Nature walks, a winding creek, waterfalls and a fish hatchery and more can be found in Kanaka Creek Regional Park.
The linear park protects a stretch of Kanaka Creek as it winds from the Fraser River near 232 Street eastwards past 272 Street. The 405-hectare park is managed by the Greater Vancouver Regional District.
The park offers a number of different experiences at various points. Here are some of the more popular ones.
Cliff Falls
This popular picnic spot features picnic tables in a sunny spot and a lush forest setting. Come June, the salmonberry bushes are laden with ripe fruit, in brilliant shades of red and gold. To access this area, take Dewdney Trunk Road east from the town centre and turn right at 252 Street.
Riverfront section
The section of the park closest to the Fraser River offers canoeable marshes and the easygoing Riverfront walking rail. Along the way, climb the three-storey observation tower beside the creek, which provides an overview of the landscape here. Bring your binoculars, as this quiet refuge sustains a host of fascinating flyers. The creek and river close in on both sides of the nose of land as you follow the trail west. Decaying pilings offer mute testimony that fishing boats once tied up in this sheltered backwater. From an observation deck that overhangs the riverbank, you get broad views of the Fraser.
To access to the parking lot for this section, take Lougheed Highway east from the Maple Ridge town centre and turn right on River Road. If you're coming from the east, turn left onto 240 Street from Lougheed and follow it as it turns into River Road.
Bell Irving Fish Hatchery
This working fish hatchery is open for free tours and is a great place for families to learn about salmon and their habitat. The area also has picnic tables.
Access to the hatchery is from 256 Street south of Dewdney Trunk Road.