Click here for our Clients for Squamish

Squamish in Howe Sound, Sea to Sky Highway Large version of this image of Squamish

Situated at the head of Howe Sound and surrounded by mountains, Squamish is cradled in natural beauty as only a West Coast community can be. Growing in fame as the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada, visitors will discover the abundance of attractions, activities and opportunities to explore in the community of Squamish.

Before the white man came to the Squamish Valley, the area was inhabited by the Squohomish tribes. These Indians lived in North Vancouver and came to the Squamish Valley to hunt and fish. The first contact the Indians had with the white man was in 1792, when Captain George Vancouver came to Squamish to trade with the Indians near the residential area of Brackendale.

During the 1850s gold miners came in search of gold and an easier gold route to the Interior. Settlers began arriving in the area in 1889, with the majority of them being farmers relocating to the Squamish Valley. The first school was built in 1893 and the first hotel opened in 1902, on the old dock in Squamish.

Squamish means Mother of the Wind in Coast Salish, which is testimony to the winds that rise from the north before noon and blow steadily until dusk, making Squamish a top wind surfing destination, and host to annual PROAM sailboard races.

The Stawamus Chief, the second largest freestanding piece of granite in the world, has made Squamish one of the top rock climbing destinations in North America.

Population: 16,199

Location: Squamish is located at the head of Howe Sound on Highway 99, (the Sea to Sky Highway), midway between Whistler and Vancouver. South of Squamish are the communities of Britannia Beach and Lions Bay.

• West Coast Railway Heritage Park

  Rail history is showcased at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park, with over 50 vintage railway cars and locomotives displayed in a setting of unmatched natural beauty. Climb aboard cabooses and snowplows, and view a superbly restored 1890 railway business car and the only surviving Pacific Great Western steam engine.

• Shannon Falls Provincial Park is where visitors can find the park's namesake, BC's third-highest waterfall, a magnificent cascade that drops over 1,000 feet, right above the Sea to Sky Highway.

• A stop for naturalists during warmer seasons, Shannon Falls also attracts thrill-seeking ice climbers, who scale the falls when it freezes in the winter.

• The Squamish Estuary provides extraordinary birding, with over 200 species identified.

• Golf: The Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club is a semi-private championship course on Mamquam Road, south of Garibaldi Highlands, with immaculately maintained greens and panoramic mountain views off every tee (18 holes, Par 72, 5,639 yards). Garibaldi Springs Golf Resort in Squamish is impeccably maintained, demands skill and accuracy, and falls nothing short of brilliant. The 4,700-yard, Par 64 course is set in stunning surroundings, showing great respect for the environmentally sensitive habitat. To the north, The resort village of Whistler provides a number of world-class golfing opportunities, and south of Squamish the Furry Creek Golf & Country Club in Lions Bay is considered by many to be the most scenic golf course in BC. Golf Vacations in British Columbia.

• Windsurfing: Oregon has the Columbia Gorge, Squamish has the Spit, a long breakwater located at the mouth of the Squamish River. Although not as well known, the Squamish Spit is the launch pad for windsurfers who rely on its predictable wind, known as a squamish, which blows each afternoon.

• From early November through March, thousands of bald eagles gather along the gravel shores of the Squamish, Cheakamus and Mamquam rivers to feast on the eggs and carcasses of spawned-out salmon. In 1994, Squamish set the world record with an astounding 3766 eagles counted in one day! The month-long Eagle Festival is held in January, drawing crowds from around the world.

• For climbers (and those who cheer them on) there's a provincial campground at the base of Stawamus Chief Mountain in Squamish. You'll find spiffy drive-in and walk-in sites in Stawamus Chief Provincial Park. The forested campground is located at the south end of a rough road that hugs the base of the mountain.

• Hike around Alice Lake Provincial Park, 13 km north of Squamish and surrounded by open grassy areas, dense forests, and impressive snowcapped peaks. A hush prevails over this lushly forested campground. In part this is due to the thick canopy of western hemlock that shelters much of the park. If you're lucky, one of the sites near both the lake and the hot showers will be vacant. The Four Lakes Interpretive Trail connects Alice, Edith, Fawn and Stump Lakes, making it a favoured destination for hikers, anglers, canoeists and windsurfers.

• Click here for More Attractions in Squamish