Hiking Bear Mountain in Mission
Contents
Bear Mountain Hike Information
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8.90Km
Elevation Gain: 424m
Highest Elevation: 543m
Average Gradient: 9.52%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 3 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Bear Mountain Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°11’59.6″N 122°19’22.2″W
Bear Mountain Overview
Bear Mountain is a summit in Mission that is a popular area for hiking and mountain biking. There is a large network of trails on Bear Mountain, many of which are multi-use trails, so a map and an awareness of your surroundings would be very useful for this hike.
There are a couple of access points into Bear Mountain, with one parking lot on Dewdney Trunk Road, and another on Saunders Street. There are also many different ways to reach the summit, but the most popular one seems to be this looped hike beginning from the Dewdney Trunk Road parking lot. This is a fairly long and unnecessary approach, especially on the return leg, and you can certainly make your trip much shorter with a direct in and out to the summit.
Bear Mountain is a low summit at just 543m, and most of the hike is in the forest with no views, with other sections hiking along spacious logging roads. As you approach the summit some views will open up, especially around any areas that have been logged, but for the most part views are few and far between. The true summit is entirely forested and there is no trail to get there, but more fervent peak baggers will usually just bushwhack to the high point. For this reason Bear Mountain tends to be more of a local favorite for families, mountain bikers, dog walkers and anybody looking to get some exercise. It doesn’t tend to draw in the masses from far and wide like other hikes can do.
This is a year-round hiking area from a 2WD accessible trailhead, and it is also pet friendly, though I would advise keeping pets on a leash given the fact many trails are multi-use.
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Is Bear Mountain worthwhile?
Don’t go to Bear Mountain expecting any jaw dropping panoramic views. As noted, most of the hike is forested with the only viewpoints of note from a logged area near the summit. There are a couple of benches where many people end their hike, but the view has somewhat been reclaimed by new growth trees.
The forested trail network has it’s nice moments, with Western Red Cedar trees offering some beautiful forest scenery at times, but it does become a bit monotonous by the end, so you might want to plan for a shorter, more direct route if forests aren’t your thing.
How difficult is the hike to Bear Mountain?
At just under 9km and 424m elevation gain this is a fairly moderate hike, leaning towards easy. There aren’t many seriously steep sections, but there are some fairly consistent climbs throughout that will get the heart racing no doubt.
Technically speaking the hike is very simple, with the majority through typical PNW forest and along forest service roads. There is no scrambling.
Bear Mountain Route Information
The trailhead for this route to Bear Mountain is from the parking lot on Dewdney Trunk Road. The trail begins by looping counter clockwise around Mill Pond. Once you reach the east side of the pond there will be a number of possible trails, but assuming you follow this route you’ll want to begin on the Jolly Rancher trail before quickly departing onto the Big Trouble Little Chainring (BTLC) trail.
This trail will start off as a mellow stroll through some beautiful Western Red Cedar trees, before beginning to climb gradually. After a little over 1km of gradual ascent you will reach another trail junction where you can either carry on the BTLC trail or connect back to the Jolly Rancher. The BTLC is a little longer but more gradual, following several switchbacks uphill, while the Jolly Rancher (which is the trail this route follows) is steeper but more direct.
Assuming you took the Jolly Rancher trail you’ll soon reach a wide open logging road (Branch 200) which you’ll need to cross over before joining the Luge trail. If you took the BTLC route up you will also join the logging road, but you’ll need to take a left and follow the logging road for a couple of hundred meters. As a note, many of the trails are poorly signposted, so you will need to refer to your map anytime you reach a junction to make sure you are going the right way.
The Luge trail is much more mellow than the Jolly Rancher, sauntering through the forest for another kilometer, with one steep section towards the end. Once you reach the end you will join another logging road (Branch 100) and this is actually where the best view of the day was. There is a large cutblock area here, offering a clear view of Dewdney Peak and out towards the Fraser Valley, with Slesse Mountain and the Border Peaks off in the distance. You will even see Mount Baker on a very clear day.
Back on the logging road you’ll now follow it as it descends slightly, before reaching a junction with another logging road (Branch 440) which you will want to take. This climbs fairly steeply (but briefly) and as you near the top you’ll begin to follow a ridge with some partially forested views out towards the Fraser Valley. If you continue along this road to the end you will reach a couple of benches to sit. This is where most people end their hike on Bear Mountain and begin the trip back.
Depending on how you feel your return journey can either be short or long. The Bear Mountain Loop linked here is fairly long and follows the Bigguns trail, which you passed just as you approached the benches on Branch 440, before joining Branch 100 again and re-climbing a fair distance before descending once more back to the trailhead. In all honesty this is an unnecessarily drawn out return to the trailhead, descending more than necessary then re-climbing almost 100m.
The preferred route, which I actually decided to take as I rested at the top, was to go back down Branch 440 and return to Branch 100, which you can then follow as it descends towards Branch 200. This is a far more direct return journey, and it doesn’t involve the unnecessary 100m climb back up. You’ll rejoin the Bear Mountain Loop as linked above where Branch 200 and Branch 11 converge. You’ll finally join the Super Bear trail, which descends in the forest all the way back down to Mill Pond in a fairly direct manner.
If you take this shortened version like I suggest you will shave off a good 100m of elevation gain and perhaps a kilometer or so in distance.
When should I hike Bear Mountain?
Bear Mountain is a year-round hike that probably makes for a good option on an overcast or even rainy day. If you want to prioritize sunny days for views, I wouldn’t suggest saving Bear Mountain for a sunny day as the views are negligible.
Top Tip
Be aware of mountain bikes as you hike as they can move quickly without the ability to stop easily. Step aside if you do encounter one.
An offline map is recommended as the signage is not the best in the park and there are many different trails to navigate.
