Dog Mountain

Dog Mountain is a short forest trail in Mount Seymour Provincial Park, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, leading from the Mount Seymour parking lot to a summit lookout over Burrard Inlet. The trailhead is at 1700 Mt Seymour Rd, and visitors drive up Mount Seymour Road to the parking lot. Paid parking applies in the winter operating season, and BC Parks may require day-use passes, so conditions should be checked at bcparks.ca. The hike itself is free. The return distance is about 5 km with roughly 140 m of elevation gain, which makes it easy, and most hikers take two to three hours. The trail surface is packed dirt, roots, boardwalk and some rocky sections through subalpine forest of mountain hemlock and yellow cedar, with moderate shade and open patches near the lookout. The route follows the first part of the Mount Seymour trail before branching to Dog Mountain, passing small lakes and clearings, including Dinkey Peak views and the Mystery Lake area on nearby routes. The lookout offers views over Burrard Inlet, the Lower Mainland and, on clear days, the city skyline. Snow covers the trail outside summer, so the realistic season is June to October, and winter visitors need snowshoes. Navigation is simple in good weather, but fog can obscure markers, so a map is useful. Drinking water is not provided on the trail, and no huts exist, although the ski area facilities at the parking lot may offer food in season. Turning back at the lookout is the natural end. Weather changes quickly at elevation, and temperatures can be much cooler than in the city, so extra layers are wise.