Grouse Mountain is Vancouver’s most visited tourist attraction.
Being a natural wonder you’d think it’d be light on the wallet, but is Grouse Mountain free?
Let’s take a look.
Is It Free to Visit Grouse Mountain?
The very unsatisfying short answer to this question is: not really.
It’s technically free to go up Grouse Mountain if you’re willing to hike the world famous Grouse Grind – aka Mother Nature’s Stairmaster.
This 2.5 km trip (spring and summer only) that starts in a parking lot in North Vancouver is quite a steep hike and not optimal for people with mobility issues.
If you do the hike you get access to most of the things to do at Grouse Mountain, which is amazing value – until they stick you with a ‘download’ bill to get back down.
Yes, you’ll need to pay a $20.00 one way gondola fare to go back down as downhill hiking is no longer permitted.
In other words, while it’s not free the cheapest way to go to Grouse Mountain costs $20.00.
Related: How Long to Spend at Grouse Mountain?
Grouse Mountain Visit Alternatives
Of course, most of Grouse Mountain’s 1.3 million annual visitors don’t want to huff and puff their way through a steep hike.
They grab return Grouse Mountain gondola tickets.
I broke this down further in my post Is Grouse Mountain Worth It? but here’s a quick price breakdown:
- Adults (18-64): $57.96
- Seniors (65+): $49.56
- Youth (13-17): $41.16
- Children (5-12): $30.24
- Toddlers (0-5): free
These tickets include about a dozen seasonal activities including nature walks, grizzly bear visits, lumberjack shows, snowshoeing and more.
It’s also by far the most majestic panoramic view of the city.
If you’re going to visit Grouse Mountain it’s imperative to book your tickets in advance – gondola capacities are low and you don’t want to be waiting in line to grab your ticket.
Book online and walk straight through:
Looking to see Capilano Suspension Bridge too? Consider a Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge tour.
| Curious? Read some Grouse Mountain reviews from recent ticket buyers.
Still Wondering if Grouse Mountain is Free of Charge?
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I want this to be the best tourist resource online and it starts with your participation!
Enjoy Grouse Mountain ⛰️
Related: How to Get to Grouse Mountain
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