Capilano River Regional Park
49°22′ N 123°07′ WParkFree
Capilano River Regional Park in North Vancouver suits walkers who want a free canyon and forest outing with a view up Capilano Lake to the Lions from Cleveland Dam. The Capilano River Hatchery inside the park has been closed to visitors since 1 October 2026, so this winter's visit is about the canyon and the dam.
Closed
The Capilano River Hatchery has closed to visitors
Fisheries and Oceans Canada closed the Capilano River Hatchery to the public on 1 October 2026 while crews renovate and modernize it. The department gives no date for visitors to come back.
Checked 2026-10-17 · pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Trail closure
Bridge building blocks the Capilano Pacific Trail and the way in from Rabbit Lane
Metro Vancouver is building a bridge on the Capilano Pacific Trail in Capilano River Regional Park, and the trail can't be passed through the work zone. The job also cuts off the way in from Rabbit Lane. Follow the posted safety signs and plan another route. The viewpoint platform on the same trail is closed for now as well.
Checked 2026-10-17 · metrovancouver.org
Trail closure
The Brothers Creek Bridge stays closed after a tree fell on it
A big tree came down on the Brothers Creek Bridge in Capilano River Regional Park and damaged its structure. Metro Vancouver asks everyone to keep off the bridge and use another route. It hasn't said when the bridge will reopen.
Checked 2026-10-17 · metrovancouver.org
Trail closure
Work on a new Cable Pool platform slows the Coho Loop
Metro Vancouver is building a new viewing platform at the Cable Pool in Capilano River Regional Park. Expect short delays on the Coho Loop Trail while crews work, and now and then a temporary closure. Follow the posted signs and the crews' directions. Metro Vancouver expects the work to carry on through the fall of 2026.
Checked 2026-10-17 · metrovancouver.org
Trail closure
Crews build a parks yard beside the Pipeline Trail on weekdays until early 2027
Metro Vancouver is building a new parks service yard west of Camp Capilano along the Pipeline Trail in Capilano River Regional Park. Crews work on weekdays from 7 am to 5 pm, and the job runs until early 2027. Expect a little noise and the odd short interruption on the trail. Follow the posted safety signs.
Checked 2026-10-17 · metrovancouver.org
Photo Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Field card · Sight · No. 007 · checked 17 Oct 2026
The hatchery has been closed to visitors since 1 October 2026.
Access
The picnic areas, parking and toilets at Cleveland Dam and the hatchery are wheelchair accessible. The Second Canyon Viewpoint Trail and the Cable Pool Bridge are at least 1.5 metres wide with a firm surface and gentle grades, and the viewpoint looks up at the dam from below.
Metro Vancouver runs this park along the Capilano River canyon below Cleveland Dam, and it costs nothing to walk in. From the top of the dam the view runs north up Capilano Lake to the Lions on a clear day. The Second Canyon Viewpoint Trail drops below the dam to look back up at it, and its path is wide and firm enough for a wheelchair. The Capilano Pacific Trail links the dam area with the stretch near the Capilano Suspension Bridge through tall west coast forest.
Coho Loop Trail makes a 1 km circuit from near the hatchery over the Cable Pool and Pipeline bridges. The views drop into the steep-sided canyon, and tall Douglas firs stand over the path. The hatchery itself belongs to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and it shut its doors to the public for construction on 1 October 2026. Metro Vancouver is building a new viewing platform at Cable Pool as well, so expect short delays and closures on the Coho Loop through the fall.
Treat the river with care in every season. Water released over Cleveland Dam can raise the Capilano fast, and a public warning system along the banks sounds and flashes alarms if a large release comes without notice. The deep pools look calm and hide strong currents in very cold water, and Metro Vancouver marks the park no swimming. Some trails run beside sheer drops on unstable slopes, so stay on them and obey the signs.
Metro Vancouver warns that bears and cougars live in the park, so keep food and garbage packed away. BC's Wildlife Act makes it an offence to feed dangerous wildlife. Picnic tables sit near Cleveland Dam and opposite the hatchery, and adults may drink alcohol in the marked area by the dam from 11 am until sunset. Charcoal barbecues are banned, and propane stoves are allowed only at picnic tables with someone watching them.
Worth knowing
- Check the closures list on Metro Vancouver's park page before you set out, since several bridges and trail sections are shut this season.
- If you fish the river, sign up through Metro Vancouver for notices from the Capilano River public warning system, and wear a personal flotation device as the park strongly recommends.
Quick answers about Capilano River Regional Park
Is the Capilano River Hatchery open?
No. Fisheries and Oceans Canada closed the Capilano River Hatchery in Capilano River Regional Park to the public for construction from 1 October 2026.
Is Capilano River Regional Park free?
Yes. Capilano River Regional Park charges no entry. Commercial tour buses and limousines pay to park in the hatchery lot.
What are the hours at Capilano River Regional Park?
Capilano River Regional Park opens from 7 am to 7 pm until 2 November 2026 and from 7 am to 6 pm from 3 November to 31 December 2026.
Can you swim in the Capilano River?
No. Metro Vancouver marks Capilano River Regional Park no swimming and warns that water released over Cleveland Dam can raise the river quickly.
How much does Capilano River Regional Park cost?
Capilano River Regional Park is free to visit.
When is the best time to visit Capilano River Regional Park?
Capilano River Regional Park: Pick a clear day for the view from Cleveland Dam up Capilano Lake to the Lions, and finish your walk before the gates close at 6 pm from 3 November.
Can you get to Capilano River Regional Park by bike?
Bikes may use the East Service Road and the path across Cleveland Dam. South of Rabbit Lane they may also ride the Capilano Pacific Trail, and riders yield to walkers everywhere. Racks stand in the Cleveland Dam area and near the hatchery.
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In the journal and guides
Read more about Capilano River Regional Park
Feature · 7 min read
How did the Capilano River and Lynn Creek cut North Vancouver's two canyons?
Both canyons run through granite at the foot of the Coast Mountains. Lynn Creek still floods through its gorge every winter, and Cleveland Dam has held the Capilano back since 1954.
Feature · 8 min read
How does Vancouver's North Shore fit together between the mountains and the inlet?
Every neighbourhood on Vancouver's North Shore sits on the same narrow shelf between Burrard Inlet and the mountains, and the rivers coming down off the slopes divide it into valleys. You cross it along the water and climb it up each valley.
Guide · 7 min read
Should you visit Capilano Suspension Bridge or Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver?
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park suits a first visit, because one ticket covers the higher bridge and the treetop walkways and its free shuttle runs from Canada Place. Lynn Canyon Park costs nothing to enter and gets you over the canyon and round a forest loop in about half an hour.