Pacific Spirit Regional Park - VancouverThe Pacific Spirit Regional Park is located inside the University Endowment Lands and offers a large network of hiking trails. As this park has 750 hectares of untouched forest, it is recommended that hikers plan their route before commencing. Dog-walkers and horseback riders are also welcome to explore the specially marked trails. You can spend anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours at The Pacific Spirit Regional Park, depending on which trail(s) you choose to take on.
Stanley Park - Vancouver
Located right outside the downtown core, Stanley Park is Vancouver's largest park and features a substantial network of hike-able trails. For tourists, Stanley Park is a great way to catch a variety of breathtaking views in one trip. The park also serves as a great starting/ending point to the Vancouver Seawall. Other popular attractions available at the park include: Beaver Lake, Third Beach, and Lost Lagoon. Because of its' long list of attractions and sheer beauty, Stanley Park is a definite "must see" for anyone visiting Vancouver for the first time.
Brunswick Point - Delta
Just south of Vancouver in the suburb of Delta lies Brunswick Point, a flat 8 kilometre trail that is hike-able during all months of the year. This one-way trail takes roughly one hour to complete and is dog-friendly. As travelers walk along the Fraser River dike, they will take in views of the marshy shoreline and local farmland. A large metal gate separating the walkway from train tracks and industrial roadways marks the end of the trail. From here, travelers are expected to turn around and head back.
Bird watchers will be happy to know that Westham Island, a Reifel Bird Sanctuary, is home to dozens of coastal bird species and is located nearby. Many of the birds from this island pass by Brunswick Point making for some rare photo opportunities.
Burnaby Lake - Burnaby
Located just outside Vancouver in a neighbouring city, Burnaby Lake is the lower mainland's largest lake. The trail surrounding Burnaby Lake is 10 kilometres in length and takes approximately 2 hours to complete. The terrain here is very flat and can be traversed all year round. People from Vancouver can conveniently access the trail via the SkyTrain (Millennium Line), making for a perfect half-day trip. Beautiful views of the lake are almost always available while on the trail. The only downside to this trail is that there is minimal shade available; to some people however, this can be seen as an added benefit.
Grouse Grind - North Vancouver
The Grouse Grind is a trail that runs up the side of Grouse Mountain. This trail is by far the most difficult on the list and should only be attempted by people who are confident in their fitness level. That being said, the Grouse Grind is one of the most popular trails in the lower mainland and receives hundreds of visitors daily during the summer months. Atop this gruelling trail is a fully licensed restaurant that serves up all sorts of refreshments to cool hikers down. As Grouse Mountain is also a local ski hill during the wintertime, it has a gondola system to ferry exhausted hikers down for a nominal fee.
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