Boardwalk along Lynn Creek in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. Photo: Rohit D’Silva/Unsplash
Cradled by the gorgeous green forest of North Vancouver, Lynn Headwaters Regional Park is a great place to experience nature. Go for a walk along the creek, pack a picnic, take your dog off-leash, or tackle a hike.
How to Get to Lynn Headwaters Regional Park
By car: From Vancouver, take the Iron Workers Memorial (Second Narrows) Bridge to North Vancouver. Use exit 22A to go north on Mountain Highway. Turn right on Lynn Valley Road and follow it until it ends at the park gate. Drive into the park and park at one of the designated parking areas. Pay parking is in effect from March 1 to October 31.
By transit: This is one of the easiest parks to reach on public transit. Take the 210 bus from Burrard Station or the 228 bus from Lonsdale Quay, then get off at the Underwood Avenue and Evelyn Street stop in North Vancouver. From there, walk 2 blocks to the park gate.
Tips for Visiting
- Visit the park website and use the park map to plan your trip.
- The park gate opens at 7 a.m. each day and closes in the early evening. Closing times vary with the season. Check opening hours on the park website so you don’t get locked in.
- Some parts of the park are leash-optional. Watch for park signs or use this map to see where dogs are allowed off-leash.
- Smoking, vaping, cannabis, drones, alcohol, and collecting plants are not allowed.
- There are washrooms at the park entrance.
- Be safe in the park. AdventureSmart recommends bringing a backpack with essential safety and first aid gear on every hike. Check the forecast and pack extra clothing for the weather. Leave a trip plan so someone knows where you are going and when you will be back.
- Read our tips for safe fall hiking in Vancouver.
Have a Picnic
Several picnic tables and a grassy area by the park entrance are a great for picnics. You can also watch the rushing waters of Lynn Creek flow by.
Explore Lynn Creek
Cross the long wooden bridge over Lynn Creek, then follow the easy lower portion of the Lynn Loop Trail. This wide gravel path meanders beside the creek for 1.8km. Several marked side trails take you down to the edge of the creek where you can watch the water rumble through the rounded rocks.
Rounded rocks in Lynn Creek. Photo: Rohit D’Silva/Unsplash
Take Your Dog on an Off-Leash Hike
Lynn Headwaters has several leash-optional trails where your dog can explore off-leash, provided they are under control. You and your pup can explore the easy lower section of the Lynn Loop Trail, the Cedar Mill Trail, and the Headwaters Trail route to Norvan Falls. Refer to this map to see where dogs can be off-leash.
Summit Lynn Peak
Follow the steep and rocky trail to the top of 992-metre-high Lynn Peak to enjoy views of the Seymour River Valley. It’s an 8.8 km round trip hike from the park entrance and gains 780 m of elevation, so it’s best for experienced hikers. The route is usually snow-free between April and mid-November.
Hike to Norvan Falls
The hike to Norvan Falls is an ideal trip for cloudy days. Your objective is 30-metre-tall Norvan Falls, which is often gushing at this time of year thanks to fall rains. While this hike is not short, it’s fairly flat so it is only moderately difficult. Use our trail guide to find your way.
Norvan Falls. Photo: Taryn Eyton/happiestoutdoors.ca
Learn About Local History
The BC Mills House Museum sits near the park entrance. This tiny cottage was built in 1908 and used to sit on East 1st Street in North Vancouver. It was moved to the park in 1995 and now functions as a museum. Its hours are sporadic, so it may not be open when you visit, but you can still peer through the windows to get a glimpse at the exhibits.
Walk the Varley Trail
Many visitors to Lynn Headwaters Park miss the Varley Trail, so it’s a great place for a quiet walk. The 1.5-km-long trail follows Lynn Creek from the park entrance to Rice Lake Road. The trail is named for the painter, Frederick Varley, a member of Canada’s Group of Seven. He lived near here in the 1930s and his art was often inspired by the moss, salal, ferns, and salmonberry bushes of the rainforest.
