Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge Hike

Vancouver, Canada aka Suspension Bridge City.

Alright, I confess I made up that nickname. It’s still better than the local tag of “Raincouver” though. (Seriously Vancouver, that’s an awful nickname). Despite shitty nicknames, there is so much to love about Vancouver. The food, the forests and most of all the suspension bridges. The two bridges you hear about the most are Capilano and the Lynn Canyon suspension bridges. The bridges have very different feels in terms environment, crowds and in how much they sway back and forth.

The biggest disparities between the two bridges are scale and price. For those who don’t want to pay the price of crossing Capilano, the longest suspension bridge in the world, the free alternative is Lynn Canyon. Despite being roughly a quarter the size of Capilano, the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge still gets the blood pumping.

However, the bridge isn’t the only attraction at Lynn Canyon Park. There are plenty of hiking trails to explore once you cross the canyon. Each trail is almost guaranteed to lead to a waterfall, lake, or stream. It may require some backtracking on trails to see all the popular attractions in one visit but none of the trails are too strenuous.

For those of you visiting Lynn Canyon for the first time, let’s take a look at the highlights you can easily hike to.

Lynn Canyon Park and Trailhead

1912, the year the Titanic sinks and Lynn Canyon park opens. Now while these seem unrelated, in fact, they are absolutely unrelated. Just thought you’d enjoy a random factoid. Moving on. There is a decent amount of parking at the trailhead and parking is free which is rare in Vancouver. Being over a century old, the park contains a massive growth of evergreen trees that tower above the park. After finding a parking spot, follow the road and signs to The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge.

Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

Compared to Capilano, the Lynn Canyon suspension looks a little sketchy.  It was built the same year the park opened, which makes the bridge over 100 years old. Its been updated since then so don’t let the rust scare you, it’s safe(-ish) to cross. Spanning this rocking suspension is a mind-over-matter scenario, which adds to the excitement. Suspended 164 feet above Lynn Creek, the bridge is 157 feet long.

I know you are not supposed to look down when you’re elevated beyond your comfort zone, but if you don’t, you will miss some of the best views in the park. Below you rages a dipping and diving waterfall of blue-green water.

If you survive the crossing, you’ll have some choices to make. The trail going left will take you to the 30 foot-pool, a popular swimming hole, and the Pipeline Bridge. Going right will take you to Twin Falls. I would recommend going left as this is the longer section, so get the hardest part (which is not actually difficult) out of the way early.

30 Foot Pool

Heading left towards the Pipeline bridge will bring you right past the 30 Foot Pool, a boulder garden with pockets of deep water perfect for cooling off in the summertime. Don’t be fooled by the name, the pool isn’t actually 30 feet deep so cliff jumping may seem tempting but is a poor decision. There are lots of entertaining signs along the trail like “Adrenaline will not revive You” or “Listen to that nervous feeling” to remind you of this.

Venture a little off the trail for more secluded views of Lynn Creek which is closer to a whitewater river than a babbling brook. If you don’t stop to take pictures and the trail isn’t too muddy, you can reach 30 Foot Pool in about 10 minutes.

Pipeline Bridge

Hope you brought your Fitbit for this part of the trail. Go ahead and switch it to the stairclimbing screen and watch it skyrocket. A swerving set of stairs will take to to the next part of the trail. after catching your breath at the top, you will come to a junction. Head left instead of climbing more stairs. This is a shorter path to the Pipeline Bridge. Your welcome.

Proceed down the trail until you get to a dirt road and two bridges. You can only walk on one of the bridges which becomes obvious when you see them.  Enter the sturdy wooden bridge to gain a view of the old rickety Pipeline Bridge. While the bridge itself isn’t all that impressive, you largely visit for the view. On both sides of you lies great views of Lynn Creek digging through the canyon crashing from one side to another.

Twin Falls

Retrace your steps back down the stairs and return to the suspension bridge. Remeber the junction where you went left? Now take the path that leads to the right. There is trail map at the junction if you need to reaffirm where you are.

A series of switchbacks will eventually take to Twin Falls Bridge. The view from the bridge isn’t exactly what you’d hope for. The falls are directly underneath you which makes them hard to see.  To get a better view you will have to venture around the surrounding area. There is an unofficial way down to the base of the falls but requires maneuvering on slippery rock faces and most of the access points have been fenced off for good reason. Nevertheless, the power of the falls and thundering sound of the water makes Twin Falls worth a quick visit.

Return the way you came and back over the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge to complete your hike.

Overall

Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is definitely worth a visit, even if you have already done the Capilano Suspension Bridge. In a much more naturesque setting, Lynn Canyon offers genuine hiking trails to explore. While no single sight here, other the suspension bridge, would warrant a dedicated visit, the combination of everything the park has to offer makes for a few hours of fun exploration.

Undecided on whether to visit Capilano Suspension bridge? This article may help you decide if it is worth the price of admission.