Hiking Quarry Rock in Deep Cove
Contents
Quarry Rock Hike Information
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 4Km
Elevation Gain: 205m
Highest Elevation: 131m
Average Gradient: 10.25%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Low / Low
Time Needed:
– Slow: 1.75 – 2.50 Hours
– Moderate: 1.25 – 1.75 Hours
– Fast: 0.75 – 1.25 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Quarry Rock Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°19’48.0″N 122°56’58.2″W
Quarry Rock Overview
Quarry Rock is a very popular hike in the scenic village of Deep Cove, thanks to its rewarding viewpoint from a rocky bluff above the Indian Arm. Despite its low elevation, the views from the bluff are quite nice due to a steep drop and lack of tree obstruction to the south.
The entire hike is in typical PNW forest, with much of the trail passing along boardwalks, staircases and numerous bridges crossing creeks along the way. This is a very beginner friendly hike, and a good introduction to PNW hiking for any newcomers to the area. It’s also a dog friendly hike, and one of few hikes that permits dogs to be off leash. As such it tends to be very popular with dog walkers as well. Families also typically like this hike due to it being short and simple, even for children.
Thanks to its low elevation Quarry Rock is a year-round hike, with little chance of snow or ice unless the city itself gets a dusting. Indeed, due to its popularity, it might be best to hike Quarry Rock outside of peak dates/hours, especially on those sunny summer weekends when parking can be a nightmare and the viewpoint is packed with visitors.
Deep Cove is a small village that is very popular with visitors due to its scenic views, simple trails, rocky beach and abundance of watersports (namely kayaking and paddleboarding). The quaint village itself is a draw, with a number of cafes, restaurants and stores attracting visitors. As noted, parking here can be a challenge during peak hours, so an early start is highly recommended, especially on a sunny weekend.
Maintaining this website requires a significant investment of both time and money, if you find this website a useful resource, please consider making a donation using this button.
Is Quarry Rock worthwhile?
Quarry Rock is very popular for a reason. It’s short, technically very simple, attainable for all fitness levels and offers a rewarding view relative to the effort put in. Combined with the quaint nearby village of Deep Cove, which offers a number of post-hike treats, this makes for a pleasant day out for all abilities.
The biggest drawback of Quarry Rock is just how popular it is. Unless you are willing to begin hiking very early, you are likely to see many people along the trail, and it’s not uncommon for the bluff to be quite crowded with people relaxing and soaking in the views.
How difficult is the hike to Quarry Rock?
Hikers with a bit of experience, or those with moderate fitness, should find Quarry Rock to be a fairly easy outing with mostly undulating climbs throughout. However, beginners to hiking might find Quarry Rock a bit more challenging than they anticipated (given the popularity of this trail). 205m of elevation gain isn’t “nothing” over a short distance like 4km, and there are a lot of ups and downs along the way that can often feel a bit tedious, especially on the return journey. Still, a 4km hike and 205m elevation is easy when compared to many other hikes on this site.
Technically speaking this is one of the easiest hikes on this website, with the majority of the trail passing along boardwalks. The remainder of the trail is mostly compact dirt that is very easy to hike on. Many people complete this hike in sneakers, which usually says a lot about a trail.
Quarry Rock Route Information
The official start point of this hike is from a small road on the left side of Panorama Drive, shortly after Panorama Park (see coordinates). There are a number of parking options within the village of Deep Cove, so you will likely need to walk over to the trailhead from wherever you were able to find a parking spot. The ideal parking place would be Panorama Park, though you’d need to arrive early or get lucky to get a spot there.
Once you’ve located the trailhead the remainder of the hike is easy to navigate on the well groomed Baden Powell trail. The first 500m of the hike are actually the toughest, climbing around 115m and crossing a few bridges over creeks in the process. Don’t assume it will carry on at this gradient though, as the grade eases off significantly from then on.
After crossing Cove Creek, the high point of the day, the remainder of the hike goes up and down several boardwalks, crossing several more creeks in the process. Unfortunately this means you will also be going up and down these same boardwalks on the return journey.
Around 1km beyond the Cove Creek crossing you will reach a point where the trail approaches an opening in the trees leading out onto some rocks. Follow the trail onto the rocks, continuing to the end where the viewpoint will open up. The view above the Indian Arm and the village of Deep Cove, where you began the hike from, will be gratifying.
Most people will hang around the bluff for a while, basking in the sun, enjoying some food, soaking in the views and watching the kayakers and boats drifting around far below. Whenever you’re ready, you simply return back the way you came, which does still involve some stair climbing unfortunately.
Once back in the village, most people will take the opportunity to explore the waterfront and the stores, perhaps grabbing a treat from one of the cafes. If you look carefully you can actually see Quarry Rock from the waterfront.
When should I hike Quarry Rock?
Anytime of year is fine for Quarry Rock, but if you prefer to avoid crowds I would suggest not going on a sunny summer weekend when the trail (and village) will be packed. You could also arrive early to avoid crowds, with a 7am start likely fine to get parking and for the trail to be mostly quiet.
Top Tip
Most people make a visit to Deep Cove more fulfilling by relaxing at the waterfront and visiting one of the nearby cafes or restaurants. Honey’s Doughnuts has a cult following and is well worth a visit for one (or more) of their incredible doughnuts as a post-hike reward.
