Sea to Sky Trail Expands

Construction of Gord’s Garden now complete

Pemberton, BC – The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is celebrating the completion of a seven-kilometre section of the Sea to Sky Trail, with the construction of Gord’s Garden.

Gord’s Garden is named in honour of the Sea to Sky Trail’s first project manager, and long-time trails advocate, Gordon McKeever.

The trail section is located between Whistler and Pemberton and follows the Green River, passing through a prehistoric rock avalanche site known as the Rock Garden.

This portion of the Sea to Sky Trail construction was funded with a grant from Trans Canada Trail and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. With this latest addition, there are now 126 kilometres of Sea to Sky Trail constructed between Squamish and D’Arcy, B.C.

Once complete, the trail, which also includes the Sea to Sky Marine Trail, and is part of the Great Trail, will span 180 kilometres, linking the Pacific Ocean in the south with the snow-capped Coast Mountains to the north.

“We are thrilled to see the Sea to Sky Trail continue to evolve, and, in particular, the completion of this section of the trail, honouring our dear Gord McKeever, who was such a steadfast supporter of this project,” said SLRD Board Chair, Jen Ford. “This is an extensive trail project that has been in the works for many years. It provides recreational access, but is so much more than that – it’s a tangible link between our communities, connecting us to our past, as it follows traditional trading routes, and building a bridge for the future.”

The non-motorized, multi-use Sea to Sky Trail is open year-round for walking, running, hiking or biking in the summer and snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the winter. Parts of the trail around Whistler, Squamish, and Pemberton, including the Valley Trail and Squamish Corridor Trail, and Pemberton Highway 99 Trail, are maintained year-round with snow-clearing and debris removal for pedestrian access.

The concept of the Sea to Sky Trail was first developed in 1991 and in 2005, the steering team became a standing committee of the SLRD, charged with determining the feasibility of developing a regional trail in the Sea to Sky Corridor. A master plan for the project was completed in 2005 and, more recently, the project partnered with the Trans Canada Trail.

More information about the Sea to Sky Trail can be found on the SLRD website: /services/recreation-culture/parks-trails/sea-sky-trail

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