Lynn Canyon Park is a beautiful place in North Vancouver. It has walking trails, waterfalls, an ecology centre, a suspension bridge and tons of nature.
If you are looking for somewhere to experience the great outdoors, then this is one of Vancouver’s absolute best places to visit. Dogs are welcome, but they must be on a leash.
NOTE: They have been repairing and restoring sections of the boardwalks and stairs in the park. As of the spring of 2026, one section of the trail is still closed due to the work. You can, however, still access most of the park.
In this article you’ll find information about the following topics:
Lynn Canyon Trails | Twin Falls to 30-Foot Pool Trail Video | Northwest Trails Video | Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre | How to get to Lynn Canyon Park | Tips & Advice | Other Information
Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver
The suspension bridge at Lynn Canyon is a good one – not as long as the one at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, but it’s free and the views from it are equally spectacular.
If you plan to spend more than just a few short minutes at the park, then take your hiking shoes and plan to spend an hour or two exploring. Twenty-minute hikes are also enjoyable.
Lynn Canyon Trails
There are lots of trails going up and down the slopes, many with wooden boardwalks and stairs. If you want to be in nature and get some exercise at the same time, then this is a wonderful place to do that, and comes highly recommended.
After you cross the suspension bridge you’ll find trails heading to the right and to the left. South is right and north is left.
Trails to the South
If you head south after crossing the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge you’ll go along a series of boardwalks, steps and staircases. In less than 20 minutes you’ll descend down to a bridge crossing Twin Falls and then up a large flight of stairs back up the canyon on the other side (and just a short walk back to where you started).
Twin Falls is a nice spot. The falls aren’t large or high; instead, they’re just a section of rapids that drop a bit just under the bridge.
Video of Trail from Twin Falls to 30-Foot Pool
The following video is of the trail if you head south from the parking lot near the suspension bridge. As you’ll see in the video, this route begins with lots of stairs. They lead you down to the bridge by Twin Falls. The trail then goes up the canyon on the other side.
The video shows lots of stairs, boardwalks and trails through the forest. You’ll also see Lynn Creek and the giant rock not far from the 30-foot pool.
Trails to the North
If you follow the trails north from the far end of the suspension bridge you’ll come to the 30-foot pool which is a popular swimming area in the summer (and a safe place to swim compared to some of the river’s other sections).
Heading north along the trail there are a fair number of stairs along the way, but not too many. Up one big flight of stairs, beginning at the 30-foot pool, you end up at the start of the trail heading to Rice Lake which is about a 20-minute walk away.
Northwest Trails Video
The following video is of the trails at Lynn Canyon Park between the top of Lynn Valley Road and just north of the suspension bridge. The entire route is on the western side of Lynn Creek.
At the northern end of Lynn Valley Road there is the End of the Line General Store. In the area there isn’t a parking lot. There is just street parking. Across the street from the store are some steps going down. That’s where this video starts.
(Note: Instead of going down the stairs, if you just kept going north along the road, you’ll come to Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. There is also another road leading to a bridge and then a path that goes to the Lower Seymour Conservation Area and Rice Lake.)
The video below begins at the steps that lead down to Lynn Creek from the northern end of Lynn Valley Road. As you’ll see, the route includes lots of stairs. There are also boardwalks and dirt paths through the forest and along the side of the creek. The video goes until just before the suspension bridge (which doesn’t appear in the video) and then heads back.
Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre
Not far from the main parking lot at Lynn Canyon Park is the Ecology Centre. Admission is by donation (with the recommended amount being $2, or $5 for a family). The price is about right. The centre is interesting and worth dropping in to see if you are at the park anyway, but not a destination in and of itself.
Lynn Canyon Café
At the park, not far from the main parking lot and suspension bridge, there is the Lynn Canyon Café which is open seasonally. From mid-spring until early fall, it’s usually open daily from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm. In the slower season, it’s often closed, especially on weekdays.
How to get to Lynn Canyon Park
Lynn Canyon is located in Lynn Valley in North Vancouver. If driving, go up Lynn Valley Road and turn right on Peter’s Road. Lynn Canyon Park is one kilometre from the turn-off.
From Vancouver and the Iron Workers’ Memorial Bridge, head up the “Cut” – the long steep stretch of highway not far past the bridge – and turn off to the right about halfway up, at exit #19, which will bring you to Lynn Valley Road.
Buses leave Lonsdale Quay about once every 15 minutes on weekdays (or 30 minutes on weekends and holidays). The ride on bus #228 from Lonsdale Quay takes just over 30 minutes.
Parking at Lynn Canyon
At the entrance to Lynn Canyon there is a small gravel parking lot. If there’s a spot, it’s a good place to park. If there’s no space available there, continue driving.
Further down, past the Ecology Centre on the left and the large concession building on the right, there is fair bit of parking.
On exceptionally busy days, a long dirt road for additional parking is also opened up. You might have to hike back up to the suspension bridge from there, and a fair ways on busy days, but that’s fine as most visitors are there to hike anyways.
On weekends and sunny days, especially in the summer, Lynn Canyon is very popular and parking can be a challenge. Chances are good, though, that you’ll find a place.
A nice thing about Lynn Canyon in the past was that parking was free. That changed, though, as of the spring of 2021. Now, between March 1st and October 31st, there is an hourly charge to park. Paid parking is in effect during those months between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. The charge during these months is $3 per hour up to a maximum of four hours. It’s still free to park, though, between November and February. There is also free parking on nearby streets.
NOTE:: They close the gates to the road at dusk at the park, so sure to leave before they do that. As of the last time we checked, in early spring, the gates close at 8:00 pm. It’s likely later than that in the summer. After the gates close, if your vehicle is still inside the park, you’ll get fined and have to pay a fee to get your vehicle out. So don’t be late!
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips to help you make the most of your visit to Lynn Canyon.
TIP #1: Be careful swimming in the river and its natural pools. It can be a popular place for jumping off rocks and into the water, but it can also be extremely dangerous. It seems that every year or so someone drowns due to the undercurrents. Observe the warning signs and don’t jump off the cliffs!
TIP #2: If you want to see a suspension bridge, but don’t want to pay for the one at Capilano Suspension Bridge, then this is the place to go. Capilano Bridge is amazing, but does charge admission.
TIP #3: Don’t bring anyone that doesn’t like stairs, and if you bring a stroller be prepared to carry it a LOT of the way – actually, better not to bring a stroller at all.
On an hour-long hike you can expect to either climb up or down over 700 steps if you want (or far fewer on the above two routes). Unless you have bad knees, you’ll enjoy the exercise as well as the scenery.
TIP #4: There are lots of boardwalks and stairs in the park, but also gravel trails which, for the most part, are easy to walk along. There are lots of large roots on the path in areas, however, so watch your step (especially if you are elderly and don’t have the best balance).
TIP #5: Travelling to Banff or Yoho National Park anytime soon? The next time you’re anywhere near Golden, BC, be sure to check out Golden Skybridge. It’s where you’ll find the highest suspension bridge in Canada!
Other Information
Close to Lynn Canyon Park is Rice Lake, which is another beautiful location for walking around (and fishing too), as well as Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. Also passing through Lynn Canyon Park is the renowned Baden Powell Trail, with its over 40 km of hiking trails stretching from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove.
To learn more about the area, click North Vancouver or North Shore.
For a list of other parks in the Lower Mainland, click Parks & Nature.
For information about Vancouver’s most famous suspension bridge, click Capilano Bridge Park.
