park can be used for cycling. Check the park map [PDF] for specific trails.
For information on using bikes with electric assist motors in this park, see the e-biking section.
Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are allowed on signed or designated trails within Golden Ears Park, provided they meet the definitions and criteria outlined in our e-bike rules.
There are waterskiing opportunities on Alouette Lake.
Golden Ears Park features over 20km of gravel and dirt horse trails. Check the park map [PDF] for specific trails. Horses are not permitted on trails other than those designated on the park map. A permit is required for commercial use of horse trails.
Camping with horses is only allowed at the Woodlands groupsite. Camping with horses is not allowed in the park’s frontcountry (parking lots, day-use areas, or any area less than one kilometre from a park road), or in the vehicle-accessible campgrounds, except the Woodlands groupsite. Day-use stopover is permitted at the South Beach corral area, but horses must remain within the corral or on a designated horse trail.
It is hazardous for horses to go past Viewpoint Beach on the East Canyon Trail. The floodplain area of Gold Creek has mudholes. Horses are not permitted on the East-West Canyon Connector Trail or the Gold Creek Bridge.
There are no recommended technical climbing opportunities in Golden Ears Park. There are two mountains 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
This climb is accessed via 11km of trail from Mike Lake using the Incline and Alouette Mountain Fire Access Trails. 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 12km trail has an elevation change of 1500 metres. Suggested one way time is seven hours. The round trip is an overnight expedition for all but the fittest.
Ascent of the North Ear is made from the east side across a permanent snowfield. Extreme caution is advised and proper equipment is essential. Water may be scarce beyond Alder Flats. Expect snow on Panorama Ridge well into July.
There are campsites at Alder Flats and Panorama Ridge. See the backcountry camping section for more information.
About this park
The lake and its forested surroundings are the traditional hunting and fishing grounds of the Douglas-Lillooet (Interior Salish) and Katzie (Coast Salish) First Nations.
Human activity in Golden Ears, both past and present, has been confined to the accessible Alouette Valley in the south of the park. In the 1920s, the forested slopes of the valley became the site of B.C.’s greatest railroad logging operation until a disastrous fire swept through the valley in 1931.
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.
The park represents the Coastal Western Hemlock bio-geoclimatic zone and 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.
The park’s lush plant growth, numerous waterways, and mountainous terrain provide habitat to a variety of animals including beaver, deer, black bear, and mountain goat. For information on birds in Golden Ears, download the bird checklist [PDF].
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.
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| Park operator | This park is operated by Alouette Park Management Ltd. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
