Take a Walk on the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, Vancouver

One of the main things I wanted to see and do while we were in Vancouver was checking out Lynn Canyon Park. This amazing park features a suspension bridge that sways 50 meters above the canyon. This was the main attraction that had me wanting to visit and explore the park. The canyon also offers a selection of walking and hiking trails that connect to other parks in the region such as Lynn Headwaters, Rice Lake, and Inter River Park. It is huge and very beautiful.  It was so huge in fact that my husband (who is usually really good with directions) actually had a little bit of trouble finding the actual bridge. Needless to say, we had a fun time being “lost”. There are several species of animals that can be found both within the Lynn Canyon Park as well as other surrounding regions such as Horseshoe Bay and the local mountains. I kept my eyes open, but didn’t really see anything interesting.  Black bears are often found in areas such as Lynn Canyon Park, so it was probably a good thing I didn’t see anything too exciting, lol.

What I did find exciting was the history of the park and the area. When the park officially opened in 1912 it was only 12 acres (4.9 ha) in size, but it now encompasses 617 acres (250 ha). The park has many hiking trails of varying length and difficulty. The Baden-Powell Trail passes through the park crossing over the Suspension Bridge.  Lynn Creek and Lynn Valley area are named after sapper John Linn, a Royal British Engineer who was granted land at the mouth of the creek in 1871. The Linn family name was often misspelled “Lynn”. By the turn of the century Linn Creek had become Lynn Creek.

As far as the bridge itself, designs for the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge were created by civil engineer and architect, C.H. Vogel. The construction of the bridge was completed in 1911. Lynn Canyon Park and the suspension bridge were officially opened at the first Lynn Valley Days celebration on September 14, 1912. As a private operation the Suspension Bridge cost 10 cents per person to cross. Later the fee was reduced to 5 cents, but the bridge fell into disrepair and was finally closed. The District of North Vancouver made repairs to the bridge and reopened it, free to everyone. 

Eventually we found our way to the bridge and found parking. It isn’t very far to the bridge, but there are a lot of stairs so I wouldn’t suggest it for those that have issues climbing stairs.  I couldn’t even see the bridge yet and I was totally excited because I heard the yet unseen waterfall as well. I finally got my first glimpse of the bridge and was thrilled. Before our trip I knew I wanted to do this, but was a little afraid I might be scared. Nope, like I said I was thrilled and could wait to walk across it. We did stop to take a few pictures of the bridge, then started our walk. It didn’t take very long, but we lingered taking pictures and admiring the incredible waterfall.

It was a fun walk even if it was swinging a lot. There were a few kids walking too, but the best part was watching the dogs slowly walking across. It was so cute.  After we spent a few minutes talking to a few other visitors, we left the bridge and walked around the area a little. It was so peaceful and we are extremely glad we spent time checking out this park. You can find more information about the park and the bridge on their site.  I will end by telling you that Lynn Canyon Park is open daily all year. During the winter months dusk falls very early. Use extreme caution and allow plenty of time to return to the park entrance before dark. We saw lots of signs stating what time the park entrance closes.