Cal-Cheak Suspension Bridge at Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, by David

I was really glad we made the stop to Brandywine Falls. The Brandywine Falls Provincial Park is located a mere 15 minutes before Whistler coming from Vancouver. The parking lot is right off highway 99 and the falls are 5 minutes away. Being a popular touristic attraction near Whistler, there is a large platform near the falls from which one can enjoy a great view over the falls and the canyon below. Bring a Kodak, the view is spectacular!

But your visit at Brandywine Falls Provincial Park should end there. The hike to Cal-Cheak Suspension Bridge was flat, and lacked interest points.


The trail going through the Park.

Cal-Cheak Suspension Bridge at Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, by Magalie

After a lovely weekend in Whistler, we left early today and decided to go check out Brandywine Falls which are located between Whistler and Squamish. David had not seen the falls before, so it was a first for him. At 70 meters tall, they're bound to impress!


The falls.

I remembered that there was a hiking trail in the park so we had set up to do that as well even if we were not dressed for the occasion. Honestly, I did not know what type of hike to expect. The sign said that it was 3.5 km to the Cal-Cheak Suspension Bridge but it seemed to be much longer than that. The trail was unmarked except for a few ribbons tied to the trees, and the trail was at points wet and rocky. I worried sometimes that we might not be going in the right direction and wondered seriously about when we should expect to reach our destination. There were some pretty lakes along the way, and a lot of moss everywhere, but the bridge itself was not worth the hike.


Cal-Cheak Suspension Bridge.

We came back following the railway track because we figured that it would be much faster that way. Not only was it faster, but it was also about half the km as well. In all, we did about a 5.6 km hike.

The hike was mostly flat and boring: it is more of a leisurely walk than anything else. In cold winters, this trail is used for cross-country skiing. With this winter being a warm one, we did not see any snow anywhere.

If you happen to drive by Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, do stop to take a look at the falls. But skip the trail! There are far better hiking to be done in that region.