 Salmon Spawning Many a couple over the decades has had their formal wedding photographs taken in the colourful, manicured gardens of Queen Elizabeth Park.
Some Vancouver parks are more splendid wilderness. For rugged trails through virtually untouched terrain, visit Capilano Regional Park. To hike through lushly green second-growth forests and experience a suspenseful suspension-bridge crossing, head to Lynn Canyon Park.
Enhance your exploration with a visit to interpretative centres found in these parks.
A word or two on your excursion:
- 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
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. As one of North America's largest urban parks, Stanley Park offers tourists and locals much in the way of seeing and doing. Stroll the gardens. Visit marine life at the Vancouver Aquarium. Play a game of tennis. Let the kids let loose at the water park or ride the much-loved miniature train. Marvel at the totem pole collection at Brockton Point - it's considered the province's most-visited site. Or just spend an incredible day walking, cycling or rollerblading the paved 10-km (6.2-mi) Seawall marveling at the magnificent mountain, ocean, forest and city views. Other park amenities include picnic areas, a pitch-and-putt, children's petting zoo and Malkin Bowl, an outdoor theatre. Stanley Park is within easy walking distance of downtown Vancouver. A word or two on your visit: • Admission fee in effect for the aquarium and other attractions • Approximate time required: 4-8 hours > Stanley Park website.
If panoramic views partnered with colourful floral displays appeal to you, head to Queen Elizabeth Park. This manicured 52-ha (130-ac) urban oasis is the city's highest point south of downtown. In addition to formal gardens of glorious colour, Queen Elizabeth Park is home to the country's first civic arboretum. Here you can examine a collection of nearly all trees native to Canada in addition to some international specimens. As well, the Bloedel Floral Conservatory celebrates the natural world through its tropical birds, plants, rainforest and fish. There is also ample opportunity for an introspective moment in the tranquil rock gardens, ponds and waterfalls of the Quarry Garden. Park amenities include a pitch-and-putt, myriad walking paths and tennis courts. Pack a lunch to enjoy on the picnic grounds. Queen Elizabeth Park is just a 15-minute drive south of downtown Vancouver. A word or two on your visit: • Admission fee in effect for the conservatory • Approximate time required: 1-2 hours > Queen Elizabeth Park website.
A short drive from downtown, North Vancouver's Capilano River Regional Park offers trekkers 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. 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. One of these, Second Canyon Viewpoint Trail, leads hikers to incredible views of the canyon and Cleveland Dam spillway. A return trip via Giant Fir Trail will bring you face-to-face with Grandpa Capilano, a massive, old-growth Douglas-fir tree. In addition to its wild, untouched scenery, the park is known for two attractions: Cleveland Dam and Capilano Salmon Hatchery. Cleveland Dam helps to regulate the city's water supply by separating Capilano Lake from Capilano River. Visitors are welcome to enjoy a breathtaking view from the top of the dam. Capilano Salmon Hatchery was built below Cleveland Dam in order to rear and release the diminishing stock of both coho salmon and steelhead trout. The hatchery is an ideal environment for visitors to learn about the lifecycle of salmon. Outdoor educational displays - including a glass-sided fishway and tanks - enable viewers to witness salmon jumping up the fish ladder during their upstream migration. 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 • Capilano Suspension Bridge is not accessible from the park trails > Capilano River Park website.
One of the largest municipal parks in Greater Vancouver, the 250-ha (618-ac) Lynn Canyon Park wraps its way around a deep gorge sliced into mountains by the pristine Lynn Creek. Many well-marked hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty wind their way through the terrain. Hikers are treated to a collection of logging relics along their journey - a great deal of the park's tree stumps still show the springboard notches used by early loggers. The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge hangs a shaky 17-storey equivalent above the creek, offering spectacular vertigo-inducing views of the canyon. While sturdy steel cables secure the bridge, adrenaline seekers will certainly appreciate the wobbly crossing. From the bridge, a short walk upstream takes visitors to the refreshing 30 Foot Pool. The clear pool is a much-loved destination for summertime swimmers and sunbathers. In the other direction, a 20-minute walk downstream reveals a creek crossing at Twin Falls, the park's graceful sister waterfalls. The Lynn Valley Ecology Centre offers information and interactive displays on the plants and animals of this temperate rainforest. There is also a Kid's Exploratorium on the premises. Lynn Canyon Park is located 35 minutes from downtown Vancouver. > Lynn Canyon Park website.
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