The halfway point of the Sunshine Coast Trail, the Tin Hat Hut is an epic 360-degree mountain-top lookout that provides the quintessential view of the rugged mountains, valleys, and lakes that define the qathet back country experience. This hut, built by qPAWS in 2011, is a fully winterized cabin with a pellet stove.

Tin Hat Mountain is named for the tin hats that were worn by loggers who were pioneers in the area, and the mountain itself was once home to a fire lookout station, because of the expansive view it provides of all the surrounding forested areas and views of 32 lakes..

Tin Hat Hut At-A-Glance

  • 90
  • 10
  • Fully insulated cabin
  • Outhouse, picnic tables, fire pit, fully enclosed cabin, sleeping loft

Why you should go

The halfway point of the Sunshine Coast Trail, the Tin Hat hut is an epic 360-degree mountain-top lookout that provides the quintessential view of the rugged mountains, valleys, and lakes that define the qathet back country experience. This hut is a fully winterized cabin with pellet stove and is located in, arguably, one of the most beautiful spots on the Sunshine Coast Trail. Although it is a climb to get there, the experience is well worth the effort. Summitting this mountain will make you feel like you are, indeed, on top of the world!

How to get there

The shortest way to get to Tin Hat Mountain Hut is by way of Old Tin Hat Road/Trail. Please follow the detailed description of Option A on pp. 57-8. Basically, start up Dixon Road in Lang Bay and merge onto Goat Main at Mile 4. Drive as far as Mile 12, and turn onto Spring Lake Main. Past Spring Lake KM 7 keep left and follow the new logging road up into the top of the cutblocks. Park in a pullout, or on the side of the road; please make sure you don’t block anyone else from getting past, or turning around.

Find the way to the Old Tin Hat Road/Trail toward the west. When you come upon it, head uphill and follow the road for about a kilometre where it changes to a trail at a turn-around. The hiking trail is cut into the mountainside and will take you up to the hut in another half hour. The summit is just a few minutes above there.

See the Sunshine Coast Trail Guidebook for more detailed information.

The view from the top of the mountain – in one direction – but from here you can see 360 degrees of breathtaking beauty.
The view from the top of the mountain – in one direction – but from here you can see 360 degrees of breathtaking beauty.