Hunter Park

This park is a hidden gem for a quiet time in nature, especially with small tots or younger children.  Located in Upper Lynn Valley, it has a wide trail suitable for strollers, a flowing creek, plenty of tree shade, large cedar stumps, and a duck pond.   

 

ACCESS AND FACILITES

 

You can enter the park from any of the short access paths connecting the park to surrounding neighbourhoods,  but if you are bringing a stroller, it’s best to avoid Chaucer Avenue entrance as the two paths there either have stairs or are quite steep.  There is only street parking in the residential areas bordering the park.  Unless you are entering from Chaucer Avenue which is the only location with a large park sign, the entrance trails are easy to miss, as they are narrow gravel paths in between private properties marked only with a small sign indicating Hunter Park.  There are no washrooms in the park.

 

THE PARK

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We consider it more of an extended park than a hike, unless your small tot is working up their hiking distance.  You won’t get lost - the main trail runs East to West through the park, generally following Hastings Creek, and loops around the duck pond in its Western terminus.  Short side trails connect it with the neighbourhood. 

 

The total round trip distance on the trail from one end to the other, including looping around the duck pond, is around 1.5km, although our GPS usually measures well over 2km with all the side trips our tot leads out on.  Note that Google Maps does not show the trail looping around the pond, but we can confirm it’s there!  The trail is smooth with no elevation change, so even small tots or other beginner hikers can work up to trekking the whole way on their own.  There are plenty of trees, stumps, rocks, and water to explore along the way, and a couple of benches to sit and enjoy the peacefulness, or have a snack (or both!).  

 

Dogs are allowed off leash in most of the park, but it is usually not busy, unlike in the neighboring Princess park.