Guide to Stunning Shannon Falls Near Squamish in British Columbia
Living in Seattle for three years, I had the great pleasure of driving the Sea-to-Sky Highway half a dozen times, if not more. It is one of the most gorgeous stretches of road on the continent, leading from Vancouver to Squamish and then Whistler.
In the middle, just south of Squamish, is Shanon Falls Provincial Park, a must-visit spot on your drive. It’s a stunning sight, with water plunging 1,100 feet to the ground. And the best part, it’s super accessible. Visitors only have to hike around 3/4’s of a mile to reach it.
Inside, you’ll learn all you need to know about visiting and other things to do in the area as well.
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Guide to Shannon Falls Provincial Park on the Sea-to-Sky Highway
1 Minute Details to Shannon Falls Lookout
- Location: Just south of Squamish (Location here). Turn at the stoplight
- Distance from Vancouver: 50 minutes
- Hike Distance: .75-1.0 mile (1.5km or 350 m)
- Estimated time on trail: 30-45 minutes
- Elevation Gain: Less than 150 feet (but there are some steps)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Height of the waterfall: 1,099 feet or 335 meters, the third highest in Canada
I want to note that the standard trail is the Shannon Falls Lookout. This is what I did, and these are the photos of it. There’s another trail, which is steep and supposedly requires the use of ropes to reach the Shannon Falls Pools. I don’t have any knowledge of this route and would recommend conducting further research if you plan to undertake it.
AllTrails reviews say that it’s not for the standard hiker. The route is approximately 1.5 miles long and features 725 feet of elevation gain.
Trail Report for Visiting Shannon Falls in BC
Shannon Falls is a beautiful waterfall on the Sea-to-Sky Highway just south of Squamish. I visited for the first time in January 2023 while exploring Squamish and Whistler in winter.
I’ll be honest with ya’ll, Shannon Falls is the main highlight of the area and basically the only viewpoint. There’s a nice-looking creek on the way up, but you can only do so much looking at water. Shannon Falls is a 1,099-foot waterfall, or 335 meters for my metric friends.
The Provincial Park can be accessed at the stoplight just before the Sea-to-Sky Gondola. If you hit the Gondola, you’ve gone too far and you’ll need to flip around and head back down south.
Once parked, the trail is easy to follow.
The first third of a mile is relatively flat, before encountering stairs that will bring you up to the two lookouts. I think the stairs made me breathe a little harder, but overall, it’s pretty simple and not at all challenging. Just be careful with the steps, as they can be slippery when wet.
Both Shannon Falls Lookouts are beautiful and worth visiting. The higher one offers a slightly better view of the entire falls and provides a larger, open viewing area.
Tips for Photographing Shannon Falls
Play with Motion
When it comes to water, I love slowing down my shutter speed and making waterfalls look silky smooth. To do this, you’ll either need a tripod or find a well-positioned rock. (Which, if I remember correctly, there are some rocks you can place a camera on.)
If it’s the middle of the day with no clouds, you’ll want to use an ND filter to darken the photograph. However, if you’re shooting during late golden hour or blue hour, you should be able to stop down to f/22 (or so) and reduce your shutter speed to 1/10 of a second. From here, experiment and see which photos you like and where you find a happy exposure zone.
Wait until people clear out
Shannon Falls is incredibly popular, but because it’s a short hike, people tend to come and go quickly. If you want no one else in it, wait until people leave or ask nicely if there is anyone in the way.
Related: Read all of my Canada articles
Bring Screen Wipes for Water Drops
There’s always the occasional flying drop from waterfalls. Bring a wipe or two just in case you get water drops on your camera lens. Minimal ones won’t show up when you’re doing normal photos, but when you slow down your shutter, you may notice the drops.
More photos from Shannon Falls Provincial Park
Packing Guide to the Hike
The most important things to bring on the Shannon Falls hike are a rain jacket and sturdy shoes that could get wet. I mostly say that because for half the year, this area has medium to high chances of rain, and it’s best to come prepared.
If it’s a sunny day, bring food to enjoy a picnic and take in the beautiful weather along Howe Sound.
Other Fun Activities to Do in the Area
Sea to Sky Gondola
I did this on the same trip as Shannon Falls (winter), and we loved getting up top to go snowshoeing. Obviously, in the summer, you won’t. However, it’s a gorgeous trip to the top and really opens up the area’s options for things to do.
The suspension bridge is also really cool and offers beautiful views of the mountains.
Stawamus Chief Provincial Park
Just outside of Squamish and next to the Gondola, there are plenty of places to hike. We saw a few people on the top of the domed rocks on our way down.
White Water Rafting on the Squamish River
I did this with some buddies back in 2018 and had the most incredible time. I’m not sure if they run the same tour seven years later, but we got to rock jump and ate a delicious salmon lunch before wrapping up the white-water rafting trip.
Garibaldi Lake and Panorama Ridge
One of the most popular trails and locations in Canada. Garibaldi Lake is gorgeous, and Panorama Ridge offers ridiculous views of the lake below and peaks surrounding the lake.
Before this place became nearly impossible to find permits for, I backpacked in 2018 and had an amazing time. Hiking to Garibaldi Lake can be done as a day hike, but reaching Panorama Ridge in a single day is quite a long distance (17 miles) and requires starting the day in the dark and ending in the dark as well.
Explore Whistler
Whistler is possibly my favorite mountain town! It has given me so many unforgettable memories, and its walkability is one of the reasons why it’s incredible. I’ve been here four times, two in the summer and two in the winter.
There’s so much to do with hiking, biking, exploring waterfalls, and drinking and eating. You’ll have the best time! (The only downside is it’s not cheap, so be prepared.)
Check out Awesome Tours Around Whistler
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
One of my favorite places to hike and backpack. I’ve visited twice now – day hiked the first time and backpacked the second – and can honestly say it’s one of the most picturesque locations in Canada. The three-tiered lakes with massive glaciers above offer hikers basically everything they can hope for.
It’s about 6 miles round trip with 1,400 feet of gain, most of which is in between the first two lakes.
This requires a reservation to visit. Learn more and get it here.
Places to stay nearby
Whistler
Budget Lodging: Pan Pacific Whistler
Mid-Tier: Listel Hotel Whistler
Luxury: Westin Whistler
Squamish
Budget Lodging: Hotel Squamish
Mid-Tier: Squamish Adventure Inn | Crash Hotel |
Find More Hotels in the area
Final Thoughts on Exploring Shannon Falls
Shannon Falls is a beautiful place to visit on your way to Squamish or Whistler. I wouldn’t say you should plan an entire trip around it, because there are so many great places to see in the area. Still, I highly recommend visiting and soaking up the wonderful views, as well as enjoying one of the most pristine regions of British Columbia.
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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