As Instagram-famous hiking trail re-opens, traffic chaos returns to Deep Cove
It’s been nearly three years since hikers could access the portion of the Baden Powell trail that leads to the scenic Quarry Rock viewpoint overlooking Deep Cove.
Made famous by countless posts on Instagram, Quarry Rock was closed early in the pandemic when social distancing became impossible.
North Vancouver district Coun. Lisa Muri said heavy damage from a storm in late 2021 kept the trailhead behind fencing until this weekend.
“The amount of work that we put into it was well over half a million dollars. The final tally still hasn’t come in, we had to helicopter equipment in and supplies, so it took a long time,” said Muri.
Regulars and rookies were thrilled to find the trail had quietly re-opened on Saturday.
“It was our first time doing the hike, so we were quite excited when we saw it was actually open,“ hiker Rita Baiks said after returning from the rock outcropping overlooking the mountains and the marina.
“It was fairly crowded, but we still had room to lay down and kind of enjoy the sunshine, it was very nice. Perfect temperature for that kind of thing. View is magnificent,” Baiks said.
But finding parking was another story.
“It was hard to park,” she said. “We waited I think 15 minutes or a little more than 15 minutes. We drove around and back and forth hoping to find street parking.”
LOCALS QUESTION TIMING
Ongoing road repairs in Deep Cove have made parking even harder than before the Quarry Rock closure in 2020. Alistair Knox, the owner of Arms Reach Bistro, watched as cars jockeyed for limited spots on a busy opening weekend.
“It has been a bit of a traffic nightmare. We knew this was coming,” said Knox, who questioned if Quarry Rock should have re-opened before the road work is complete.
“There are a lot of people down here wondering what’s going on, wondering about Quarry Rock and where the signage is, where the parking is, where the turnarounds are, how to access the businesses and things like that,” said Knox.
“Parks made the decision to open it, and I did question the decision to open it because we are going through yet another construction project,” added Muri. Her suggestion for hikers eager to return to Quarry Rock after the extended closure? Take the bus to Deep Cove.
“They will spend more time just driving around the neighborhood and impacting the local side streets, the local residents that live there, trying to find that spot, and most of the time they won’t find it,” Muri said.
She also suggests coming at non-peak times, and she’s asking hikers to consider residents who live in the tiny community that includes another big draw: Honey’s Donuts.
“Over the years and certainly with Instagram and social media and a donut that’s pretty famous, more and more people are coming by the thousands, and the area cannot sustain that kind of traffic. There are lots of people who can’t even get home,” said Muri.
To combat traffic gridlock, the district is looking at bringing in hourly pay parking beginning next summer. “We will give enough time for people go for a kayak, to hike the trail and have a coffee, but we do need to be able to turn over the parking more,” Muri said.
This year, parking remains free for Quarry Rock hikers and Honey’s Donuts lovers — if they can find a spot.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have told the court the accused unlawfully caused the death of four women, but argue he is not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
When grief and AI collide: These people are communicating with the dead
AI tools can offer recommendations, answer questions and 'talk' with users. But some users are using them to recreate the likeness of the dead.
Russia warns Britain and plans nuclear drills over the West's possible deepening role in Ukraine
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.