Lynn Canyon Park is the free alternative to Capilano Suspension Bridge — a 50-metre pedestrian suspension bridge crossing Lynn Creek at a height of 50 metres above the canyon floor, surrounded by 250 hectares of second-growth coastal temperate rainforest. The bridge was built in 1912, rebuilt in 1922, and has been a North Shore institution ever since. Admission is free and the park is open year-round.
Beyond the bridge, Lynn Canyon Park has an excellent network of hiking trails ranging from easy (the 30-Foot Pool loop, about 30 minutes round trip) to more challenging (the Twin Falls loop, about an hour, with a second bridge and a dramatic waterfall view). The Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre near the main parking lot is free and has good exhibits on the coastal rainforest ecosystem.
One complicated note: Lynn Creek has a series of deep pools below the falls that look extremely tempting on a hot day, and people do swim in them — but the creek is dangerous. Currents are strong, water temperatures are frigid year-round, and the rocks are slippery. Several people die in Lynn Creek every year, usually in late summer when the pools look shallow but are in fact extremely deep and cold. The pools are marked with safety signage that is, unfortunately, often ignored. If you visit the park, admire the pools from the trails and save your swimming for Deep Cove or Kitsilano Beach.
How to get there
By car, take the Lynn Valley Road exit from Highway 1 and follow signs — free parking at the main lot (fills by 10am on summer weekends). By transit, the 228 bus from Lonsdale Quay runs to Lynn Valley Centre, then a 10-minute walk.
Local tips
- Completely free — no admission, unlike Capilano
- Arrive before 9am on weekends or you'll fight for parking
- DO NOT swim in Lynn Creek — it's dangerous even when it looks shallow
- The Ecology Centre near the parking lot is free and worth a visit