Capilano River
Regional Park and its waterfront partner, Ambleside Park, are among
the most sociable gathering places on the North Shore, a spot where
visitors come to stretch their legs and exercise their dogs. Most
of the leisure activity takes place close to the confluence of the
Capilano River with the ocean at Burrard Inlet
Paddling the
Capilano River is amazing, as the well-ordered world nearby suddenly
feels so distant as you enter its 3.5-mile (5.6-km) drop-and-pool
course. This is an enchanted canyon and should only be attempted
by those who can handle its powerful spell. Opinion is divided as
to whether this should be attempted in an open canoe, but certainly
not before consulting knowledgeable sources. Opinion is united on
one necessity, however: have a guide with you when you put in for
the first time.
By July, water
levels begin to drop and the river becomes more technical. Even
in summer this is most definitely a wet suit-and-helmet river. There's
only one put-in, at the top of the canyon beside the fish hatchery.
The Cleveland Dam's presence is a reminder that water levels on
the river can fluctuate daily, depending on the amount of water
released from the dam (and the sky above). A water gauge at the
west end of the weir near the salmon pools indicates the difficulty
of the water: 2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 m) equals easy; 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8
m) equals difficult; above 6 feet (1.8 m) equals expert only.
On rainy days
this river calls to local intermediate and expert paddlers, who
treasure its proximity to home. One such fan is Betty Pratt-Johnson,
who wrote the endo-by-endo description of the Capilano in her biblical
Whitewater Trips for Kayakers, Canoeists and Rafters, Volume
Two. Track it down; then, welcome to the washing machine.
Capilano River
Regional Park's hiking trail runs 5 miles (8 km) north from Ambleside
Park to Capilano Lake. As you follow the Capilano River Trail upstream
from Ambleside Park (a short section of the trail is also signed
as West Vancouver's Town Trail), it will lead you through a residential
neighbourhood before reaching the wilder side of the park. From
this point north there's easy access to the boulder-filled river.
For many visitors, this sea-level section of the park provides enough
exploring to take up an entire visit. For others, there's a long
ribbon of trail to follow as the Capilano-Pacific Trail leads along
the west side of Capilano Canyon to the Fish Hatchery and Cleveland
Dam. Allow three to four hours to complete the round trip from Ambleside
Park.
The Capilano
River Fish Hatchery in Capilano River Regional Park teems with piscicultural
activity year-round. The best part about it is that visitors get
to spy on the fry through glass walls that surround their tanks.
It's like a giant aquarium set in a rock canyon.
As you make
your way north from Ambleside, the banks of the Capilano River begin
to narrow. Near Highway 1, the trail climbs away from the river
and follows Keith Road for a short distance north beneath the Upper
Levels Highway Bridge. If your plan is simply to hike the forest
trail and explore some of the pools in the Capilano River Canyon,
this is the best place to begin. By car, take Keith Road east off
Taylor Way and drive to its end. Park here near the trailhead. A
Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) signpost indicates the
start of this section of the Capilano-Pacific Trail. At this point
the trail has the appearance of a charming country lane.
The nearby forest
is interlaced with old logging roads. In 1926, once logging ended,
Capilano became one of the first municipal parks on the North Shore.
Occasionally a short secondary trail leads downhill into the Capilano
River's narrow canyon. The one to Ranger Pool is moderately steep
in places, but worth the effort to enjoy the view of the canyon
from its riverbed. The overstorey of tall evergreens, combined with
a mass of ferns that carpet the forest floor, imbue the environment
with a uniform green essence year-round. One of the great joys of
visiting here is the quiet that permeates the atmosphere. Even when
it's raining, the branches of the forest are so sheltering that
much of the moisture never reaches the ground. You'll find a good
spot to take a break at one magnificent viewpoint, where the canyon
can be seen dropping away sharply to the river below. A conveniently
placed bench sits beneath towering Douglas firs here. Just south
of this viewpoint, a short trail leads down to the Sandy Point Pools.
North of the
viewpoint the Capilano-Pacific Trail leaves the river for a while
and crosses two major creeks. At Houlgate Creek, a branch of the
main trail leads higher up to the Shinglebolt viewpoint. Explore
the Shinglebolt on a clear day when the trail isn't too muddy. As
seen from the viewpoint, Capilano Lake spreads towards the Lions,
and the landscape looks wonderfully composed. A warren of trails
winds through the woods here. Despite logging, some beautiful old
trees remain along the trails on the west bank. Easygoing Rabbit
Lane Trail (2.5 miles/4 km return), which loops through the forest
and links with the Capilano-Pacific Trail in several places, was
the route used by the Capilano Timber Company railway and accounts
for the gentle grade. Nearby is Capilano River Regional Park's North
Vancouver entrance.
There are several
entrances in North Vancouver to Capilano River Regional Park, all
within a short distance of each other. If you are travelling on Highway
1, take the Capilano Road North exit (exit 14) to reach the park.
Capilano Road can also be reached from Marine Drive in North Vancouver,
a short distance east of the Lions Gate Bridge. Four parking lots
are located near the fish hatchery in Capilano River Regional Park;
another is at the picnic site beside Cleveland Dam. You can also catch
the Grouse Mountain bus from North Vancouver's Lonsdale Quay, which
stops at the fish hatchery and Cleveland Dam.
Nearest
Towns: West Vancouver,
North Vancouver, The
North Shore, Vancouver
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