Widgeon Falls is a special place. This trip requires a canoe/kayak trip and a short hike to get to. Widgeon Falls is in Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. The canoe/kayak trip starts at the northwest corner of the Pitt-Addington Marsh in Pitt Meadows. The trip takes you across the Pitt River and into Widgeon Creek. When I did the trip, the water level in Widgeon Creek was low, which meant that sometimes we would have to get out and drag the canoe. So, it’s advisable to take sandals for the canoe/kayak trip. The paddling ends at the Widgeon Creek campground, and this is where the easy 3 km hike to the falls starts. The trail is easy to follow.

Tips

• After crossing the Pitt River, stay to the right — the water is deeper here, and you are less likely to get grounded.
• The canoe rental place is first come, first served, cash only ($55 in 2017).
• Canoes rent out fast on nice summer days and weekends.
• Go on a weekday to avoid crowds if possible.
• You can take the road trail on your return hike for fewer ups and downs.
• Pack sandals for your canoe trip.

Trail Stats

• Distance (canoe/kayaking): 4.5 km × 2 = 9 km
• Distance (hiking): 3 km × 2 = 6 km
• Distance (total): 15 km
• Time (canoe/kayaking): 1 to 1.5 hours × 2 = 2 to 3 hours
• Time (hiking): about 1 hour × 2 = 2 hours
• Time (total moving): about 5 hours
• Low point: 5 m
• High point: 95 m
• Elevation gain: 90 m
• Parking and start of canoe/kayak: 49° 20′ 56.3″ N, 122° 36′ 58.4″ W (Google Maps and navigation)

The Route

The actual GPS track from this trip, drawn on the map below — the paddle up Widgeon Creek followed by the hike to the falls. Green marks the start/end point.

Photos

Before You Hike

Before heading out on your hike, make sure you are well prepared. This means having the TEN ESSENTIALS. It is also important to leave a trip plan (route details and estimated return time) with someone you trust.

Bring your smartphone, fully charged, and put it in airplane mode while hiking. I always bring backup battery packs for extra peace of mind. It is highly recommended that you bring a GPS device. I use my smartphone with a GPS app (Backcountry Navigator). The GPS will work in airplane mode. Learn how to use it before your hike.

For anyone new to hiking, there is a rule that hikers follow called “Leave No Trace” or LNT. The concept is generally to pack out what you pack in and respect nature, so all future visitors can enjoy what you have enjoyed. To learn more about LNT, please check out this blog by a certified LNT Trainer.

Deer Lake is located near the centre of Burnaby, BC, and is about 35 ha (90 acres) in area. The area is a nature oasis in the City of Burnaby. There are a number of easy walking trails and points of entry. I parked at the parking lot off Sperling Avenue. The trail around the lake is short and sweet; it is flat, with many elevated boardwalks to protect the sensitive aquatic ecosystems. To add some distance to your hike, I suggest a walk up to see the original stairs for Oakalla Prison (which used to be located in the area).

Trail Stats

• Distance: 3.5 km (just the lake loop)
• Time: 1 hour
• Low point: 20 m
• High point: 38 m
• Elevation gain: 18 m
• Trailhead and parking: 49° 14′ 11.3″ N, 122° 57′ 53.5″ W (Google Maps and navigation)

The Route

The actual GPS track from this hike, drawn on the map below. Green marks the start/end point.

Photos

The Shoreline Trail in Port Moody is an easy hike with great views. The trail wraps around the eastern tip of Burrard Inlet, starting at Rocky Point Park and ending at Old Orchard Park.

What You’ll See

Some of the features you can see on this hike include:

• The Port Moody Wharf
• A ship wreck
• A saltwater marsh
• Two abandoned sawmill sites
• Boardwalks over the inlet
• Herons

The McNair Cedar Mill Site

One of the most interesting stops along the trail is the old McNair Cedar Mill Site. The mill was run by Robert McNair of the Robert McNair Shingle Company, who partnered with BC Electric to build a rail line hauling cedar logs down from the Coquitlam Lake area to feed the mill, along with a dock to ship out the finished shingles and lumber. The mill operated for decades before it burned down in 1949, and today only a few relics remain among the trees, a quiet reminder of Port Moody’s industrial past. It’s also a favourite spot for birders, since dabbling and diving ducks are often seen in the water nearby. If you’d like to see a piece of the mill’s history up close, the Old Mill Boathouse at Rocky Point Park was built using 100-year-old fir beam trusses salvaged from the original millsite.

The Heron Colony

Another real highlight of this trail is the small heron colony (a “heronry”) located in the trees near the Old Orchard Park end of the route. It’s home to a handful of nesting pairs of Great Blue Heron, the large, long-legged birds you’ll often see standing motionless in the shallows or gliding low over the water on their way to or from the nests. The colony is thought to be linked to a larger heronry that once existed at the mouth of the Coquitlam River, and the birds here have grown accustomed to people passing by on the trail below. The City of Port Moody has installed a protective barrier around the nest trees to keep foot traffic from straying too close, since herons are easily disturbed, especially during nesting season, and may abandon a nest entirely if they feel threatened. Great Blue Herons are also protected under the BC Wildlife Act, so please stay on the trail, respect any barriers or signage, and give the birds plenty of space to watch and admire them. Spring is typically the best time to see nesting activity, with chicks visible in the nests by early summer.

Parking

The only problem with this hike is the small parking lot at Rocky Point. You can park on the street if it’s full — just check first to see if there are any special events going on at Rocky Point.

Trail Stats

• Distance: 6 km (return)
• Time: 2 to 4 hours
• Low point: sea level
• High point: sea level
• Elevation gain: minimal
• Parking: 49° 6′ 45″ N, 122° 50′ 55.1″ W (Google Maps and navigation)

The Route

The actual GPS track from this hike, drawn on the map below. Green marks the start/end point.

Photos

The New Shoreline Trail Boardwalk

The boardwalk shown in the older photograph below is no longer the current structure. The City of Port Moody completed a major replacement of approximately 440 m of boardwalk, bridge, and gravel trail through Pigeon Cove between 2024 and 2025.

Phase 1, between Murray Street and Suter Brook Creek, was completed in December 2024. Phase 2 continued from Suter Brook Creek to just beyond Noons Creek and was completed in September 2025. The full new boardwalk officially opened on 13 September 2025.

The original timber boardwalks had been built more than 30 years earlier and were increasingly affected by king tides and storm surges. The replacement boardwalk is wider and more accessible, has been raised to better accommodate rising sea levels, and includes handrails and improved ramps. Its design also helps reduce disturbance to the sensitive tidal-marsh environment.

Burnaby Lake is the largest lake in Metro Vancouver, and there is a trail that goes all the way around. For an added bonus, there are a number of different entry points to start your hike/walk. For my walk, I started at the east end of the lake and parked in the Avalon Avenue parking lot.

There are a number of small creeks that feed the lake, including Still Creek at the west end. The lake has a dam (Cariboo Dam), which leads to the Brunette River, which then goes to the Fraser River.

Trail Stats

• Distance: 11 km (loop)
• Time: variable
• Low point: 15 m
• High point: 25 m
• Elevation gain: minimal
• Trailhead and parking: 49° 14′ 47.6″ N, 121° 55′ 6.0″ W (Google Maps and navigation)

The Route

The actual GPS track from this walk, drawn on the map below. Green marks the start/end point.

Photos