Distance: 8.3km (Out and back), not including the ridge walk

Elevation Gain: 713m

Rating: Moderate up until the ridge, Difficult once on the ridge.

Remoteness: This is a popular hike, you will definitely see other people

Nihahi Ridge is a great trail for groups with differing hiking abilities. Its difficulty increases as you climb higher, making it easy to turn around, but offering a harder climb for anyone wanting to continue. You can get a great view regardless of where you climb to!

The initial part of the hike consists of a walk through the Little Elbow Campground, as parking closer to the trail head is limited. This is definitely not the nicest initiation to a hike, but it’s relatively flat, and gives you opportunity to gradually warm up your hiking legs. You also walk along the Little Elbow River, which is quite scenic (and a great place to soak sore feet at the end of a hike).

From here, you continue through a short forest. The hiking grade is gradual, and good for all hiking levels. If you go during wildflower season (June to August), you will be taking lots of breaks to take pictures of all the beautiful colors. The forest then opens up into a lovely meadow, which offers your first views of the mountain valley, as well as more wildflowers.

Once through the meadow, the grade becomes a bit steeper. There is intermittent scree, but the switch backs make it manageable. We recommend poles to help anyone who is nervous with heights. The views are good anywhere you look, as there is not a lot of obstruction from trees on this trail. The trail is also well maintained. Since this is a relatively popular hike, there are lots of paths you can take to get to the same destination. It is best to follow the trail markers for the easiest route. If you’re on a trail that feels steep or exposed, it’s likely you went the wrong way!

This trail continues like this until the “saddle”. This spot is great for lunch, as it’s possible to find coverage from any wind, and take in the views at the same time. For beginner hikers, this is the best spot to turn around.

For those wanting to continue, the trail continues right along the side of the mountain for a few hundred meters. From there, you will find a short steep rocky section that requires a bit of scrambling/ climbing. This brings you to the summit of the south end of Nihahi Ridge. Turning around at this point makes this hike a total of 8.4km with 710m of elevation gain. For any hiker with vertigo or no scrambling experience, this is the spot that we recommend turning around.

From this point, the trail requires an exposed scramble to bring you onto the ridge. The ridge summit is at about 900m of elevation. The path then becomes extremely narrow, with exposure on both sides. Any wind can make this ridge feel treacherous. We spend a lot of time on our hands and knees on this one, as the exposure is no joke. If you can make it to the end of the ridge, the total distance of the hike is just over 15km. The experience can feel epic, but we would only recommend this to people with previous experience with scrambles. If you’re seeking adrenaline, this is a perfect way to get it!