The beautiful valley of Lynn Canyon is a stunning place to spend a day, full of hidden gems and natural wonders. Lakes, waterfalls, winding trails and swinging bridges are all to be found is this entirely free nature park (making it a winner in my books compared to the uber-expensive Capilano Suspension Bridge nearby!).
LYNN CANYON DETAILS
When: year-round
Where: Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, North Vancouver
Difficulty: easy
Length: a few hours to explore all the features
Directions: park at Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge parking lot and cross the bridge. To the left you will find the Thirty Foot Pool and a hike to Rice Lake. To the right you will find Twin Falls.
Bathrooms: yes, at the parking lot
Public Transit: yes,check out my full list of transit-accessible hikes in BC here
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
The first stop in the park is right near the parking lot. The bridge towers across the canyon and you can stare down at the gushing waterfalls below as you try not to get dizzy on the swinging planks.
Thirty Foot Pool
Turn left after the bridge; this part of the park is always the busiest, and it's no surprise why. It is a beautiful crevice in which you can swim and if you’re daring, there are spots for cliff jumping on either side.
Rice Lake
Walk up the steps after the pool and follow the trail for Rice Lake. Once a popular swimming hole, it's now a great place for a spot of fishing and lakeside calm.
Twin Falls
Head back beyond the Thirty Foot Pool, and instead of crossing the Suspension Bridge, go straight ahead. Here, you will come across another bridge that towers above the beautiful Twin Falls. Should you be so inclined there are a few places to cliff jump around here, but be really aware of the pounding water below.
Disclaimer: I checked in with the Park Rangers on hand who said that although it is advised not to, swimming is not actually banned in the falls, and people can participate at their own risk. I won’t participate in cliff jumping there because of this and this, but I had to see for myself just how cool the falls were from down below. You have to crawl through a hole in the fence just a bit beyond the bridge and clamber down the assortment of roots and rocks until you get to the rocks below the waterfall which you can climb over to reach the main pool below the falls. The current can be fairly strong so be sure you are a decent swimmer before attempting the water gushing out of the falls and it is very cold, but absolutely unreal.
Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
