Paseos y miradores

One of Surrey's largest parks, open dawn to dusk, with over 10 km of nature trails, picnic areas, the Surrey Nature Centre and a glacial erratic in the northwest trails. Green Timbers Lake is stocked for year round shore fishing (no swimming or boats). Free; dogs on leash and out of the water.

A trail along the Burrard Inlet shoreline from the pier at Rocky Point Park to Old Orchard Park, about 6 km round trip. You can take the paved multi use path (bikes allowed) or the gravel trail closer to the water, which has stairs and a wheelchair accessible boardwalk section where cyclists must walk. Free.

A Metro Vancouver regional park with marsh wildlife viewing and lookouts: High Knoll (4.7 km return, 180 m gain) has the best view of the marsh, the Pitt River, Mount Baker and the Golden Ears. The flat Lodge Trail is 2.1 km return. Free; the park opens at 7 am, dogs must be leashed and stay out of wetlands, and Minnekhada Lodge opens most Sundays 1 to 4 pm through December.

A 178 hectare park and trail system in central Coquitlam, with interior forest trails forming a loop around Mundy Lake. It is free; dogs are not allowed in the Mundy Lake area at any time.

A Metro Vancouver regional park with rare sand dunes, a restored marsh and the Iona Jetty, a walk of about 8 km return with 360 degree views of sea, sky and mountains (it can be very windy). More than 300 bird species stop here during migration. Entry is free; dogs must be leashed except on the lower road of the jetty, and gates close as early as 5 pm.

A 93 hectare protected natural park along the Elbow River with paved pathways, gravel and dirt trails, a pond, a wetland and benches; dogs must stay on leash. It is free and open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., with several entrances on the south side of Discovery Ridge Blvd. Fires are not permitted and trails near the Tsuut'ina Nation boundary are closed.

A 126 hectare park of native grasslands and former ranch land with paved pathways, gravel nature trails and views of the Bearspaw Reservoir; the regional pathway connects to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. The pavilion is one of the City's greenest buildings, washrooms are open during park hours (5 a.m. to 11 p.m.) and there is a gravel parking lot. Entry is free.

A small provincial park with a day use area, a front country hiking trail, wildlife viewing and geocaching, 10 km north of Cochrane on Highway 22 and 7 km east on Highway 567. There is no entry fee listed. Check advisories and bear and cougar safety tips on Alberta Parks before you go.

About 3,200 acres of native fescue grassland and working ranch land along the Bow River, with nearly 40 km of paved and shale paths such as the Bow River Loop and The Narrows. The park is open sunrise to sunset every day, needs no Kananaskis pass and has about 100 parking spaces at the end of Glenbow Road. It is a dry park with steep sections, so bring water, and keep dogs on leash.

A large natural environment park on the north bank of the Bow River, built on a former gravel pit next to Bowmont Park. The landscape itself is a WATERSHED+ public artwork by Sans façon, completed in 2019, and the City offers a free self guided walking tour.

A Metro Vancouver regional park in the mountains above Lynn Valley with about 40 km of walking trails through coastal forest. Entry is free; regional parks are generally open during daylight, with posted gate hours and closing as early as 5 pm, so plan to be out before dark.

A year round day use area in the west part of Fish Creek Provincial Park with several pathways for all fitness levels, picnic tables, fire pits, modern washrooms and views of Fish Creek. Walking the trails is free. For directions, call the park information line at 1 877 537 2757.