If you’re looking for a relatively flat, easy and fun bicycle ride in Vancouver, the Central Valley Greenway is the place to go. This 29km trail can take you from the heart of Downtown Vancouver to the peaceful, suburban city of New Westminster in a couple of hours of easy cruising.
Used daily by commuters, the Central Valley Greenway isn’t as popular for the casual biking crowd, but it should be! This trail is constantly receiving upgrades and is becoming one of the best things to do on a sunny, Saturday afternoon.
The best way to access the Central Valley Greenway from Vancouver is via the 10th Avenue bike route that runs parallel to Broadway. After you cross over Commercial Drive, the bike route transitions from 10th avenue into the Central Valley Greenway.
The trail changes frequently throughout the length of its route. In some sections it is fully constructed as a separated urban greenway or a rural recreational trail. In other sections the route runs parallel to a railway corridor or the edge of an industrial roadway.
The route is very easy to follow and well marked, but if you end up missing a sign and ending up on a busy road (easy to happen for the easily distracted!), check the Central Valley Greenway Route Map to re-align yourself with where you need to go.
Burnaby Lake image courtesy of pentaboxes | Flickr.com
The Central Valley Greenway winds its way from the Science World Area all the way to New Westminster. If you want to take your time during the trip, there are some great stops along the way, including: Trout Lake Park , the East Van sign , Deer Lake Park , and New Westminster Quay . Once you’ve made it to New Westminster, either hop on the skytrain if you’re too tired to ride back, or begin the journey back to Vancouver, retracing your route from before.
Have you ridden the Central Valley Greenway? What did you think about it? Let us know in the comment section below!
