Highlands, British Columbia: History, Things to Do and Travel Guide
Highlands, for this Squamish route, refers to the Garibaldi Highlands area in British Columbia’s Vancouver Coast Mountains region. It is the hillside community above the Squamish valley, where residential streets, forest edges and trail access sit between Alice Lake, Garibaldi Estates and the mountain slopes east of Highway 99.
This page is not about the District of Highlands on Vancouver Island. The existing route, coordinates and official community URL point to Garibaldi Highlands near Squamish, so the travel story belongs to the Sea to Sky corridor.
How Highlands Started
BC Geographical Names records Garibaldi Highlands as an official post-office name in the Garibaldi Estates area north of Squamish. The name was adopted in 1963, and the Garibaldi Highlands post office opened in 1964 in the community known as Garibaldi Estates.
The wider highlands above Squamish were shaped by forestry, roads and later residential growth. Squamish Trails Society notes that forestry operations from 1910 to 1950 cleared marketable timber from the highlands, leaving old logging grades and road beds that later helped define parts of the trail network.
Over time, the area became a hillside residential community with direct access to forest recreation. Its visitor identity now comes less from a main street and more from the way homes, trailheads, forest routes and mountain views meet on the edge of Squamish.
What Highlands Is Like Today
Highlands today is a Squamish-area residential community, often called Garibaldi Highlands locally. It has a quieter, uphill feel compared with downtown Squamish, with views over the valley, forested streets and quick access to trail networks.
For travellers, the area is best understood as a base or trail-access zone rather than a conventional sightseeing district. Local services are limited, so most visitors use nearby Squamish commercial areas for food, fuel and supplies, then come up toward the Highlands for biking, walking, running or access to Alice Lake-area routes.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
The main visitor draw is trail access. Tourism Squamish describes the Alice Lake and Garibaldi Highlands zone as one of Squamish’s key mountain-bike areas, with trails between Alice Lake Provincial Park and the Garibaldi Highlands subdivision. The same forest setting also works for walkers and runners when users choose routes that match their skill level.
Tourism Squamish lists several area trails, including Coho Park Trails in the Alice Lake and Highlands area. Squamish Trails Society also describes the Garibaldi Highlands network as a place used by bikers, walkers, hikers and runners, with routes that follow old logging beds, hydro lines, service roads and hand-built paths.
Alice Lake Provincial Park is the clearest nearby planning anchor, especially for visitors who want a managed park setting, lake scenery and easier orientation. Downtown Squamish, the Sea to Sky Gondola area and Brackendale can add variety, but the Highlands itself is strongest for forest movement and valley views.
Quick Facts
- Province: British Columbia
- Region: Vancouver Coast Mountains
- Community type: Squamish-area hillside community
- Population: about 2,500 residents
- Main setting: Garibaldi Highlands above Squamish, near Alice Lake and Highway 99
- Good for: mountain biking, hiking, running, forest trails, valley views and Sea to Sky route planning
Travel Notes
Trail conditions change with rain, snow, forestry work and maintenance. Check current local guidance before riding or hiking, carry navigation, respect private property and expect limited services in residential areas. Drivers should plan for steep local roads and busy trail access on summer weekends.