Cypress Provincial Park has been one of the Lower Mainland’s most popular hiking destinations for over 100 years. The 3,000-ha (7,413-ac) park is thick with western redcedars and yellow cedars, while wildlife such as coyotes, deer, black bears and squirrels plus a wide variety of birds call it home. Cypress offers stunning vistas of Vancouver.
Yew Lake Trail is one of Cypress Park's signature trails. This short, wheelchair-accessible trail loops through meadows past several small lakes. Length: 2 km (1.2 mi). Time required: 1 hour.
Cypress Provincial Park is located in the
North Shore Mountains, a 40-minute drive from Vancouver. The ski-area parking lot is accessible by a road that winds its way up to a 900- m (2,953-ft) elevation.
A word or two on your excursion:
• While the park is open year round, the most ideal times for walking and hiking are from late-April to mid-October
• Routes vary in length and difficulty
• Please leave the area you visit undisturbed and be sure to carry out your garbage
• If travelling with pets, be aware that restrictions may apply.
A word or two on safety:
• Obey posted signs and keep to designated trails
• Be aware: mountain weather changes frequently.
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Cypress Provincial Park website.
Located within the University of British Columbia's Endowment Lands, Pacific Spirit Regional Park offers walkers an easily accessible, forested retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
With over 50 km (30 mi) of walking trails, the park traverses rainforest, deep ravines and marshlands en route to the Pacific Ocean and Fraser River.
Nature enthusiasts will wonder at the assortment of trees -including maple and alder- in this forested haven. Wildlife buffs are sure to spot bald eagles soaring overhead, while harbour seals and sea ducks are frequent visitors to the park's shorelines.
Visitors can also explore the 12,000 year-old Camosun Bog. A walk across its boardwalk reveals a rich array of vegetation, including sphagnum moss, cloudberry and sundew.
Many of the trails are multi-use, so be prepared to share the trail with cyclists and equestrians. Please note that pedestrians are required to yield to horseback riders. Some of the routes are pedestrian-use only and some permit dogs off-leash. There is heavier trail use on weekends.
First-time visitors are recommended to start their journey at the Pacific Spirit Regional Park Centre on 16th Avenue near the university.
A word or two on your excursion:
• Rated: easy
• Approximate time required: varies by route
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Pacific Spirit Park website.
False Creek is a tidal inlet that separates downtown Vancouver from the neighbourhoods of
Granville Island and Fairview. A paved promenade circles the entirety of False Creek.
Anchored at either end by
Granville Island and
Science World, walkers can begin their journey at any point along the picturesque shoreline.
Take time at Granville Island to explore the multitude of shops. Sip a latté as you wander through the covered Public Market with its fresh produce, local foods and hand-made goods. From here, stroll east by Sea Village, Vancouver's unique houseboat community. Cross the small footbridge and proceed past Stamp's Landing, beneath the Cambie Street Bridge, until you reach
Science World, the enormous geodesic dome in Vancouver's skyline.
From there you can either continue the loop past the Plaza of Nations, the towering glass buildings of
Yaletown and BC Place Stadium, or, if you're ready to call it a day, take a water taxi and enjoy spectacular views from this tiny ocean vessel.
Granville Island is directly under the Granville Street Bridge.
Science World is located along the southeast shores of False Creek. Both are accessible by
car, public transit and water taxi.
A word or two on your excursion:
• Rated: easy
• Approximate time required: 2-3 hours
• Water taxis operate all along False Creek
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Granville Island website.
Stanley Park is the crown jewel of Vancouver's parks. Crowds of international tourists and locals alike can be found enjoying a brisk jog or leisurely stroll all year round.
While there are a multitude of places where the famed Stanley Park Seawall can be accessed, the most common starting point is at the park's east-side entrance on Georgia Street.
From here, the invigorating walk loops around spectacular Coal Harbour and Burrard Inlet to scenic English Bay and around.
Approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) in length, the seawall presents a never-ending vista of mountains, ocean, forest and cityscape. While the Seawall is the park's most famous walking route, numerous trails cut through its thick-forested interior.
Stanley Park is within easy walking distance of downtown Vancouver.
A word or two on your excursion:
• Rated: easy
• Approximate time required: 3 hours
• In the summer, tired pedestrians can see the park's most popular attractions by hopping aboard the free Stanley Park Shuttle Bus
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Stanley Park website.
A 20-minute drive from downtown, North Vancouver's Capilano River Regional Park offers walkers and hikers a 26-km (16-mi) system of trails along Capilano Canyon. The canyon itself is a deep slice engulfed by granite cliffs and second-growth forest.
Known as the Capilano Pacific Trail, the main route runs 7.5 km (4.5 mi) each way along the west side of the rushing Capilano River - the entire length of the park. There are a number of shorter trails in the vicinity of the Salmon Hatchery.
The park is located 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
A word or two on your excursion:
• Rated: moderate
• Approximate time required for Capilano Pacific Trail: 4 hours
• Approximate time required for Second Canyon Viewpoint Trail: 45 minutes
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Capilano Suspension Bridge is not accessible from the park trails
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Capilano River Park website.
Lynn Canyon Park 250-ha (164-ac) is a municipal park located at the foot of the North Shore Mountains. It features pockets of second-growth coastal rainforest; sheer canyons; creeks; natural pools; a suspension bridge and a café. Vegetation includes Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western redcedar and 40 types of moss. Visit the Lynn Creek Ecology Centre, near the parking lot, for more information about flora and fauna in the park.
The first thing most people do when they enter the park is cross the Lynn Creek suspension bridge adjacent to the parking lot. The bridge hangs 50 m (164 ft) above the creek and sways and springs underfoot. Once across, you can walk upstream 10 minutes to 30 Foot Pool or downstream to Twin Falls, a 15-minute walk.
Many trails have steep stairways, roots and rocks, so exercise caution in slippery conditions.
Lynn Canyon Park is located in North Vancouver, 35 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
A word or two on your excursion:
• Rated: easy–moderate
• Time required: varies by route
• Free admission
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