hiking for wimps

September 6, 2012 5:53 PM

I'm afraid of heights, and I have bad knees. What easy hikes can I go on near Vancouver, BC?

No cliffs. No overhangs. No steep steeps. Those freak me out -- always have and always will.

No extended steep climbs (e.g. Grouse Grind) that involve deep bending of the knees. Those will aggravate my damaged menisci.

Please, no advice on how to get over my fears or heal my knees. I'm working on it.

Thanks.

posted by wutangclan to sports, hobbies, & recreation (8 answers total)

Walk along the shoreline! It's gorgeous.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:19 PM on September 6, 2012

Go to the Endowment Lands by UBC. It's all virtually flat, old growth-surrounded trails that you can immerse yourself in for hours.
posted by Pomo at 6:24 PM on September 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Rice Lake
posted by Cosine at 7:02 PM on September 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Buntzen Lake
posted by Cosine at 7:02 PM on September 6, 2012

http://www.vancouvertrails.com/
posted by Cosine at 7:03 PM on September 6, 2012

Seconding the Endowment Lands at UBC. So lovely, especially at this time of year.

From Cosine's link, two very easy trail systems that I have particularly fond memories of:

Campbell Valley Regional Park
Brae Island
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:19 PM on September 6, 2012

OK here's a few to get you started:

Pitt Poulder near Pitt Lake at Pitt Meadows
Traboulay Trail at Port Coquitlam

Campbell Lake in Surrey

Iona spit near the YVR airport
Lighthouse Park in W Vancouver
Around Lost Lake in Whistler
Cheakamus Lake near Whistler (was just there a few days ago - a jewel!)
Conflict Lake near Whistler (start at Callaghan Lake)
Lake Levette in Squamish

Lynn Headwaters Park: Norvan Falls
Fisherman's trail in Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve

Killarney Lake at Bowen Island

Heather trail at Manning Park
Lightning Lake at Manning Park
Skagit River Trail at Manning Park
Cathedral Lakes park from Keremeos - take the Unimog up to the campground or resort, and the walking there has no overhangs or cliffs - you are already at serious elevation thanks to the ride up

I recommend reading Dawn Hanna's Best Hikes and Walks of SW BC
Or the MacArees' 109 Walks in BC's Lower Mainland
posted by seawallrunner at 7:29 PM on September 6, 2012

Have you ever visited the Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island? It's better in spring, but it's lovely year round.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:25 PM on September 6, 2012