Walks and Views

A Metro Vancouver park along the Fraser River with shaded forest trails, open fields and mountain views. The flat Edgewater Bar to 208 Street trail (5.4 km) and the 2 km Edge Trail, known for its big cottonwoods, are easy walks, and the Heritage Area tells the story of the first Fort Langley, a Stó:lō village and the Houston homestead. Dogs must be leashed except in the off leash area west of the Edgewater Bar campground; open daylight hours, closing no earlier than 5 pm; free.

A 140 hectare park of natural second growth forest with about 4 km of nature trails, including the Douglas fir and Moss trails. The 0.8 km Wally Ross universal access trail offers an accessible option. Open dawn to dusk; free.

A South Surrey park with a grove of mature Sierra redwoods and a forest of trees, many not found elsewhere in Surrey, crossed by more than 5 km of nature trails. A replica of the Brown brothers' treehouse stands in the centre of the park, and there is a wheelchair accessible playground, picnic shelters and a drinking fountain shaped like a tree stump. Open dawn to dusk; free.

A large park in the Agricultural Land Reserve, bounded by Westminster Highway, Alderbridge Way, Garden City Road and No. 4 Road. Walkers, cyclists and dog walkers can use the perimeter gravel paths, and KPU Farm School pathways let you see farm activities. Picking plants or entering the bog and natural areas is not allowed; it is free.

A 1.9 km linear park on the dike along the Middle Arm of the Fraser River, between Cambie Road and Hollybridge Way, next to the Richmond Olympic Oval. It has piers, lookouts, an amphitheatre, two playgrounds with inclusive play spaces, and public art including Portals into the Future, Spawning and Water #10. The greenway offers universal access and views to Sea Island, the airport and the North Shore mountains; it is free.

A 6.5 acre linear park along the Imperial Landing boardwalk that links Britannia Shipyards to Steveston Village. It has piers, benches, interpretive signs about the former BC Packers fish plant, and the Japanese Canadian Fishermen's Memorial sculpture Wind (2002) by Junichiro Iwase. It is free to visit.

An 8 acre linear park on the Fraser River, opened in 2001, with backwater tidal channels and native riparian woodland that support salmon, birds and other wildlife. A 1 km walk with bridges, benches and viewpoints lets you watch tugboats and marine birds on the river. Free to visit.

A 5 km walk (about 6,561 steps) from the trailhead at the Fraser River, with parking on Carrington Street just before the bridge to Deering Island. The route passes an ancient Musqueam village and burial site at least 4,000 years old, contemporary Musqueam art, Deering Island Park and Musqueam Cutthroat Creek. Paths are dirt, gravel and concrete, shared with horses and muddy after rain, and the Bridal Path is often not suitable for wheelchairs; it is free.

A flat 3.63 km seawall walk (about 4,763 steps) from Granville Island to Kitsilano Beach Park, past moored boats, Vanier Park, the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Hadden Park and the Kitsilano Showboat stage. Views open onto the North Shore mountains, Stanley Park and English Bay. The shared paths mix compact gravel and pavement and are wheelchair accessible; it is free.

A wheelchair accessible 2.1 km walk (about 2,755 steps) on pavement and boardwalks, starting in the southwest corner of Hastings Park near Renfrew Street. It passes Il Giardino Italiano, the Momiji Garden, the Chief Dan George Welcome Pole and the Sanctuary, where a stream hidden in a culvert for over 50 years was brought back to the surface. Ducks, geese and other birds are common, with 106 species reported; it is free.

A 2.37 km loop (about 3,110 steps and 35 minutes) through Vancouver's fifth largest park, starting from the parking lot on the east side of Kerr Street. You pass Avalon Pond, Kingscross Creek and Manfred's Meadow, three art installations, and spots where you can see or hear the Fraser River. The gravel paths are wheelchair accessible, while the bark mulch trails can be uneven; it is free.

A free self guided stroll through Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood. Start at the Steam Clock, which whistles every quarter hour, see Waterfront Station built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1914 and the Angel of Victory statue outside it, then continue to Maple Tree Square and Gaoler's Mews, the site of the city's first jail.