The Best Summer Guide to Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain is a great place to visit for half a day when in Vancouver. In fact, it was my favourite attraction that I went to while in the city. Located just a short ride north from Vancouver’s centre, Grouse Mountain is one of the mountains that overlook the city from across the water. It was first visited by hikers in 1894, but today is a host to many outdoor attractions designed to educate, thrill and entertain visitors. I highly recommend checking out Grouse Mountain, and in this post I’ll be telling you about all the things you can get up to there. Importantly, this guide only covers Grouse Mountain in the summer months (during winter the mountain converts into a ski resort and is covered by blankets of snow).
- If you’re visiting Vancouver and want some ideas for other places to see in the city, check out my 2 day itinerary HERE.
Grouse Mountain Basics:
- Where? 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver
- When? 9.00am – 9.30pm daily
- How much? Admission is $69.00 CAD for adults ($36.00 CAD for children 5-12; $49.00 CAD for children 13-17). Admission includes most of the attractions on top of the mountain.
- How to get there: If you’re staying in Downtown Vancouver, the most convenient way to get to Grouse Mountain is aboard the free shuttle (included with your admission) that departs every half hour from 8.30am from Canada Place. Likewise, shuttles run the return route on the half hour throughout the day.
- Website: https://www.grousemountain.com/
If you’re able to do so, try to visit Grouse Mountain on a clear day when you’re in Vancouver. You’ll be rewarded with incredible views of the city and all the way to Victoria Island. If (like me), you have to visit on a cold and overcast day, you’ll still have a great time, but there won’t be any visibility on the mountain lookout. That said, I feel like the mist was quite atmospheric. Regardless of when you visit, pack a jumper/sweater – it gets quite cold up there (I visited at the start of July and there were still large patches of snow on the ground!).
Count on spending about half a day at Grouse Mountain – there’s a lot to see and do.
Getting Up Grouse Mountain – The Skyride
The Skyride Gondola is your ticket to the top of Grouse Mountain from the parking lot below. The only other way to get up to the mountain top is to take the arduous Grouse Grind walking track (not for the faint hearted). I, like most visitors to Grouse, took the Skyride. The large gondola starts operating at 8.45am daily and fits numerous guests inside. The gondola whisks you high above the forests of Douglas fir trees until you get to the top with great views (weather permitting) along the way. If you’re afraid of heights, you could stand in the middle and avoid looking out the windows, but really, what’s the fun in that? All up, the trip takes just over ten minutes until you arrive at the Peak Chalet station to properly begin your day.
If you really want to start your day with a thrill, you can pay extra ($35.00 CAD) and book the Skyride Surf Adventure. Instead of riding in the gondola chamber, you’ll be out on the open air platform on the roof. I didn’t do it, but you can find out more information HERE.
Wildlife Refuge (Grizzly Bears)
“They came to see the bears” – a line from the Grouse Mountain Lumberjack Show.
Look, there’s a lot to do on Grouse Mountain, but I’d be lying if I told you anything but the grizzly bears were the highlight of the day. Grouse Mountain is home to two resident grizzlies – Grinder and Coola – who have both called the Wildlife Refuge on Grouse Mountain their home since 2001. Both were found as cubs that had lost their mothers (Coola was an orphan due to a truck accident, while Grinder was found wandering alone and malnourished). As grizzlies do, they hibernate during the winter, but are found wandering around a large natural habitat during the warmer months of the year.
I really enjoyed looping around the habitat enclosure, watching and learning about the bears. There’s regular ranger talks held at the habitat where you’ll be able to ask questions and gain insight into their behaviour and traits. On that note, I have to give a shout out to park ranger Jade who spent a bit of time hanging around and chatting with me about the bears after the talk.
I definitely could have spent much longer watching the bears search for food, swim and interact with one another, but there’s more to see on the mountain.
Grouse Mountain Lumberjack Show
The “World Famous Grouse Mountain Lumberjack Show” is a lot of fun. Filled with slapstick humour, the comedic show is performed by actual championship lumberjacks on a logging camp set. The premise sees two rival lumberjacks compete in a series of feats, ranging from tree climbing, axe throwing, and my personal favourite – the log roll. Add in an enthusiastic MC and its a recipe for a good time. All up, the show runs about thirty minutes, but it flies by with a large amount of audience participation. Make sure you check the show times (it generally runs three times a day, with the first show at 11.15am).
Birds in Motion Show
Your best chance of seeing native bird life up close and personal on Grouse Mountain is to stop by the Birds in Motion Show, which runs a few times throughout the day (check show listings, the first show generally starts around 12.45pm). Running for about half an hour, this demonstration is hosted by park rangers who bring out a series of birds, which take flight while the rangers talk about the various species and the ways in which they interact with the environment they live in. Its a really good show, and if you manage to get a spot by the rope barrier you’ll be able to see all the birds up close, including the Golden Eagle, the Peregrine Falcon and the Vulture.
Seeing the Falcon was especially impressive – its the fastest living animal in the world, and you’ll see just how quick it is when it spreads its wings!
Owl Talks on Grouse Mountain
Not enough birds for you? Once a day (at 10.45am), the Grouse Mountain rangers bring out some of the mountain’s owl residents. On the day of my visit, we only got to see Odin the Barred Owl, but they also have a Barn Owl, a Snowy Owl and a Great Horned Owl that make appearances when the weather permits (the snow owl’s feathers in particular are quite susceptible to the elements). Grouse Mountain’s owls were all hatched in captivity and are studied at the park’s ranger station. The ranger talks are a chance to see them up close and learn a few fun facts about these feathered friends.
Grouse Mountain’s Peak
What’s that? You’re not up high enough? In that case, take the chairlift for a 14 minute ride up to the very peak of Grouse Mountain. Towering above the main part of the park, at over 1,200 metres above sea level you can get the best views on the mountain. That’s assuming the weather lets you get there – as I’ve said, I visited Grouse Mountain on a day with extremely poor visibility, which meant the chairlift to the peak was closed. If you’re luckier than me, you should take the time to head up. While you’re up here, you can also go into the Eye of the Wind observatory, a 360 degree viewing area inside an actual wind turbine. Note that while the chairlift to the peak is included in your admission, visiting the Eye of the Wind involves paying an additional fee.
More To Do On Grouse Mountain For a Fee
The attractions that are included in your admission to Grouse Mountain will probably keep you busy enough for a first time visitor, however there’s a number of extra things you can do for an additional fee. Most of these are adventure/thrill attractions such as a zipline and mountain ropes courses. You can also play disc golf on an 18 hole course for an extremely scenic game. If money is no object, you could even look into a helicopter ride around the mountain range. I didn’t do any of these, but if you’re looking to spend more time (and money) at Grouse Mountain, you should check the official website for more information.
Eating on Grouse Mountain
We can’t leave without talking about food! You’re going to get hungry at some point while exploring Grouse Mountain. If you’re looking for a sit down meal, you can stop by the Altitudes Bistro or Rusty Rail BBQ, both of which offer panoramic views while you dine. If you’re just after a quick bite, there’s two quick service cafes up here – the Grizzly Lookout Cafe and Grouse Grind Coffee Bar. Also, don’t miss the Beaver Tail stand – these cinnamon flavoured pastries are a Canadian delicacy!
As you can see, there’s a lot to do on Grouse Mountain – definitely enough to dedicate at least half a day during a trip to Vancouver. If you’re looking for more to do when you’re finished, consider taking a trip to the nearby Capilano Suspension Bridge for more fun in nature. Have you been to Grouse Mountain or are you planning a trip? Let me know if you’ve been and what you enjoyed during your visit!