Greenheart TreeWalk at UBC

Located on the grounds of the largest university in Vancouver, UBC Botanical Garden is full of exotic plants and trees. The garden is also home to the Greenheart TreeWalk in addition to trails through the forest, wide open spaces and various vegetation species.

Built in 2008, the Greenheart TreeWalk is a 310-metre trail of bridges that goes from tree to tree through the forest. At some points the bridges are as high as 23 metres (or about 75 feet) off the ground!

BRIDGES IN THE TREES

If you like the idea of exploring the forest from bridges up high in the trees, then you’ll probably love WildPlay Element Park in Maple Ridge. WildPlay has ropes courses, ziplines and other activities that are fun for both children and adults. (TIP: With this place, if you use the promo code VBP15 you can save 15% on admission, or at least that was the case the last time we checked in early 2024.)

Another great place with bridges in the trees is Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in North Vancouver. It has its world-famous suspension bridge, but also a number of other bridges that go from tree to tree.

Where is the TreeWalk?

The UBC Botanical Garden houses the Greenheart TreeWalk. The garden’s address is 6804 SW Marine Drive which is in the southwest corner of the university’s campus.

There are two parts to UBC Botanical Garden. On the southwestern side of Marine Drive there is the forested area. There is also a more open area on the northeastern side (which is accessed via a tunnel under Marine Drive).

The Greenheart TreeWalk is located in the larger forested part of the garden about two-thirds of the way down from the gift shop and main entrance. Both the entrance and exit to the TreeWalk is accessed just off Upper Asian Way (which is one of the main trails through the forest).

Up Among the Trees at UBC

How Much Does the TreeWalk Cost?

Admission to UBC Botanical Garden is free for members, faculty and students at the University of British Columbia. Payment is required for most other folks.

The cost for non-UBC affiliated guests (excluding access to the TreeWalk) used to be $10 for adults and $8 for seniors, people with disabilities and non-UBC students. Children between the ages of 6 and 12 cost $5. Kids ages 5 and under were free. Prices for the 2024 season weren’t available as of early January in 2024. We expect them to be similar to what they were in the past, or maybe a bit more.

Note: Between November and mid-March admission to the UBC Botanical Garden and the Nitobe Memorial Garden are usually by donation, with a suggested amount of $5.

The Greenheart Treewalk closes in the winter and reopens in the spring. In 2024 the first day of the season is April 2nd. General admission to UBC Botanical Garden doesn’t include access to the Greenheart TreeWalk. To do the TreeWalk you have to pay extra. The additional fee used to be about $13 for adults, $9 for seniors and students, and $5 for children between the ages of 6 and 12. Rates for 2024 are to be confirmed.

During the winter the gardens are usually open from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday. Beginning in April, they are open every day of the week except for Mondays. In the warmer months the hours of operation are between 10:00 am and 4:30 pm.

See the UBC Botanical Garden website for tickets and exact rates.

On the Greenheart TreeWalk

What to Expect at the TreeWalk

The Greenheart TreeWalk is a network of suspended bridges. There are quite a few bridges and they connect with one another. Each starts and finishes at a different tree. The route takes about 20 minutes to complete at just over 300 metres in length.

The TreeWalk is quite unique. It’s operated by Greenheart Conservation which has similar sites in Africa, Brazil and the United States. The company’s only location in Canada is the one at UBC.

Vancouver venues that are somewhat similar to Greenheart TreeWalk include WildPlay Element Park in Maple Ridge, the Mountain Ropes Adventure at Grouse Mountain, and the Treetops Adventure at Capilano Suspension Bridge. There is also the Aerial Obstacle Course in Whistler. You’ll probably enjoy these other venues if you like the TreeWalk (although some are more challenging than others).

How is the Greenheart TreeWalk Different?

The bridges in the Greenheart TreeWalk are all pretty much the same within the attraction. However, they vary slightly in length and degree of wobbliness. You don’t have to be attached to anything or require special equipment to walk along the bridges.

The bridges and ropes course elements at WildPlay, on the other hand, have different rules. It’s mandatory to wear a harness and attach yourself to a network of cables at the Maple Ridge attraction. WildPlay also requires a bit of upper body strength and balance too.

The different segments at WildPlay are also varied and range from wobbly ladders to tightrope walking and even ziplining. The Maple Ridge course is challenging whereas the Greenheart TreeWalk isn’t (at least not for most people).

The Mountain Ropes Adventure at Grouse Mountain, meanwhile, is similar to WildPlay, but maybe a bit smaller. Both attractions are far more adventure-style and extreme than the Greenheart TreeWalk at UBC and the Treetops Adventure at Capilano Bridge.

The Treetops Adventure at Capilano Suspension Bridge is perhaps the most similar to the Greenheart TreeWalk at UBC. The Treetops Adventure is just one of several things to see and do at the world-famous North Shore attraction.

Similar to the Greenheart TreeWalk, the Treetops Adventure at Capilano Bridge involves a series of bridges that go from tree to tree high in the air. However, the bridges on the Greenheart TreeWalk are narrower and more shaky (although no more so than the main suspension bridge that the North Shore attraction is most famous for).

Greenheart TreeWalk Video

To see what the TreeWalk looks like, check out the following video. As you’ll see, the bridges take you up high above the ground. The birds-eye views from all around are pretty cool.

Tips and Advice

Below are some suggestions and extra information to help you make the most of your TreeWalk experience.

TIP #1: The Greenheart TreeWalk is a great addition to the UBC Botanical Garden, especially for families with children. We recommend doing the TreeWalk last as it’ll give kids something exciting to look forward to.

TIP #2: UBC Botanical Garden is like a park, but without sports facilities and children’s play areas. It has flower gardens and trails throughout the forest. Adults will likely find the garden more interesting than some children might. It appeals to people who like gardens, nature and plants. That being said, kids will love the TreeWalk! It makes the forest and garden especially interesting and exciting.

TIP #3: Don’t forget your camera. Make sure to hang onto it tight if you’re holding it over the edge of the bridges. It’s a long way for your electronics to fall if you drop something!

TIP #4: You’ll get an amazing birds-eye-view of the forest from up high in the bridges. It’s a cool perspective! Keep your eyes out for eagles while there. About eight of them live in the area, or at least they used to. You probably won’t see them, but you might if you’re lucky. You might also get to hear them. The birds make surprisingly high-pitched sounds, and not what you might expect from such large predatory birds.

TIP #5: The Greenheart TreeWalk is suitable for people of most ages and abilities. However, the bridges are high, narrow and wobbly. As a result, it’s not so suitable for people who have balance issues, vertigo or are afraid of heights.

TreeWalk at UBC Botanical Garden