Decided to check out this flat, shaded trail on a hot summer evening. It was kind of an eerie experience: the Lake Vancouver Regional Park is a HUGE facility, and it was almost completely deserted. I paid the $3 entry fee to a very bored attendant at about 6:30pm, and had my choice out of all but 3 or 4 occupied spots in the enormous parking lot.
Walking through the park towards the trail, the eeriness increased as I passed an empty beach/swimming area, abandoned volleyball nets, deserted playground equipment, vacant picnic tables... Had this been late at night or during inclement weather, I wouldn't have been at all surprised-- but this was on a gorgeous August evening, with temps in the mid-eighties! Well, whatever-- more peace & quiet for me :-)
From the parking lot, I followed the wide gravel road until it entered the trees and became a well-made dirt path through the forest. Lots of beautiful trees, singing birds, little critters, and, of course, bugs. The bugs didn't bother me much as long as I kept moving, but they sure reminded me to get a move on whenever I stopped for more than a minute!
This trail does just abruptly end when it intersects with a dirt road. I followed the road towards the lake, but it became way too swampy before it reached the shore. I walked down the other way to check out the bridge, and then went back the way I had come.
This was a nice, quiet evening walk-- good choice for a hot summer day.
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