Walks and Views

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.

Walk the promenade around Canada Place to watch cruise ships and floatplanes, with views of Stanley Park and the North Shore mountains. The Canadian Trail along the building is free to walk and no ticket is needed.

A woodland of almost 40 hectares with 4.4 km of trails and interpretive panels, plus pollinator and educational gardens and a dog park. Snowshoeing is welcome in winter. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., with free parking; dogs must stay on a leash.

Two steep sided ravines linked by a public trail in the middle of a suburb, with a boardwalk at the west end over a seasonal stream and wetland. Wooded north slopes and grassy south slopes attract chickadees, magpies, waxwings and owls. Free, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

A 35.5 hectare ravine park with hiking trails, pathways, a playground, fitness equipment, a gazebo, picnic tables, tennis and basketball, reached from the parking lot on the east side of Edgebrook Boulevard N.W. A naturalized marsh is home to birds, and deer and coyotes live in the ravines. Free, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

A 135 hectare park by the Bow River, partly on former gravel workings, with two ponds, a lake and a lagoon, pathways, trails, benches and picnic tables. It is popular for fishing, bird watching and non motorized boats; dogs must be on leash and swimming is not allowed. Free, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., with washrooms open all year.

A 190 hectare natural park in a classic prairie coulee, with hiking trails, sandstone outcrops, a self guided walking tour and two off leash areas, north and south of Tuscany Boulevard. A stone tipi ring about 2,000 years old was found here, and the name recalls a mail drop about 12 miles from the old post office on the stagecoach route to Cochrane. Free, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

A riverside promenade in East Village, opened in 2012, that runs along the Bow River from Centre Street to The Confluence, then along the Elbow River to 9th Avenue S.E. It is a year round multiuse path for walks, bike rides and commuting, with the Wheel of Women plaza and a portrait series by Alex Kwong along the way. Free.

An 18 hectare natural park on a hill overlooking the Bow River where it meets Nose Creek, with hiking trails, an off leash area and an interpretive exhibit with a view of the city skyline. It protects a small patch of rough fescue grassland, and the name comes from a big Tom Campbell's Hats sign that once stood here. Free, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

A 21 hectare park on a bend of the Bow River with a 15 hectare reconstructed wetland, reopened in 2004, and trails such as Walking on Water Trail, the Discovery Trail and Webbed Foot Lane. Look for marsh plants, cavity nesting birds and waterbirds. Free, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., with free first come, first served picnic sites.

A 43 hectare park on the east bank of the Bow River with pathways and walking trails, named for the beaver dams once found on the flats. An old river channel attracts ducks, bald eagles and songbirds, and a sappers bridge built by military field engineers in 1992 crosses it. Free and open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.; restoration work runs to 2028 with no trail closures planned.

A Metro Vancouver regional park in Delta with about 6 km of walking trails. Entry is free; regional park gates close as early as 5 pm, so check the posted hours.