When the sun is out, nothing beats heading out into the great outdoors.
Escape into the lush wilderness and explore as many of Metro Vancouver’s spring hikes and nature walks as you can with this beautiful weather
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Scenic Hikes & Nature Walks
North Shore
Lighthouse Park: An easy hike with up to 6-kms of trails to explore. It only takes about two hours to explore the whole park—but it’s the perfect place to have a picnic overlooking the lighthouse.
Lynn Loop: Another easier hike that takes you into the lush forested areas of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. Admire the rushing waters of Lynn Creek on this 5-km roundtrip trek that takes about 1.5-hours.
Dog Mountain: Bring your pup along for the 2-hour 5-km journey at Mount Seymour. The easy route leads you to stunning views of Vancouver.
Grouse Grind: Known as ‘Mother Nature’s Stairmaster’. This spot opened for the season earlier this month and challenges hikers to tackle the 2,830 steps to the top. The difficult route is 2.9-kms with an elevation gain of 853-metres. It can take anywhere from 1.5 to 2-hours to complete.
St. Mark’s Summit: While it likely won’t be mild enough to hike here in the Spring, it’s a beautiful spot to trek through in snowshoes. It’s an intermediate 11-km hike that takes about 5-hours to complete round-trip.
Quarry Rock: After being closed from 2019-2022, this trail has finally reopened in 2023. This Vancouver favourite—3.8-km route in Deep Cove takes you on a 1.5-hour roundtrip hike to an incredible viewing point. Sit on top of the rock and catch glimpses of Indian Arm and the mountains around Belcarra.
Vancouver
Pacific Spirit Regional Park: With hardly any elevation gain, this nature trail is the perfect place to practice ‘forest bathing’. There’s 10-kms of lush trails to enjoy the peace and quiet of the outdoors. The park features over 750-hectares of forest—get exploring and 18 different trails of different difficulties for all levels.
The Seawall: An obvious choice, but this nature walk is a must to explore in Spring. There’s 6.5-kms of trails and seawall to enjoy nature in all its glory.
Fraser River Trail: This trail is well-liked for activities such as bird-watching, hiking, and mountain biking, but it is possible to experience some peacefulness during the less busy hours of the day.
Burnaby
Deer Lake: Take an easy and flat 5-km walk around the scenic lake. Pass by a beach area, viewing tower and a pier. It only takes about an hour to complete the whole route.
Burnaby Mountain: An easy but beautiful hike with 7.5-kms to take on. The popular spot takes about 3-hours to complete depending on which trails you take.
Velodrome Trail: Known as being ‘Burnaby’s Grind,’ this is a steep 3-km trek that takes about an hour to complete. It has an elevation gain of 240-metres and takes you from the north side of Burnaby Mountain to the totem poles by the old Horizons Restaurant.
Byrne Creek Ravine Loop Trail: This well maintained urban trail resides just west of Ron McLean park. The route has a gentle incline and is popular with hikers, runners, and people who are just taking a stroll with their dogs.
Richmond
Iona Beach Regional Park: This popular spot in Richmond takes you on a 6-km nature walk that takes about 1.5-hours. There’s also a jetty that takes you right into the ocean. Both allow you to soak in the Fraser River and airplanes flying overhead.
West Dyke Trail: This trail covers mostly flat terrain that follows alongside the ocean. It is a great spot to view the sunset. The path itself is also straight and wide, which is great for people of all ages/skill levels. You can make it a day trip by bringing the family for a picnic on the benches.
South Dyke Trail: This is a very open trail bordered by residential buildings on the eastern side and offering views of the ocean on the western side. A section of marshland lies between the trail and the ocean. However, there are no shaded areas along the trail, so it is perfect for Spring and Fall but may be a bit warm in the Summer.
Surrey
Serpentine Fen Nature Trail: Nothing beats this 3.5-km nature trail during the Spring. It features 3.5-kms of trails to explore and three wooden towers offering stunning views of the area.
Tynehead Regional Park: There are 8 different trails in this park, with trails ranging from 22 to 79 meters in elevation gain. This is a great place to explore with the family.
1001 Steps Park: Get your workout in at this gem. Go up and down the 284 steps (give or take). It’s a great way to break a sweat, while taking in the scenery outdoors.
Semiahmoo Heritage Trail: This is a great city trail on a wooded pathway that passes through residential areas adjacent to Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest Park and concluding at Southmere Village Park.
Delta
Deas Island Regional Park: An easy 4.5-km trail that offers stunning views of the Fraser Valley area and takes about 2-hours to complete.
Boundary Bay Regional Park: The best spot for nature enthusiasts. Enjoy the wildlife during this 5-km loop around a large portion of Boundary Bay.
Watershed Park: Watershed Park offers a variety of trails to select from. The trails navigates through a picturesque forest of towering trees. Sticking to the main trail makes for an easy hike, however, veering off onto the smaller paths provides a more immersive experience in nature. Additionally, the old pump house is a noteworthy attraction.
Coquitlam
Coquitlam Crunch: Another course that resembles the Grouse Grind. This steep urban 4.5-km trail round-trip follows a route under hydro power lines. While it’s not a great spot to catch some views, it does make for an awesome workout.
Mundy Park: This hidden gem has 6-kms of scenery to explore. With minimal elevation gain, it’s an easy 2-hour trek round-trip.
Minnekhada Regional Park: An underrated spot with 10-kms of lush forested trails to explore. This park unfortunately was closed to wildfire in 2022, but it was reopened in spring 2023. You can see lots of wildlife and nature in this 2.5-hour trek.
Coquitlam Lake (Potential Seasonal Closure): This area has 3 mail trails: View Trail, Sawblade Falls, and Woodland Walk Loop. This is a beautiful wooded area, and as one ascends, the scenery becomes increasingly stunning, revealing views of the skyline all the way to Burnaby, in addition to a glimpse of Mount Baker.
Langley
Derby Reach Regional Park: Take the scenic route along the Edgewater Bar and a loop along the Houston Trail. It has a dog off-leash area and 8-kms of trails to explore.
Brae Island Regional Park: Soak up the sights with views of the Fraser River and the Coastal Mountain range off in the distance. This easy 4.2-km route takes only about an hour to complete.
Shaggy Mane Trail Loop: If you’re into exploring, this trail has lots of nice offshoots. It is also a popular trail for horses who have right of way, so remember to give them room.
Nicomekl River Trail: The pathway alongside Nicomekl River is a fantastic route for a leisurely walk or stroll suitable for individuals of all ages and abilities. This pathway also connects with several other routes, allowing for extended outings. Along the way, there are several pleasant spots to relax by the river and observe the duck ponds. Additionally, a suspension bridge adds a unique touch to the experience.
Port Moody
Sendero Diez Vistas: This hike gets its name from having 10 incredible viewing points overlooking Indian Arm as you reach the Buntzen Lake area. The intermediate trek takes about 6-7 hours to complete, with 15-kms of trails and an elevation gain of 360-metres.
Buntzen Lake: One of Metro Vancouver’s most popular hiking spots, and for good reason. The stunning area has 10-kms of trails that take about 3.5-hours to explore.
Admiralty Point: Find this beauty of a trail in Belcarra Regional Park. It offers unsurpassed views of Deep Cove, Mount Serymour and Burnaby Mountain. The 5-km trek takes about 1.5-hours to complete.
Sasamat Lake: Take this easy 8-km loop around the stunning Sasamat Lake in Belcarra Regional Park. It takes about 3-hours to complete.
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