My recent posts have been about hikes and backpacking trips I’ve done in the last few years, so let’s get back to the present for a change. It’s been a long couple of months, but one of the things that has really helped me deal with my separation from camping and the backcountry, is making the time to go for walks in my neighbourhood. I’m a new resident to the Tri-Cities area and I was thrilled to discover that there is no shortage of parks and green spaces for me explore between Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody. I’m sure many of these trails are well known to long-time residents, but here are some of my favourite local trails!

City Walks

Riverview Forest – This is my personal favourite. It’s a small park across the street from popular Mundy Park. It has really nice rustic trails weaving through the forest and it’s a good place to escape the crowds and see who can spot the most painted rocks.

Colony Farm Regional Park – There’s little tree cover in this park, so it can get pretty hot on a sunny day, but it has a nice big trail loop that’s great for running and biking. I enjoy walking my dog along the river through the park.

Traboulay PoCo Trail – The PoCo Trail runs right around the city and has a little bit of something for everyone. I’ve only explored a small portion of this 25km trail to date, but it’s a great trail to complete over several days or weeks if you like setting goals!

Nearby Hikes

Crystal Falls – The trailhead is located close to Coquitlam Town Centre and the hike straddles the border of Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. There’s minimal elevation gain on this hike, so it’s great on a rainy day and has the reward of a beautiful waterfall at the end.

Minnekhada Regional Park – A short drive up Quarry Road lands you at this gem of a regional park. It’s a great place for bird-watching and with two loops around the lake, it’s easy to customize to whatever length you like. When I visited, the hike to High Knoll was closed for social distancing.

Pinecone Burke Provincial Park – Pinecone Burke recently opened for day use and there’s a wide variety of trails to explore in the park. If you like an easier grade, check out the Woodland Walk up to Sawblade Falls. If you’re looking for something more challenging, hike up to Coquitlam Lake Viewpoint or Munro Lake.

Eagle Mountain Trails – If you’re looking for a longer hike that stays out of the parks, there’s a huge trail network along the base of Eagle Mountain in Port Moody. It’s easy to build your own adventure on these trails, just watch out for mountain bikers!

Getting There

Depending where you live, there are lots of trails you can reach on foot – but if you’re going a little further, public transit or Modo can get you where you need to go! I like to book a Modo when I’m going to the forest or mountains, which is what I did when I visited Pinecone Burke. My go-to cars include the Toyota Corolla on Charland Avenue and the Hyundai Tucson and Toyota Prius at Braid Station. There are also Modo vehicles available at Lougheed, Coquitlam Town Centre, and Inlet Centre. I’m a Modo Ambassador, so you can sign up using my promo code ‘MARIA50’ to save $50 in driving credit!