Diez Vistas Trail

Diez Vistas Trail is a day-hike loop around Buntzen Lake in British Columbia (near Anmore/Port Moody). It’s built around a sequence of ten named “vistas” along a ridge line, with views focused toward Indian Arm and the Vancouver area.

Route length is about 15 km for the full loop, typically taking roughly 3.5 to 5 hours. Expect moderate-to-hard effort with a climb that includes steep switchbacks and frequent rooty, uneven footing.

The standard approach starts from the Buntzen Lake parking area, then links through the Buntzen Lake trail before you begin the main climb up to the ridge. As you move along the ridge above Indian Arm, you’ll hit the series of ten lookout spots before dropping back down through forest.

Terrain mixes rugged rocky sections with exposed tree roots. This is the kind of hike where proper grip matters more than long sustained grades—plan on uneven steps and short bursts of steeper trail.

Timing-wise, the trail is commonly done as a loop to avoid the steepest descents and to keep the ridge traversal as the “payoff” section. A frequent pacing pattern is: lake-link → steep switchbacks → ridge vistas → forest descent back toward Buntzen Lake.

Practical logistics around Buntzen Lake matter: parking is managed and gates lock on a schedule, and there aren’t toilets along the Diez Vistas section itself (pit toilets/washrooms are at Buntzen Lake’s beaches).

For fieldcraft, treat the power-line clearing and the ridge section as part of the route’s character—this is where the trail is more open and transitions from forest travel into the steeper work toward the vista sequence.

More information: Back to Buntzen Lake - Diez Vistas trail - A walk and a lark, Sendero Diez Vistas hike near Port Moody, BC, I’m not much of a winter hiker, so I’ve been tackling some of Vancouver...