Park overview
Stawamus Chief Park protects the 700-metre, awe-inspiring granite cliffs that stand at the southern entrance to Squamish on the scenic Sea to Sky Highway.
The park provides rock-climbing opportunities of international significance. Hiking trails to The Chief’s three summits offer rewarding views of Howe Sound, Squamish town, and the surrounding mountains. This park also offers camping opportunities.
The Stawamus Chief is one of the largest granite monoliths in the world and provides good nesting habitat for peregrine falcons. Please keep your distance from wildlife, and view with binoculars. Look out for posted closures of climbing routes during the critical nesting season.
Advisories
Dates of operation
Open to public access April 15, 2023 to October 16, 2023
Current status:
Open to public access
- Facility type
- Vehicle-accessible camping
- Number of campsites
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 52
- Main camping season dates
- 2023: April 15 to October 16
- Winter note
- The gate is closed during the off-season. Walk-in from the gate; no fee, no services.
- Facility type
- Walk-in camping
- Number of campsites
- Walk-in sites: 57
- Main camping season dates
- 2023: April 15 to October 16
- Winter note
- The gate is closed during the off-season. Walk-in from the gate; no fee, no services.
Safety info
- Trail and stair treads may be slippery in the winter. Please use extra caution and watch for falling ice.
- The Chief Trail is a steep and difficult climb, requiring hikers to be in good physical condition. Hikers should be prepared with appropriate clothing, food, water, and sturdy footwear.
- Rockfall debris is present on the upper sections of the Angel’s Crest Trail. Please use extra caution in this area.
Special notes
Wildlife
Please obey posted climbing route closures on the Chief during the critical nesting season for peregrine falcons.
Rock climbing
BC Parks and a volunteer group of climbers have developed a strategy to manage rock climbing in Stawamus Chief, Shannon Falls, and Murrin Parks. The strategy will be used to direct management activities related to rock climbing in these three parks. This strategy is site specific and will not be applicable to many other provincial parks. To learn more, download the Stawamus Chief, Shannon Falls, and Murrin rock-climbing strategy [PDF]
A best-practices guide has also been developed, which recommends new guidelines and considerations for rock-climbing route cleaning, including route development. This guide intends to balance climbers’ needs with public safety and environmental considerations. To learn more, download the best practices guide for rock-climbing route development in the Squamish area parks [PDF].
Parking
Parks along the Sea to Sky corridor have experienced exceptional growth in visitor numbers, leading to parking congestion and illegally parked vehicles.
Public safety is paramount for BC Parks, so we have implemented a parking enforcement policy at Stawamus Chief and Murrin Parks to ensure safe access for all.
Park in designated parking lots only and look out for places where ‘no parking‘ signs are posted. Illegally parked vehicles will be towed.
Camping
- Camping is allowed on designated sites only. Your tent and all of your equipment must be within your designated site.
- Generator use is only allowed from 9am to 11am and 6pm to 8pm. For more information, see the responsible recreation page.
Camping
- Total number of campsites
- Total vehicle-accessible sites: 52
- Total walk-in sites: 57
Stawamus Chief Park offers 52 vehicle-accessible campsites on a first come, first served basis. Campsite reservations are not accepted. Vehicle-accessible sites are not suitable for large RVs.
Sites are shaded by mature second-growth coniferous trees. There is parking for extra vehicles in the day-use parking lot, available for a fee. The gate is locked between 11pm and 7am, and during the winter season. Walk-in camping is available when the gate is locked. If there are no staff available to direct you to a site, find a site that is not occupied by equipment or a valid camping permit. Campground fees are to be paid in cash at the entrance of the campground through a self-registration envelope system.
The closest store is in Squamish, approximately a five-minute drive north on Highway 99. There is a pay phone located next to the information kiosk. There are storage lockers located next to the cooking shelter. No campfires are permitted. Campsites are small and overcrowding is not permitted.
Drive-in and walk-in camping fees are $10 per person per night. Children under six years of age camp for free.
Stawamus Chief Park offers 57 walk-in campsites. These are less than a five-minute walk from the parking lot. Campsites are shaded by large mature coniferous trees.
A central cooking shelter is available. You are advised to bring your own cooking stove as campfires are prohibited.
Each campsite has a raised gravel tent pad with a wooden border. Food storage lockers are located throughout the campground and in the cooking shelter.
Walk-in camping fees are $10 per person per night. Children under six years old camp for free.
Tent pads are small and overcrowding is not allowed. Sprawling of gear and camping equipment off the tent pad is prohibited, to ensure vegetation is not damaged.
This park has winter camping opportunities. However, the gates are locked in the winter, so camping is walk-in only and no services are provided.
Facilities
Stawamus Chief Park has a day-use and picnicking area located within the highway pull-out. There are picnic tables, a covered shelter, an information kiosk, and pit toilets.
This area provides an excellent vantage for watching climbers and viewing the peregrine falcons.
There is another day-use area located next to the campground, which has picnic tables and offers spectacular views of Squamish and Howe Sound.
There are no barbeque attachments on the picnic tables. The gate is locked from 11pm to 7am.
This park has pit toilets located in both the day-use and campground areas. There are no flush toilets.
Cold-water taps are located at the entrance to the campground. There are no water taps at the highway pull-out day-use area. Taps are shut off during the off-season.
Activities
Hiking trails at Stawamus Chief Park are accessed from the day-use parking area near the campground. They follow Oleson Creek before dividing into separate trails to each peak. The trails are also accessible from Shannon Falls Park.
- First Peak
1.5km trail, elevation gain of 540m - Second Peak
1.7km trail, elevation gain of 590m - Third Peak
1.8km trail, elevation gain of 630m - To Shannon Falls
1.5km hike from the Stawamus parking lot
Hikers at Stawamus Chief Park should always be properly prepared for a strenuous hike and changing weather. Watch this video to get in-depth planning advice that will help you stay safe on Stawamus Chief Trail.
For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Taking shortcuts destroys plant life and soil structure.
Stawamus Chief Park offers fantastic views of Howe Sound and the Squamish Valley from all peaks. Peregrine falcons can be viewed from the highway pull-out day-use area.
Pets must be on a leashed at all times except on the Chief Peaks Trail. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to the potential for problems with bears and other wildlife.
Stawamus Chief Park is a world-class climbing destination. Bouldering opportunities exist at the base of the Stawamus Chief.
Climbing closures are in effect generally from March 15 until July 31 to minimize disturbance to nesting peregrine falcons. However, area closures may change year to year depending on where these magnificent falcons choose to raise their families.
Commercial climbing, such as guiding or giving instruction, is prohibited unless authorized by a valid park-use permit.
Maps and location
Stawamus Chief Park is located immediately next to Shannon Falls Park. The communities nearest to Stawamus Chief Park are Squamish and Brackendale.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: July 28, 1997
- Size: 530 hectares
Park contact
Facilities in this park are operated by Sea to Sky Park Services Ltd.
Facilities are also operated in a volunteer partnership agreement with BC Parks and the Squamish Access Society.
Nature and culture
Cultural heritage
Stawamus Chief Park is named after the First Nation village of St-a-wamus at the north end of the Squamish River.
Wildlife
The Stawamus Chief is one of the largest granite monoliths in the world and provides good nesting habitat for peregrine falcons. Please keep your distance from wildlife, and view with binoculars. Look out for posted closures of climbing routes during the critical nesting season.
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.