A park gem in the middle of the city…read more Small parking lot near the main entrance off of 100th Avenue. Lots of different trails that circle the lake and beyond. Trails are well maintained with lots of family friendly traffic on a good weather day and the trails are relatively flat. Recommended you download the park map if you want to create your own jogging or walking route as several major roads cut through the park grounds.

Trail Series, Part 22 Wondering if Fall has arrived in…read moreCanada? Yep, we'd say that indeed it has! The "Green Timbers Urban Forest Park" located in Surrey (just outside of Vancouver) offers spectacular opportunities to get out and immerse yourself in some "Fall colors" when that need strikes you. Their numerous trails funnel you to (and around) the lake and are extremely well marked and maintained. Bicycles, runners/walkers, and leashed dogs are all welcome. In fact, we felt that most of the trails are flat and wide enough to also welcome wheelchairs and strollers. Although we always recommend the buddy system when enjoying a trail, we found these well traveled enough to give it our highest safety rating. For those seeking a challenge when enjoying these trails, we'd recommend trying to locate the beaver dams and their inhabitants. There is convenient parking located on 100th Avenue (between 144th Street and 148th Street), so get out there and enjoy some fresh and vibrant Canadian air, eh? And that's...Henry's Take. #canadiantrails

Such a gorgeous area - so lush and green.. the kind of place that just makes you feel lucky to be…read moreliving in B.C.. the riverside hike is a bit rocky but fairly easy.. love hearing the flowing water while hiking. There were bear-proof garbage cans and doggie poop cans along the way. Outhouses at the base of the trail. We visited on a rainy day so parking was plentiful - but I can see how it would be very limited when the weather is good. Paid parking closest to the entrance and free parking beyond that.

An update of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park is long overdue…read more First of all, several years ago, the signage on the outhouses in the park were changed to be gender neutral. I don't know if this was done because of feedback from the public, but I had made a complaint. In addition to the two outhouses, there are also some port-o-potties installed, but I have never used them because port-o-potties are disgusting; however, more toilets are never a bad thing. Second, I have been back to the park many times over the past several years, and I have now done more hiking trails. In addition to Norvan Falls, I have now done Lynn Loop, Lynn Headwaters Trail, Varley Trail, and yesterday, I attempted part of the Lynn Peak Trail with friends. I have done all the green (easy) and blue (intermediate) trails below Norvan Falls, as well as a portion of Lynn Peak, which is yellow (ie. difficult). I knew the Lynn Peak Trail would be challenging and I would not be able to complete it, but my friends and I wanted to try it. We never intended on completing it as we knew it would be too long and difficult, but we hiked for just over two hours and then turned back, which was our plan. There is no rule that you must finish a trail! I have no plans to ever attempt the more challenging trails past Norvan Falls, although one day I might hike up to Hanes Valley Junction, which is one kilometer past Norvan Falls. Lynn Headwaters Regional Park is a great place for hiking as there are so many different trails for all levels and you can go for an easy walk or a hike anywhere between 2 to 10+ hours, depending on which trails you take. There's something for everyone. It is also very transit accessible (either take the #210 or #228 bus), so that non-drivers have access to the park. It's little wonder that this is a very popular place for not only hikers, but for people going to a picnic just inside the park entrance or a swim on a hot day. Lynn Headwaters Regional Park is also a short walk to Rice Lake and other hiking trails in the nearby Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. [Yelp collections: Parks and Gardens; Hiking]

We were lucky to snag a parking spot Saturday at 5:30 pm here. I love discovering a peaceful oasis…read morein the middle of a city! Trees and lakes keep the air fresh, the noise pollution down and makes you feel like you escaped the city without leaving town. Plenty of people were enjoying the 69 degree weather. Some lounging in their lawn chairs, walking the dogs on the trail or canoeing on the lake. The boardwalk is especially nice for walking, for the structural metal strips keep it bike-free and peaceful. Meanwhile, there are many scenic trails through the trees that cyclists can enjoy. We completed the one hour/2.6 mile loop trail around the lake passing gorgeous heritage homes, a wedding taking place on the festival lawn and people fishing off the docks. Next time, I'm renting a canoe or kayak from the Deer Lake Boat rentals to see the park from a different perspective. Bonus:Parking and the views are free!

I've been to Deer Lake several times before, but most recently went there for the Vampire Weekend…read moreconcert. On a clear sunny day, this place beats any other concert venue: it's large enough for concert goers of all types to enjoy. You could easily make your way up to get close to the stage, or you could sit down on the lawn and listen to the tunes. Since the lawn tilts at an angle, it's easy to see the stage from almost anywhere, even if you're really far back. There are also a lot of food trucks to get food or drinks from, and there's a water station where you could fill up your water bottle. The only downside of this venue is that it's not very easily accessible by transit and parking is limited on a busy concert evening.

Closest park to Bowen Snug Cove Terminal for hiking with about 4-6 different trails available with…read morevarying degrees of difficulty. One of the entrance to this park is especially close to ferry terminal and easy to get to without a car. Simply walk towards the Bowen Public Library then turn right on the road with the bus stop and you will see the entrance as you walk past visitor centre. Nice park for photos with scenic view and lake views. Do keep an eye out for snakes so you don't scare yourself. Visit this park for lovely trails on a sunny day. There's no strenuous hikes here - a good stop with chilled vibes which makes for a fine day for easy relaxing walk in the woods.

highly recommend this if you are coming to bowen and want to…read moredo a short hike. you don't even need a car because you can literally walk (or bike?) off the ferry veer left across the cute boardwalk area and around the small cove with some moored boats to hit the park entrance and the trailhead. while i'm going to assume most people just do the hike to the lookout, if you're up for a steep up and downhill with newly installed stairs, the hike beyond the lookout to the point is a great add-on! it definitely gets the heart racing and on a weekday morning i didn't al see a soul. roundtrip (with a couple of short water breaks for the dog) took us a little over and hour and then you have time to explore other places on bowen and grab a well deserved snack or beverage once you're done.

A very nice trail with minimal/easy inclines. The walking trail loop was about an hour at a very…read moreleisurely pace. Free parking and clean outhouses.

No reservation, no problem. First come, first served. We spent five days camping on the Fraser…read moreRiver. The campground was very clean. There are picnic tables, fire pits and pit toilets. There is some noise from boaters and trains.

This is a great park for a little kids. Lots of families come here. Tons of equipment for the kids…read moreto play on.There are park picnic tables also. It's not ideal for toddlers because it's very busy and some of the older kids run into the littler ones. It happens. There's a small water park area. Overall it's a pretty fun happening place for a little kids to run and play. The area would be improved by adding night lighting. At night the park is pitch black and there are a few weirdos around the area.

Lions Park is one of the bigger parks in Port Coquitlam…read more Even in the dead of winter, there are plenty fitness fans out abound; cycling, walking, hiking or even using the outdoor exercise machines. Where most of the folks are in holiday feasting mode. The park boasts a fairly long trail connecting Lougheed Highway to Port Coquitlam. A river with salmon connects to Gates Park. In the autumn, a few try their luck fishing. Frankly I haven't seen anyone catch anything or whether they have to toss it back? At least it seems like a time passing activity, requiring some self detachment. In the summer, the main play area is filled with young couples and children. In winter, you can find a few restless with their sleeping bags. The park is generally well maintained. Good for a long stroll or connecting to mother nature. Great park in the city.

We took an Uber here to do some hiking and see the suspension bridge- they have a designated drop…read moreoff spot right in front of the ecology building and I highly recommend this since parking is so tight here The park is free. There are several trails that you can hike and we chose the creek path, it was about 2.5 km and a loop. It is fairly well marked as well. If you go on a weekend, there will be a lot of people so you can't straight too far from the trail anyway. There are a lot of stairs on the creek trail so be prepared for that and some of them are incredibly steep. It is beautiful, great river and Woods views. Plus we were blessed with 60° sunny weather today so it was absolutely gorgeous hiking weather. There is a café here, although we did not partake in any food or beverage, as well as clean restrooms and a water filling station. Take a moment to step into the ecology center if you would like to look at any of the exhibits and make a donation. They do have a lot of wooden bridges covering the more muddy bog areas, and the rest of the trail is dirt packed with tree roots veins. It is a well-made trail with appropriate steps and fencing to keep you in bounds.

Awesome FREE park with a look suspension bridge! The suspension bridge is cool and a good photo…read morespot. We went on a Friday and it was pretty busy but we arrived around 11am and there were still a couple of parking spots available in the various small lots around the park. There is a snow chalet type building near the trail head & suspension bridge that has restrooms on the outside and some snacks and ice cream on the inside. We took the Twin Falls loop trail and went in the direction that started with the suspension bridge first and it was a lot more stairs and steeper than we anticipated. The hike back up from near the creek at the bottom had us sweaty and huffing and puffing as middle-aged parents. haha! But the trees and foliage was beautiful and we even saw a banana slug! We were cursing the 20 flights of stairs up and down but afterwards, we felt good.

Got stuck in traffic and decided to wait it out before crossing…read more I've been to Deas Island before and this is the first during a hot day. I'm actually very confused what can/cannot be done at the water area. As they signs are rather vague. I feel more signs like (no swimming, no lifeguard on duty, jelly fish etc... ) should be visible.

For my 450th review, I'll share one of my favourite known but not so known favourite outdoor places…read more- Deas Island Regional Park! Just after the tunnel this park has a lot of offer. In the summer, you can rent kayaks off the dock. There are plenty of picnic tables and public washrooms closer to the front of the park. However, if you drive a little further in, there is a huge field with more picnic tables and an area with a large gazebo and more tables. There are outhouses in this location too. Throughout the perimeter of the park, there are easy, flat trails covered and lines with beautiful trees. You can find dogs on leash and horses on these trails. One of best parts if that this park isn't heavily frequented so it's not overly crowded and you can enjoy the sights and feels of nature at your leisure. Came here recently for a snowy engagement shoot and it was magical! A little wonderland in a place you wouldn't expect.