The trip from the estuary across Pitt Lake was a vigorous paddle with lots of depth. You will find encounter it before the detour. Interested in extending your stay? There are also four marine access campsites located on Pitt Lake. Only had to get out once to float the canoe about 10 feet. Grouse Mountain - Cypress - Seymour - The Lions - The Chief - Baker. There are three wilderness overnight campground areas located in the Pinecone Burke Provincial Park - Widgeon Creek Campsite, Burke Mountain and some water access campgrounds on Pitt Lake. Widgeon Creek National Wildlife Area Not far from Vancouver, one of the best places for a canoe or kayak trip is to paddle the Widgeon Valley National Wildlife Area. A great way to explore the west coast outdoors on a summer’s day is to combine a canoe trip up the peaceful waterway of Widgeon Creek followed by a short hike to a series of waterfalls known as Widgeon Falls.. So a bit about the above description: It's a longer paddle than written. Hiking, Snowshoeing and Kayaking around Vancouver. It's a better place to swim than the falls, where no one was swimming. Pitt Lake/Widgeon Creek Rosie and I took advantage of the sunny sunshine yesterday and loaded up the kayaks and headed off to Pitt Lake. Start with baby steps: day-paddles in your own backyard. You will require 5-8 hrs if you do hiking, wildlife of all kinds, watch small pets. Since we knew we weren't going to be able to start until later in the day, we decided to try heading out to Widgeon Creek at Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, being an short paddling distance with a hike to Widgeon falls from the campground if we felt inclined. Pull up and begin your quest to Widgeon Falls. You’ll need to bring your own boat for this one, because rentals at Grant Narrows aren’t available during the coronavirus pandemic. An American Widgeon in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Widgeon Creek National Wildlife Area. I began to lose all sense of time as I meandered along the twisting and turning creek. The trail is open year-round and is also a good option in the shoulder seasons. This trail is beside the gun club and can spook dogs. Overall, the estuary is shallow. wildlife viewing and canoe route, rentals at Pitt Lake park (phone ahead). Looking for an outdoor adventure close to home? Rentals are available at the Grant Narrows boat launch. in Uncategorized 60 kilometres east of Vancouver in Pitt Meadows. From there you wind through the slough until you come to the Widgeon Creek Campground. This family friendly and popular paddle is a must do for those wanting a wilderness experience close to home. This also means that once you reach the campsite shortly after the turn off, you'll have to pull your vessel high onto the grasses to make sure it doesn't go floating away while you are hiking. Looking back, if I had somehow fallen out, I don't know if I would have survived (though a friend was along). Widgeon Falls is a popular day-hike, with a fun twist. In terms of other cases of kayaking, I did Jericho Beach to Science World in a spring storm last year. The return trip with hike included should take 5 hours, excluding however long you swim for. The only way to access the wildlife area is by paddle boat (Kayak or Canoe) as no motor boat accesss is permitted. To access Widgeon Slough you must drive to Pit Lake at Grant Narrows Regional Park. Rain or shine, ocean, lake or river, smooth or skillful – I love it all. Widgeon Creek 1 Kayaking with Wolves 4 Broken Islands Group 6 Mayne Train 8 MEC Paddlefest 9 July Club Meeting 10 Currents Course 11 Training Schedule 12 Orca and Silver Paddle 14 Trips Schedule 15 SKABC PR presentation 16 Volunteer Appreciation … Widgeon Creek and Falls: An Easy Paddle-Hike with Optional Camping 2019-12-16T00:00:00-08:00 Chris and I had been itching to go on our first overnight kayak camping adventure since we … Enjoy a beautiful waterfall and mountain scenery and amazing backcountry camping if you bring your gear. canoe access widgeon creek trail to falls and Lake. Check the Pine Cone Burke Provincial Park website for updates on trail conditions. Kayak/Canoe Widgeon Creek Estuary There is nothing better than to cruise flat water with rippling reflections of big snowy mountains cascading off your bow. Filming in Vancouver: To All the Boys I’... Vintage motorcycle exhibition this Sunday. This great little 2-story, 3-bedroom, 1-bath cabin may be just what the doctor ordered! It was a perfect day for an adventure. However, on flat water like Widgeon, falling out takes some good theatrical skill. When the water levels are high you can easily paddle quite a distance up the creek towards the falls. Go PRO to support our mission and get benefits like gear deals, no ads, and more! The estuary of Widgeon Creek at the south end of Pitt Lake at Grant Narrows is the perfect place to enjoy this sensation. Since Ayla Canoes is … Walk past the yellow gate and take the first trail to your left. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. Watch out for wildlife in the tall grasses. The canoe/kayak trip starts at north west corner of the Pitt-Addington Marsh in Pitt Meadows. This was not as enjoyable as the trail and in fact, the only place I fell when a rock rolled under my feet. American Widgeon. The Widgeon Creek campsite has ten designated sites and a hiking trail from here leads to Widgeon Falls. of paddling you will reach a fork in the creek, usually signed Widgeon Falls - follow the creek left. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. Widgeon Creek is the destination you have been looking for! Kayaks and canoes can be rented from the Grant Narrows boat launch to get you up the creek, just make sure to give yourself enough time to get back! The 25km-long lake is framed by Golden Ears Park and Garibaldi Park, so the views are insane. Paddle and hike to Widgeon Falls. Interested in a day trip that combines paddling and a scenic hike to a waterfall? A short paddle across Grant Narrows and voila – you find yourself at the mouth of Widgeon Creek. We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. beware of tides and currents especially when crossing lake area. When we came back the tides were almost full and this area was still problematic. Canoeing Widgeon Creek – Pitt Meadows. Widgeon Creek is a serious meander. When I did the trip, the water level in Widgeon Creek was low, which meant, sometimes we would have get out and drag the canoe. Inside Vancouver is a multi-author blog, written by Vancouverites about Vancouver. About 10 minutes down the trail, you will reach a gravel... About one hour outside of Vancouver, Golden Ears Provincial Park is a great escape for hiking and paddling opportunities. Creator Topic September 8, 2019 at 8:45 pm #17652 Allan EdwinParticipant Hello everyone, I … The campsite, and start of the hike is a short paddle away. Snow-capped mountains seemed to welcome me and mark the way. And when we do it again, we would probably lunch on one of the sand bars instead of waiting until reaching camp; store our food backpack in the bear proof vaults, if one is available, hike to the swimming hole and finish with the trip to the falls. Life is like the ocean. You should expect a little bit of challenge as you will have to walk up the steep hill, only to walk down it again before getting to the falls-- so three trips up the mountain instead of two. The great thing about Widgeon Creek is that you can canoe and do a short hike to some beautiful waterfalls all in one day. Canoodle on! The trip back took about 45 minutes. Widgeon Lake. The hiking trail to Widgeon Falls (2.5 miles/4 km return) is a winding affair, with several steep staircases. It's short and steep. Where: Widgeon Falls near Pitt Lake A suitable day trip for those living in Metro Vancouver, a kayak up Widgeon Creek will take you to the beautiful Widgeon Falls. Where: Widgeon Falls near Pitt Lake A suitable day trip for those living in Metro Vancouver, a kayak up Widgeon Creek will take you to the beautiful Widgeon Falls. Lace your way through by Jane Weiss Great for a hot day the water looks so inviting but freeze and so worth it!! This adventure will take you to Bear Country. Once you return to the campsite, either paddle back the same way you came or pitch your home for the night. Paddling Adventures on Widgeon Creek. The trek begins at the boat launch in Grant Narrows Regional Park on the southern end of Pitt Lake. Rocks of all sizes. There is nothing worse than crawling out of your tent in the morning to discover the tide has played havoc with your boat. Widgeon Creek - Harrison River - Deep Cove - Vargas Island - The Broken Islands. It took us an hour up-- with a lot of side paddling because the water was not deep for most of the trip. The detour, called "improved" on the sign, includes a few bridges with missing or loose boards and stairs no longer there. The bad thing is the canoes rentals, at $50+ was pretty expensive. The Pinecone Burke Provincial Park is also a very popular destination for wilderness water activities including fishing, boating, kayaking and canoeing. To say I am an avid kayaker would be an enormous understatement. Remember to bring your own water and pack out your garbage. Lake Louise New Peaks: Eagle Ridge - Lake Agnes - Fairview. Paddle to Widgeon Slough, a small section of Pitt Lake that is accessible via an easy and smooth paddle west from the boat launch. of paddling you will reach a fork in the creek, usually signed Widgeon Falls - follow the creek left. by Mom Activity: I couldn’t remember the last time we had a Sunday on our hands with only one child at home. Just a few things to add to the description above: The total distance is approximately a 1 hour paddle (roundtrip) and a 6km (3.7 mi) hike (roundtrip), minimal elevation gain. The trail requires physical ability and canoeing / kayaking to cross the river. Area is remote but close to home. After about 30 min. She has always been a rather anxious child but in times of stress it can become quite acute. The massive drive-in campgrounds are usually full for most of the summer, but deep into the lake's wilderness are marine spot... An hour outside of downtown Vancouver lies the beautiful 150,000 acre Provincial Park of Golden Ears. 9 Reviews of Widgeon Falls "This had been on my wishlist for some time (I don't own a vehicle or canoe), so was glad to finally make it happen. Our peaceful farm is nestled in Whatcom County, a perfect location from which to explore Mt. Vancouver Island is surrounded by marine parks that would be the envy of much of the world. Amazing paddle beautiful view! Your trip to Widgeon Creek starts about 1 hour and 15 minutes east of Vancouver at Grant Narrows along the shores of Pitt Lake in the community of Pitt Meadows. Don't let the word fool you-- it's a road for a Unimog. Located on the northside of Pitt Lake, within Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, Widgeon Falls is a terrific way to spend a summer day. The material on this website may not be cached, distributed, reproduced, transmitted, or otherwise used without the prior permission of Tourism Vancouver. This hike from the campsite takes approximately 5 hours round trip which does not leave enough time if you are trying to do the entire trip from the parking lot to the lake in one day. Our goal is to give an insider’s view of Vancouver, to provide information, stories and opinions from the locals’ perspective about this great city. We also had a pretty strong current pushing against us, even though the tide was on our side. The first 5-6km were relatively flat, with only minor elevation gain. The swimming hole is beautiful and a great place to relax at the end of the hike, especially on a summer day! On busy summer days it can be quite entertaining watching novice paddlers attempting to navigate their “ships” around the gravel beds and sandbars. Sea Kayaking Canada’s West Coast. It was calm, beautiful, no visible current and no wind. Be Bear Aware and remember a fed bear is a dead bear, so pack out all of your garbage. Pitt Lake is the second largest lake in the lower mainland and is also one of the world’s largest fresh water tidal lakes. It's a fairly short portage, but water shoes were a must because the bed was stones instead of sand. Weekend kayaking on Pitt Lake- Widgeon Creek - BC. Raxas Books, Vancouver (1982). Paddle to Widgeon Slough, a small section of Pitt Lake that is accessible via an easy and smooth paddle west from the boat launch. Grouse Mountain: The Grouse Grind is a very popular hike.Everyone should do it al least once. Mini island all along the canals my fav! Widgeon Falls Photo: Rob Weiss. Difficulty: Easy Now for the hike: When you get to the post that proposes the falls via the "road" or via the "trail", make an informed choice. Tent pads, outhouses and a food cache are located at the Widgeon Creek Campsite. The park has a myriad of hikes and adventures all with varying degrees of difficulty. Start your water-top journey at the Pitt Lake Boat Launch (where you’ll also find rentals), and definitely consider the kayak-hike-waterfall combo from the Widgeon Creek Campsite to the otherwise-inaccessible waterfall for an ultimate outdoors day. The old Widgeon Falls Trail is currently not recommended, but hikers can access Widgeon Falls via the old roadway. Birds, bears, and deer are all possible encounters. Watch out for wildlife in the tall grasses. Within a few paddle strokes the sound of boat motors was behind me and I was marvelling at the natural beauty of the marshland, a unique waterfowl habitat and protected bird sanctuary. © 2020 Tourism Vancouver. Category: Kayaking Wellness Comes in Waves: Soothing Anxiety through Paddling Indian Arm. The road leads gently uphill to the falls and covers approximately the same distance as the trail, but for the most scenic approach, take the trail as it follows emerald-hued Widgeon Creek for … No idea what they were but they had cool tail feathers. The campsite has a few pads you can pitch your tent in, but a large lawn you can use as well. If you camp at the Widgeon Creek Campsite, you can hike beyond the falls and up towards Widgeon Lake. Located a short distance from Vancouver, Widgeon Creek is a great location for those new to paddling. Widgeon Anas penelope. 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