Before we went all out with exploring the outdoors during the pandemic, we only knew a few spots that we frequented around Metro Vancouver. Lynn Canyon Park is one of these go-to destinations of ours for many years.

It features a great suspension bridge (a smaller but free alternative to the famed Capilano Suspension Bridge) , lush west coast rainforests, a running Lynn Creek and a cute little Ecology Centre. It also has a network of trails that connect up to Rice Lake, Lynn Headwaters Regional Park and down to the ocean via Lynn Creek Sea to Ski Trail.

We are hoping to get Junior to do more hiking on his own and expand his endurance, so we came back to Lynn Canyon Park for a short hike to the 30 Foot Pool and back, for a total of about 1km.

• 

• 

It’s been quite a while since we last visited Lynn Canyon, and we noticed a few differences. Firstly, pay parking is in effect from April 1 to October 31, $1.50 for 30 mins, with a 3-hour maximum. For those doing longer hikes in the area, I’d recommend parking on the other side of the Lynn Canyon near Rice Lake, where parking is still free.

Another change was the addition of ample picnic area, including picnic shelters.

The suspension bridge also has been resurfaced with solid, anti-slip planks.

• 

• 

The trail down to the 30 Foot Pool was updated with stairs and boards that covered the more rooty and rocky sections.

As a result, the short hike was very toddler friendly. Even Little Bro did really well walking down to the pools with little help.

• 

• 

• 

• 

The 500m walk to the pool took about 1 hour going at toddler speed, so it felt much longer.

Due to the crowding and paid parking, Lynn Canyon Park is now more of a tourist destination than a hiking spot in the peak season. I wouldn’t want to go for a hike while worrying about having my car ticketed or towed if I took longer than 3 hours. Having said that, it’s very well maintained and it features several points of interest to keep one engaged. It’s also easy to adapt to length of the hike to hit the sweet spot of tired-but-still-fun, so it’s still a great option for a toddler to explore.