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North Vancouver’s Seymour Demonstration Forest

Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve

The Seymour Valley Trailway in North Vancouver’s Seymour Demonstration Forest is one of Metro Vancouver’s best places to bring the family for a bike ride.

Located in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, the place is ideal for both joggers and cyclists. There are also lots of great hiking trails in the area.

 

Forest and Valley Trailway in North Vancouver

The Seymour Valley Trailway is a great place to take the family for a bike ride because it is paved (so no need for special mountain bike tires). It’s also beautiful. The trail winds through the forest. It’s even great for young children, although it isn’t actually flat. The trail tends to slope downhill, meaning that it’s uphill on the way back.

The Seymour Demonstration Forest is a great destination to combine with a trip to Rice Lake, which is just minutes off the bicycle path, or the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge at Lynn Canyon Park, which is a hike away, but still in the area.

 

Best Times to Visit

The Seymour Demonstration Forest is a perfect place to visit almost any time of year. Because the path goes through the trees, it doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, especially in colder months. This means that although it’s beautiful on a sunny day, the weather doesn’t affect the experience as much as most other places in the Lower Mainland.

It’s not fun on a rainy day, but it can actually be very nice on a hot day, when other “best places to cycle” are more exposed to the open sun.

 

Demonstration Forest Directions

The area is best accessed by car up Lillooet Road, up the hill past Capilano University. Just drive to the top of the road to the parking lot. (NOTE:: There is no public transit if you go this way.)

Another way to get to the Seymour Demonstration Forest is via Lynn Canyon. Drive (or take Transit) to the top of Lynn Valley Road and park by the End of the Line General Store coffee shop (located at 4913 Lynn Valley Road).

From the top of Lynn Valley Road, walk down the hill, across Pipe Bridge and up the trail for about 10 or so minutes. If you do that you’ll reach the same parking lot that you would have reached driving up Lillooet Road. From the parking lot, you can walk to Rice Lake, or ride your bicycle or jog along the Demonstration Forest’s paved path/roadway.

 

Bridge to Lower Seymour
Pipe Bridge

 

Tips & Advice

Below some suggestions to help you make the most out of your trip to the Seymour Demonstration Forest.

TIP #1: Especially in the fall, if hiking in a more remote part of the park (i.e. away from noisy people), wear a bell or talk lots to scare away the bears.

TIP #2: Take a snack and drinks as there are no stores in the area. There is, however, a coffee shop at the top of Lynn Valley Road.

TIP #3: There is parking at the park entrance to the area at the top of Lillooet Road. You can also access the park by the trail starting near the corner of Lynn Valley Road at Dempsey. Park on the street by the End of the Line General Store at 4193 Lynn Valley Road. From there go just a tiny bit north and then down Rice Lake Road to Pipe Bridge. From the store it is less than a 10-minute walk to the Seymour Demonstration Forest and entrance to the trails to Rice Lake.

 

Other Information

Click Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve Map for a map of the area.

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