Traveling With Kids: Hiking with kids in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, North Vancouver

Hiking with my kids is one of the most fun family activities we do. The kids love it, I love it, my husband loves it, and since we got our dog last year: the dog loves it, too.

Living just outside Vancouver on Canada's west coast means we have some spectacular mountains and forests, and parks that are just made for hiking and walking. One of our favourite places to go is on the North Shore, in North Vancouver's Lynn Headwaters Regional Park.

This place has some fantastic variety when it comes to trails. Our go-to trail with the kids and the dog is the lower trail along the river. This is the Lynn Loop/Cedar's Mill trail, and it is a wide, almost entirely flat trail that follows the river. It's very easy to walk: you can bring a stroller here without any problems, for example.

There's plenty of scenery: swirling green river water, giant trees, skunk cabbage, berry bushes and flowers, and all sorts of dogs running around. This part of the trail is leash-optional, and it's a popular place for dogs and people alike. There's easy access to the river in many places, so you can go check out the freezy cold waters on a hot day: our dog loves going for a dip in the water!

On the upper part of the Lynn Loop trail.

This past weekend we went for the full Lynn Loop trail for the first time in a while. For us, this involves starting things off with a steeper, rougher climb up into the higher forest area, eventually coming back down to the river using several sets of wooden stairs and snaking trails in the steep mountain side, and then returning to the exit and parking lot via the trail along the river. It's not a super tough hike for the kids, but that first climb can be a bit hard on kids' and grownup's legs, and the steep descent can also be a little challenging for small kids (or those nervous about slipping and falling).

Can't beat the forest scenery up here!

The trail is gorgeous throughout, and well kept. If you feel really adventurous you can head out on some of the more challenging side trails, like the one heading up to Lynn Peak, or keep going all the way to Norvan Falls. Norvan Falls is a rather long hike and can be rough depending on the weather and time of year, so make sure you have enough time to return safely before dark!

Up close and personal with an old log.

Both the easy trail along the river and the slightly more challenging, full Lynn Loop trail are fantastic to do with kids. They make for a grand day out with lots of fresh air, beautiful trees, and fun things to see in the woods, on and off the trail.

For more information about Lynn Headwaters Regional Park and the trails, check out: