Hiking the Dewdney Grind in the Fraser Valley
Contents
Dewdney Grind Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 9.50Km
Elevation Gain: 1,050m
Highest Elevation: 930m
Average Gradient: 22.10%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 6 – 7 Hours
– Moderate: 4 – 6 Hours
– Fast: 3 – 4 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Dewdney Grind Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°11’05.1″N 122°09’34.7″W
Dewdney Grind Overview
The Dewdney Grind is a hike in the small community of Dewdney, in the Fraser Valley, about 15km east of Mission. This hike is a local favorite, and as the name implies it’s a fairly relentless hike, with an average gradient well over 20%.
The Dewdney Grind starts on the Norrish Forest Service Road and immediately begins with a steep, relentless ascent. After around 600m of non-stop climbing, the gradient mellows out to a more gradual climb, with the trail passing by the Ben Von Hardenburg Memorial Cabin. This cabin was constructed in honor of the pilot who lost his life as a helicopter pilot putting out forest fires in BC’s interior. Beyond the cabin the trail meanders through numerous cutblocks, where logging activities have devastated large swathes of the mountainside. Eventually you’ll reach Dewdney Peak, which is a forested summit, before continuing on slightly further to a viewpoint above the Fraser Valley below where the trail ends.
One of the drawbacks of the Dewdney Grind is that it passes through Crown land that has not been designated for recreational use, and as such logging companies can (and do) actively log in the area, even directly over the designated trail. There are several sections of trail that pass through the middle of cutblocks, which are not only an eyesore, they’re also unpleasant to hike through. Navigation can be somewhat unclear at times, though for the most part the trail is well flagged.
There are several viewpoints throughout the latter half of the hike, mostly whenever you are traveling through one of the cutblocks. You’ll have clear views of many of the Chilliwack peaks in the distance, namely the entire Cheam range, Slesse Mountain, the Border Peaks, Tomyhoi Peak and Mount Baker to name some. Sumas Mountain and Nicomen Mountain will dominate the foreground.
The Dewdney Grind is both 2WD accessible and pet friendly. Parking is simply on the side of the forest service road. This hike is not likely to get so busy that parking becomes much of an issue. Due to its relatively low elevation Dewdney Peak is accessible year-round, though it will certainly see snow at the higher elevations during the winter.
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Is the Dewdney Grind worthwhile?
Most hikes that have the word “Grind” in the title are generally more exercise outings than hikes that offer beautiful scenery, such as the Grouse Grind, the Abby Grind and the Harrison Grind. The Dewdney Grind is not much different, it’s a physically demanding hike with a fairly relentless climb. While the views over the Fraser Valley are reasonably nice, they are only made possible because large sections of the hike go through unappealing cutblocks. Even the viewpoint at the end is only made possible due to a vast cutblock below where you’re standing. Most people, myself included, don’t particularly like to see the devastation of logging activity, so if that’s the case, you might want to avoid this hike altogether. For a hike that ascends over 1,000m, it’s not that easy to justify the effort to reward. If you go into this with the right attitude (it’s predominantly an exercise outing versus a scenic hike), you’ll get what you expected.
How difficult is the hike to Dewdney Grind?
Any hike with an average gradient over 20% is a challenging one, so the Dewdney Grind certainly lives up to its name in that regard. The first half of the hike is a relentlessly steep forest grind, ascending 600m in just 1.5km (40% gradient). Thankfully it mellows out here and the remainder of the hike is more typical, with gradual undulation throughout.
Technically the hike is pretty straightforward, with the main challenges being navigating through/around cutblocks, with some climbing up and over fallen trees. It’s fairly straightforward, just a little tedious. One issue we faced on the hike is that the forest floor is covered in slippery pine needles, and combined with the steep gradient it made for a slippery descent. Poles were very useful to prevent slips.
Dewdney Grind Route Information
The trailhead for the Dewdney Grind is a short drive down the Norrish Creek Forest Service Road, which is fine for any vehicle to drive down. The parking is on the side of the road and can be easy to miss, so it’s best to keep an eye on your map for where the trailhead itself is.
Opposite to where you parked you will notice a steep trail climbing into the forest. There are no signs indicating the trail name, but this is the spot. Unfortunately the hike doesn’t ease you in whatsoever, in fact the start is the hardest part. Over the next 1.2km you’ll climb a staggering 500m, with pretty much nothing of note to see other than forest. This is where the hike gets its name, so just keep your head down and get it over with.
After 1.2km you’ll reach a logging road and the first cutblock of the day. After briefly turning left onto the logging road you should notice some marks and a faint trail entering the cutblock on your right. This is one of the several cutblocks that have taken shape directly over the trail, so hikers have simply navigated their own way through the cutblock to continue on. Unfortunately this involves some climbing up/around fallen trees, but it’s pretty straightforward, just annoying.
Soon you’ll reach another logging road, which you’ll follow briefly, before a small trail enters the forest to your left. After following this trail and climbing a little more you’ll reach the Ben Von Hardenburg Memorial Cabin. The cabin should be open and have some simple supplies, a logbook and a small viewpoint over the Fraser Valley. There should be a placard explaining who Ben was and the history of the cabin.
Making sure to lock the cabin behind you, you now rejoin the trail in the forest, which quickly comes out to another logging road, where you’ll turn left. You’ll now reach a split in the logging road where you’ll want to keep right, following the road as it passes through another vast cutblock, offering some views as you stroll along the road. Soon enough the road ends and you’ll have to pass through the end of this cutblock and re-enter the forest.
The trail will begin to climb once again, albeit not as steeply as the beginning. You’ll wander through the forest following the obvious and fairly well marked trail before topping out and descending once again. You’ll now come out at yet another cutblock which you’ll once again have to navigate through, before joining another logging road. This third cutblock offers the most varied views, with Nicomen Mountain in the foreground and far in the distance the Cheam range, Slesse Mountain, the Border Peaks, Tomyhoi Peak and Mount Baker will be visible. You’ll be able to see the forested Dewdney Peak from here too, it’s not far now.
After following this logging road you’ll pass through this third cutblock and again enter the forest. After a brief climb you’ll reach the summit of Dewdney Peak, which you probably won’t realize as it’s not marked in any way, it’s just the highest point in this forest. The trail pretty much passes right over it. Once passing the summit the trail now begins a descent towards the 4th and final cutblock (at the time of writing). Once you reach the top of this cutblock it’s up to you whether to continue descending, if you choose to, you will reach a viewpoint, though it’s not much different to the views you’ve already had throughout the hike and it involves an elevation loss of another 70m or so that you’ll need to climb on the way back.
After enjoying the views for what they are, you simply head back the way you came to the trailhead. As noted, the descent is steep and slippery, so take care with your footing. It’s a bit of a leg burner no doubt, you’ll probably be feeling it the next day.
When should I hike the Dewdney Grind?
Most of the year is suitable for the Dewdney Grind, with only the depths of winter providing significant snow coverage at the top. March – November should likely be a fairly safe bet to avoid too much snow, though of course this varies year to year. I probably wouldn’t want to do this hike in the middle of summer personally, it’s a grueling climb and the temperatures in the valley in the summer might not make for the most pleasant experience.
Top Tip
Due to the amount of cublocks criss-crossing the trail I would definitely advise taking an offline map as there may be spots you need to refer to it. The hike is not that well marked through these cutblocks and on the logging roads, but in the forest it’s fairly straightforward to follow.
I’d also recommend hiking poles, mostly to help with balance on the descent, plus they will take some strain off your legs and knees.
