Trans Canada Trail, Burnaby

Also known as The Heights Trail, this route takes walkers from North Burnaby to the eastern edge of Vancouver. Because the trail is so well covered by trees, it’s not until the temperature drops and leaves have all fallen that you can truly appreciate the expansive views that this trail offers of the North Shore, Burrard Inlet and Capitol Hill. It’s one trail where the views may actually be better in winter than in other seasons.

GETTING THERE
Start at Confederation Park, located in North Burnaby near the north end of Willingdon Avenue. To access the trail, the parking lot nearest the lawn bowling green is most convenient, so head north on Willingdon until you reach Penzance Dr. and make a right turn. You’ll see the parking lot almost immediately on your right. The trail starts just across the street at the corner of Penzance and Willingdon. If driving is not your thing, the route is also easy to access on transit.

TERRAIN

Wide, compact gravel paths with short paved sections. Expect a mix of sun and shade since the first half is exposed while the second half is almost completely shaded by trees. The trail gently slopes downward as it travels west gradually getting steeper as it enters Vancouver.

STROLLER RECOMMENDATION

Umbrella, all-terrain or anything in between.

LENGTH

Departing from the lawn bowling green parking lot, the trail runs less than 2.5 km to take you all the way to the eastern edge of Vancouver just underneath the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge. To complete the entire trail at a leisurely pace in and out with play stops, plan for about 1.5 hours.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FEATURES

Confederation Park has just about any family-friendly amenity imaginable, including washrooms (with change tables), playgrounds, sports fields, a library, and more. Along the trail you’ll find benches, a playground (including toddler equipment), and picnic tables – because who doesn’t love a picnic?

SCENIC HIGHLIGHTS

Take in a few of the interpretive signs along the way highlighting area history and ecology.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

The Heights neighbourhood offers great shopping along Hastings St. In the warmer months, the miniature train at the Burnaby Central Railway is a hit with kids (and parents too). Confederation Park itself is worth a visit even in the winter months since it’s home to so many kid-friendly indoor activities at the pool and library.

GOOD TO KNOW

Just as the trail approaches the Ironworkers’ Memorial Bridge, you’ll come to a spot where trains enter and exit a tunnel that takes them under the northern part of Burnaby. Who knew!

IMPORTANT: Any adventure in the outdoors carries a certain level of risk. The route information and maps contained in this blog are provided as rough guidelines only and are based on just one person's experience. Baby Meets Trail and its authors are not responsible for any harm that may occur while attempting one of the posted walks. We will, however, take credit if you have an excellent time!

Shoreline Park Pathway, Port Moody

The Shoreline Park Pathway is fantastic any time of year, but particularly in the fall when it offers some of the most spectacular views of Burrard Inlet and the seasonal colours of fall. Connecting Rocky Point Park on the south side of the inlet to Old Orchard Park on the north side, the route is a smooth, paved pathway, perfect for either a leisurely stroll or a heart-pumping power walk with baby. More adventurous stroller walkers may want to tackle the lower, unpaved trail which runs directly along the shoreline. This rugged route is not recommended without an all-terrain stroller.















GETTING THERE
From St. John’s Street (the main drag in Port Moody), turn left onto Moody Street. Proceed over an overpass and down to the left before making another left onto Murray Street. You’ll see the entrance and parking lot on the left.

TERRAIN
Wide, paved path from start to finish. Aside from a short section which runs directly alongside Murray Street, the path takes you through forested parkland. The trail is so smooth and even, it's a good one to let new walkers out of the stroller to test their legs.

STROLLER RECOMMENDATION
Umbrella, all-terrain or anything in between.

LENGTH
The path is 6 km (return) so it could be managed in less than two hours, but with playgrounds at both ends (yes, that's right...there's more than one playground!), you’ll likely need to plan for a bit more time. If an epic walk is not what you’re after, there are plenty of options to loop back through streets or along adjoining trails.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FEATURES
Washrooms (with change tables), playgrounds, spray park (summer months only), beach, benches, covered tables, picnic tables, sports fields, and interpretive signage referencing the local history and plant life.

SCENIC HIGHLIGHTS
Piers for gazing out at the inlet, plenty of benches to rest and take in the calm of the forest, and a few historic remnants of the region’s past as a mill town make for a very interesting walk.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
The Inlet Community Garden along Murray Street is worth a visit in the warmer months. The Port Moody Station Museum and Noons Creek Hatchery are two more family-friendly destinations in the neighbourhood.

GOOD TO KNOW
The path is very popular with cyclists, joggers and inline skaters, meaning it can get a bit crowded.


IMPORTANT: Any adventure in the outdoors carries a certain level of risk. The route information and maps contained in this blog are provided as rough guidelines only and are based on just one person's experience. Baby Meets Trail and its authors are not responsible for any harm that may occur while attempting one of the posted walks. We will, however, take credit if you have an excellent time!

Deas Island Regional Park, Delta

If you’ve never been on Deas Island, chances are you’ve at least been under it. Located atop the George Massey Tunnel, the park offers plenty of variety for its relatively compact size. The name is actually a bit of a misnomer, since the “island” has long been connected to the mainland with a roadway. If you can overlook the inaccuracy of its name, the park is a lovely spot to kick through piles of fallen leaves and enjoy a quiet afternoon stroll.










GETTING THERE
Unfortunately, this is one walk you'll pretty much surely need a car to access. From the south end of the George Massey Tunnel, take the second exit and follow the signs for River Road North. A short distance along River Road, you will see signage marking the park entrance. Turn in and park in the first parking lot.

TERRAIN
Wide, flat trails of loose gravel with lengthy sections of sand. The route winds its way through trees along the shores of the island, so expect a fair bit of shade.

STROLLER RECOMMENDATION
In general, large-wheeled strollers will have an easier time on these trails. There are significant sections of sand that would not make for easy pushing if you didn't have large wheels. Umbrella strollers are not recommended for this reason.

LENGTH
Departing from the first parking lot, the trail runs less than 5 km (return). With a few looping options, it’s easy to customize your walk depending on your available time (or how long junior sleeps).

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FEATURES
Benches, washrooms (no change tables), picnic tables and large grassy areas are all readily available. Kids young and old may enjoy watching the cars stream into the tunnel from this unique vantage point.

SCENIC HIGHLIGHTS
It’s not every day you get to see a shipwreck, but that’s exactly what you’ll see across the water from the southern side of the island. There is also a low tide beach located near the tip of the island which offers a spectacular spot to stop for lunch or just to watch the boat traffic along the river. The views of the Fraser River and Deas Slough are lovely from the trails, but are best seen from atop the viewing tower.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
There are a number of horse stables nearby and the community of Ladner is a short drive down River Road. On the island itself are a few heritage buildings including Delta Agricultural Hall (1894), Burrvilla, a grand home (1906), and Inverholme, one-room schoolhouse (1909). Some folks (myself included) may enjoy watching the traffic enter the tunnel under the island...that's an attraction, right?

GOOD TO KNOW
Dogs must be on a leash at all times. Bikes are only permitted on the roadways throughout the park.


IMPORTANT: Any adventure in the outdoors carries a certain level of risk. The route information and maps contained in this blog are provided as rough guidelines only and are based on just one person's experience. Baby Meets Trail and its authors are not responsible for any harm that may occur while attempting one of the posted walks. We will, however, take credit if you have an excellent time!

Burnaby Lake: Cottonwood Trail, Burnaby

Before we had a child, Burnaby Lake was one of the walks we did quite often. In fact, back when I used to be able to call myself a "runner" and keep a straight face, I used to hit this trail at least once a week. What's great about this trail is that simply by parking at a different lot, your experience can be different each and every visit. Overall the trail is 11 km long, so for our purposes, I'm chopping it into three distinct sections.

The first section is Cottonwood Trail stretching from the Burnaby Sports Complex to the Nature House at Piper Ave. The trail is quite popular with joggers, walkers and dogwalkers so expect to share a few friendly greetings along the way.

GETTING THERE

From Vancouver, take Highway 1 eastbound to Exit 32, Sprott Street. Travel along Sprott and at the first lights, turn left to cross over the highway overpass. At Kensington Avenue go straight and turn left at the stop sign. Immediately turn right into the parking lot by the sports fields. The trail starts along the edge of the sports fields beyond the Rugby Club.

This portion of the trail can also be accessed fairly easily on transit, either by bus or Skytrain (Sperling-Burnaby Lake station).

TERRAIN

Running along the north side of the lake itself, the wide, flat trails take you under the shady cover of trees. The trail surface is mostly bark mulch and compact gravel with short sections of wooden bridges. Unfortunately, there aren't really any good looping options so it's just an in-and-out route. In spots the trail takes you straight out to water's edge or over bridges for beautiful views of the lake and plenty of opportunities to see what's in the water.

STROLLER RECOMMENDATION

Any type of stroller can manage, however, the trail can get quite soft after a rainfall (it is on a bog after all). Strollers with smaller wheels may have a tougher time getting through the muck.

LENGTH

This stretch of trail is 2.6 km long so plan for about an hour for a return trip - longer if you take advantage of the viewing tower or the Nature House.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FEATURES

This section of the Burnaby Lake trail includes a couple of viewing points and the Nature House. There is a playground near the Burnaby Sports Complex as well as washrooms at both ends of the trail. Unfortunately, only the washrooms at the Nature House have a change table. There are a few picnic tables located behind the Nature House which would be an idyllic spot for a lunch break before heading back to the car. The Nature House itself is a great family-friendly feature in that it has some lots of interpretive displays for kids and parents to interact with as well as knowledgeable staff on hand to answer questions. Even small babies would enjoy a leisurely wheel around the gardens out front.

SCENIC HIGHLIGHTS

If you make it up the viewing tower, expect to see expansive views of the entire lake. If you're lucky, you may see some wildlife during your visit.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

There is a swimming pool, ice rink, soccer fields and rugby fields at the west end of the lake.

GOOD TO KNOW

There are no benches along the trail so don't plan on resting along the way. Bird feeding is permitted only at Piper Spit (near the Nature House). Dogs must be leashed. Take only photographs, leave only footprints (or stroller wheel impressions as the case may be).


View Burnaby Lake: Cottonwood Trail, Burnaby in a larger map
IMPORTANT: Any adventure in the outdoors carries a certain level of risk. The route information and maps contained in this blog are provided as rough guidelines only and are based on just one person's experience. Baby Meets Trail and its authors are not responsible for any harm that may occur while attempting one of the posted walks. We will, however, take credit if you have an excellent time!

George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sancutary, Ladner

I believe my grandfather was the first person to take me to Reifel. It's very much the kind of place a grandfather would take his grandkids. According to the folks at Reifel, "the sanctuary consists of 300 hectares of ponds, natural tidal marshes and trails in the heart of the Fraser River Estuary. For birds seeking feeding and resting areas during migration, the sanctuary's location is ideal. It is a place where wildlife and their habitats are protected from harm..." For us human-folk, it's a bit of a sanctuary as well: peaceful, relaxing, inspiring, and an easy place to get away from the rat race for a while and teach our kids about the beauty of nature.

GETTING THERE

The sanctuary is located west of Ladner on Westham Island. From Richmond, travel through the Deas Island Tunnel and follow the signs for Highway 17 (as if you were going to the ferries) and continue until it intersects with Ladner Trunk Road (Highway 10). If travelling from Delta or Surrey, simply take Ladner Trunk Road (Highway 10) and head west into Ladner. From Ladner Trunk Road travel west to 47A Avenue and on to River Road. Continue along River Road for approximately 3 km until you cross a single-lane bridge onto Westham Island. Follow the main road across the island and all the way to Reifel.

TERRAIN

The wide paths are mostly compact gravel, but there are several areas where the trail has been overtaken by grass. Be sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat because there is no shade cover for about half of the trails.

STROLLER RECOMMENDATION

Any kind of stroller can handle the trails at Reifel.

LENGTH

Reifel is not a place to be rushing about so plan to spend at least an hour exploring the many routes through the sanctuary.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FEATURES

Kids will love sneaking into the bird blinds to get an up-close look at some of the amazing birds that stop by the island. At certain times of year, you may have an opportunity to observe birds nesting on their eggs or see little ducklings soon after they've hatched.

From a practical standpoint, parents may appreciate the large indoor washrooms that are fully eat your lunch with the birds. There is also a gift shop filled with a variety of bird-related items.

The trails themselves are great for pushing a napping baby along since there are many looping options that will enable you to extend your walk as needed or you can pause for a bit of a rest at any of the benches that sit trail-side.

SCENIC HIGHLIGHTS

A tall observation tower is located in the northwestern corner and provides an excellent view of the shallow ponds, the intertidal marshes of the Fraser River estuary beyond the dikes, the Strait of Georgia and even as far off as Vancouver itself. Other, lower, viewing points are stroller-accessible and overlook marshy islands and ponds. 

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Westham Island is home to many farms and other agricultural industries including the Westham Island Herb Farm, Westham Island Apiary and Westham Island Estate Winery. Touring the bird sanctuary  followed by a few stops at the neighbouring farms to grab a few items for dinner is a lovely way to spend a day.

GOOD TO KNOW

There is a fee (cash or credit only) to enter the sanctuary for anyone age two and up and small bags of birdseed are available for purchase at the admission gate. The gates are locked at 5 pm, so you'll need to be in your car and heading home before then. Other than that, be sure to note that bikes, pets, sports equipment and collecting items to take with you are not permitted.


View George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Ladner in a larger map

IMPORTANT: Any adventure in the outdoors carries a certain level of risk. The route information and maps contained in this blog are provided as rough guidelines only and are based on just one person's experience. Baby Meets Trail and its authors are not responsible for any harm that may occur while attempting one of the posted walks. We will, however, take credit if you have an excellent time!