This week we head closer to home, to the District of Hope in BC, Canada. Hope is located about 150km away from downtown Vancouver and is one of the major pit stops for travelers and truckers heading east from Vancouver; a great place of take a short beak before continuing with your travels. It is also always our first stop for my family's road trips going east. Little did we know that there are a lot of trails in the area, but thanks to my wife and her constant hunt for new trails, we found the Hope Lookout Trail just outside the town center.

The Hope Lookout Trail is an approximately 4km long out and back trail with an elevation gain of about 470m elevation. Due to the considerable amount of elevation gain within a short distance (470m elevation gain in 2km), the trail is rated moderate to hard difficulty. The trail is relatively steep throughout, with switchbacks and man made wooden stairs to slightly ease the incline. The viewpoint at the end boasts a stunning view of the Fraser River, the surrounding mountains, and Hope.

We hiked the trail in October 2021, on a cloudy day. When we got to the viewpoint, all the views were block by the clouds. There was a wooden box with double doors anchored and secured by stones right next to the viewpoint. The words "Lookout Log Book" were engraved into the wooden doors. We opened the doors to find a black metal case holding the log book, a clear plastic case with a blue lid holding some small toys and stickers as prize for the kids that completed the hike, and of course hand sanitizer. Beyond the viewpoint, there was a trail leading to an interesting first time sight for us: an outdoor toilet. It is a simple pit toilet that allows the user to sit within a plastic surrounding, allowing them to admire the views of Hope while doing their business. We had some snacks and rested a little at the viewpoint, while catching glimpses of Hope through the gaps of the clouds. We thought the wind would help us clear the clouds, but in the contrary, it brought more clouds to block out the view. We were still glad to be able to catch a few glimpses of the view below when we could.

Trailhead

We reached the viewpoint to find the view obstructed by fog and clouds

Inside the Lookout Log Book case. They even had small toys and stickers for the kids as a reward for hiking to the viewpoint. My 2 older kids each recorded their climb in the log book and all 3 of them picked a reward from the plastic box.

The District of Hope behind the fog and clouds

My wife and two older kids at the viewpoint

Entrance doorway just beyond the viewpoint to the Lookout Loo

Outdoor toilet facing the view