Sendero Diez Vistas Hike Review: Everything You Need to Know

A pretty scenic hike in Belcarra Regional Park, and the name translates to "Ten Views". It offers incredible viewpoins of Indian Art, surrounding mountains and even downtown Vancouver on a clear day. There's a mixture of forested trails and stunning vistas, with rewarding scenery every now and then.

Type of hike: It's a loop trail, which is always a bonus because it means you get to explore new scenery the entire way instead of retracing your steps on the way back. Can be done clockwise or counterclockwise.

Length and time: It is around 13km as listed on AllTrails, and estimated time is 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Difficulty: Rated hard on AllTrails but I would classify it as moderately challenging instead.

Elevation Gain: 673m

Distance from Vancouver: 1 hour

Dog friendly? Yes

Parking? Yes, in a lot

What to expect for this hike:

• Not as difficult as I thought because incline is steady throughout. It's a very well maintained and marked trail, and for the most part, it's not technical. However, there are areas where it's a bit steeper. The trail itself is a combo of tree roots, gravel and soil.

• You go around Buntzen Lake, which means you get some lake views for some parts of the hike! You pass by some really cool beach spots as well in case you're looking for a refreshing dip.

• This trail is named "ten views" because there are ten view points - but I would say you don't get the same degree of views at each point. I found most of them just okay, but there are definitely a few that made me go wow.

• The parking lot for the Buntzen Lake Recreation Area is pretty big but once it is full, they do not let anyone else in so going early is a good idea, especially on a hot sunny day when everyone goes there for the beach (and not the hike).

• Always practice the Leave No Trace principles.

  
  

What to bring:

• If you've got hiking poles, they would be handy, especially for the latter part of the hike.

• Hydration pack with 3L of water if you can! This trail can get dry, especially on hot summer days. Of course you can get water at the lake but it's a very popular beach which means lots of people swimming in it so...pick your poison.

• Bear spray and bell - always good to have when hiking in bear territory, even for a highly trafficked trail.

July 26th, 2020

Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Distance: 14.6km

According to Vancouver Trails, this hike is open from April to November and is classified as intermediate. It is moderately trafficked, and you can start the hike either clockwise or counterclockwise, but I found going clockwise is easier because you get the hardest part out of the way first.

I went on this hike alone and I have to say I was nervous at first about it because there were reports of black bears. However, once I got on the trail, I quickly found out hiking alone is actually a very calming and peaceful experience. I was surrounded by the beauty of nature and it was very quiet (aside from the few hikers I saw and a dog).

"Diez Vistas" means ten views, (and maybe it is partially my fault for not knowing the geographical locations well) but I was not able to find all ten of them. Many reviews online state the third lookout point is the most beautiful, and that was this:

This lookout comes after a series of switchbacks so it would be a decent place to stop and take a break. I believe this is the Indian Arm in the picture, with Deep Cove ahead and downtown Vancouver off to the left. I did not feel tired so I took some photos (someone was nice enough to take a photo of me) and carried on.

After this lookout, the trail meanders through the forest all the way to the bridge near McCombe Lake. It goes up and down quite a bit, with lots of exposed tree roots and loose rocks. Good thing everything was dry so it was easier to get a grip, but definitely took a toll on my ankles. I also found this section a bit boring, especially since I was alone and there was not much to look at except for trees. Since it was so quiet, my bear fear was pretty prominent so I played music aloud and asked anyone I passed by if they saw bears (luckily there were no reports of any sightings on this day).

After I passed the bridge, the view of Buntzen Lake gave me something to enjoy for the rest of the hike.

I saw some people canoeing on the lake as well. The water itself was a very clear blue, and everything looked very serene. There is an outhouse here.

The rest of the trail goes around the lake and is pretty flat. No more steep inclines or declines so my legs got some active recovery. It is also next to the Powerhouse Road so occasionally I heard cars go by. The quiet of the forest was behind me and I felt like I was back to reality.

About 30 minutes away from the start of the trail you will start to hear kids screaming and laughing as the beach slowly comes into view.