Lower Mainland. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Visitor guidelines
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 report [PDF] (April 17, 2025).
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:
Reservation policies
Get information on:
Maps and location
Maps
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
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
There are waterskiing opportunities on Alouette Lake.
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.
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.
About this park
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).
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.
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.
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.
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| Frontcountry campgrounds and day-use areas | 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. |
