Hiking Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls in North Vancouver
Contents
Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls Hike Information
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 10.20Km
Elevation Gain: 450m
Highest Elevation: 462m
Average Gradient: 8.82%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Low / Low
Time Needed:
– Slow: 5 – 6 Hours
– Moderate: 4 – 5 Hours
– Fast: 3 – 4 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°21’32.0″N 123°02’06.6″W
Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls Overview
Kennedy Falls and Big Cedar is a very rugged hike in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park in North Vancouver. The trail has become popularized over the years thanks to the impressive Kennedy Falls at the end, plus the majestic Big Cedar tree that you hike past on the way. Despite its popularity, this is an unmaintained trail that is very rough, with endless amounts of creek crossings, boulder hopping, slippery roots, mud, streams, blowdown and everything else a wild PNW rainforest can throw at you.
Kennedy Falls and Big Cedar is an adventure, with some people loving it and others hating it. If you’re looking for a manicured trail in the forest like much of the rest of Lynn Headwaters, this is not it. This is an involved hike that might test your patience as it’s a slow going, relentlessly technical affair. The trail can often be totally waterlogged, with creeks overflowing and crossing the trail endlessly. If you decide to do this during or recently after a rain event, prepare to get completely soaked. Waterproof boots are strongly recommended.
Combined with the above, there is often little or no cell service along the trail, and over the years search and rescue have been involved in a number of call outs to the area. While the trail is well marked and generally simple to follow, an offline map is recommended. Once you reach the waterfall, this is the end of the hike and you should return back the same way. Unfortunately due to previous mapping issues, on several occasions hikers have wrongly thought a trail existed up to Mount Fromme from the end of the trail, resulting in a tragic death and a few other close calls.
Kennedy Falls is a year-round hike, though as noted if it’s raining you can expect a challenging outing. If for any reason there is snow at this low elevation it is not recommended to attempt this hike as the trail is difficult enough without it. If you want to avoid the worst conditions, do this hike at the end of summer when creeks will be at their lowest, making all the creek crossings much easier. That being said, this will also mean Kennedy Falls will be less impressive.
Big Cedar is a historic old growth tree estimated to be around 600 years old, one of the few remaining on the North Shore. Unfortunately it is suffering from its own popularity, with erosion causing damage to its root structure over the years. A fence has been installed around the tree, so please respect any boundaries and don’t get too close.
Dogs are welcome on this trail.
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Is Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls worthwhile?
Kennedy Falls and Big Cedar is a fairly short, albeit involved hike. If you go in with the right mindset and in favorable conditions you will probably enjoy this as it’s a very wild forest trail with plenty of interesting sights along the way. Big Cedar is a popular draw for many visitors, and the falls are also fairly impressive. I probably wouldn’t dedicate a bluebird summer day to this given the entire trail is in the forest, but on an overcast day this makes for a good trip. If you go in rain, expect challenging conditions. The forest canopy overhead is sparse, so you don’t really get much respite from the rain like you might on other trails.
How difficult is the hike to Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls?
Physically speaking this is a fairly straightforward hike. There aren’t really many steep sections on the hike, with most of the terrain undulating throughout, and the technical nature of the trail generally slows you down anyway.
Technically speaking the hike is a bit of a gong show. Initially you’ll start out on a nice manicured trail, however you’ll soon reach a warning sign saying that proceeding any further will enter into unmaintained backcountry trails. Immediately the trail becomes very rugged, with countless creek crossings on slippery rocks. If the creeks are high flowing these can be very difficult without getting wet feet. The whole trail is rugged, with slippery roots, blowdown, mud and overflowing creeks a constant norm. In the summer it might be a lot easier, but certainly after any rain it’s a much more involved outing than most other hikes.
Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls Route Information
The hike to Kennedy Falls begins at a parking lot at the very end of Mountain Highway in North Vancouver. This is a 2WD friendly road suitable for all vehicles. The area is very popular with mountain bikers thanks to a number of trails, so the lot can fill up early and remain busy all day on a weekend, especially in summer. An early start is advised.
From the north end of the parking lot you will join a trail and immediately reach a junction. Take a left at the junction, do not go straight as you will end up on a mountain bike trail going the wrong way. After taking the left, you will immediately either turn right onto the Roadside Attraction shared hiking/biking trail, or you can turn onto Mountain Highway. The hiking/biking trail will remain adjacent to the road, so it’s best to follow that, but if you do follow the road you’ll eventually need to drop down and join the trail as the road ultimately continues all the way up to Grouse Mountain resort.
After around 500m the road will follow a sharp hairpin turn, so you will need to make sure you have joined the hiking trail by this point if you haven’t already. After a couple of hundred meters you’ll have joined the Cedar Tree Trail, and shortly ahead you’ll reach a warning sign informing you that you’re entering an unmaintained area with no cell service.
Up to now the trail you’ve been on has been simple and quick travel, but that’s all about to change. The trail quickly transitions from a maintained path to a rugged and rocky route. You’ll now descend briefly and reach your first of many creek crossings. Depending on the recent weather and conditions on the day you go, these creek crossings may either be simple or challenging. With high water flow you will have to hop rocks over the creek, taking care not to slip into the water beneath. It’s not exactly raging and a slip will at worst usually result in a soggy boot and a wet leg, but it’s still something you want to avoid.
Over the next two kilometers the rough terrain is fairly relentless. Oftentimes the trail itself will be waterlogged, muddy and slippery, with plenty of care needed to ensure you don’t twist an ankle on a loose rock or step in a muddy bog. Some people enjoy the adventure, while others may be finding the going quite tedious.
After around 2km of undulating terrain and multiple creek crossings, most of which can be tricky, you’ll descend down and reach the base of Big Cedar. Surrounded by a wooden fence, make sure to respect the boundaries to ensure the survival of this forest giant. Most people will stop here for a few photos, though they’re never very good at capturing the enormity of the majestic tree.
Big Cedar is actually the lowest point of the hike, and the remainder of the route to Kennedy Falls is the steepest section. Immediately after you continue along the hike you’ll be faced with a short but steep ascent, followed by yet another drop down to cross a creek (one of the more challenging crossings at that). The unforgiving nature of the trail never really ceases, and there’s still another kilometer and over 100m more of climbing before you reach the falls.
Eventually you’ll begin to hear the faint sound of a waterfall as you near the falls, soon becoming louder and louder as you get closer. In short order you will reach Kennedy Creek, the outflow of the falls, where there is plenty of space to spread out. You can hike up the edge of the creek (taking care not to slip on the very slick rock) to a viewing platform at the base of the falls, which is where the hike ends.
Once you’ve soaked (literally, at times) in the views and had a snack, you simply return back the same way you came. Unfortunately the tedious nature of the trail is no easier on the return leg, if anything it’s more annoying than before
When should I hike Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls?
Kennedy Falls is a year-round hike, though it’s not one I would suggest if there is snow/ice at this low elevation as the trail is difficult enough as is. After recent rainfall the trail can be extremely waterlogged/muddy, and the creek crossings can prove difficult if not impossible without getting wet. If you want ideal conditions I’d probably suggest hiking this in the summer on an overcast but not rainy day. If you want to see the waterfall at its most powerful, spring is your best bet, especially after recent rainfall.
Top Tip
You’ll want to bring a lot of patience on this hike, especially if you’re going in rainy conditions when you can expect to get soaked. Unfortunately the tree coverage doesn’t really protect you much from the elements here.
There is no cell service along the trail so make sure to bring an offline map.
