Horseback Riding
There are numerous opportunities for scenic riding in Maple Ridge. The largest source of trails for those on horseback is Golden Ears Provincial Park, where there are 20 km of gravel or dirt horse trails. Horses are allowed only on specific trails designated in the park map.
Day-use stop-over is permitted at the South Beach corral area. The Golden Ears trails also connect to other trails that run within the City of Maple Ridge, including the trails around Allco Park on 248th Street.
Thanks to the efforts of the Haney Horsemen Association, Maple Ridge has an extensive network of horse trails that wind around new subdivisions. Another popular area is the trails around Pitt Lake, with scenic half-day rides.
There are also a wide variety of trails on the dykes, along the South and North Alouette Rivers, including the Heron Tree Dike Trail, the Fenton Dike Trail and part of the Trans-Canada Equestrian Trail.
The equestrian centres o er lessons and horse rentals:
• The Maple Meadows Equestrian Centre
• Seabrook stables;
• Krystal Creek Riding;
• Tribeca Equestrian;
• Meadowridge Stables at Leghorn Ranch
Golden Ears Provincial Park
Golden Ears Provincial Park is one of the largest in the province, renowned for the recreation opportunities provided by Alouette Lake, an impressive network of trails, and 409 campsites with easy lake access. People are drawn to the beauty of the lake, bordered by the impressive Golden Ears mountains – the twin peaks of Mt. Blanshard. It’s one of the most popular provincial parks in the province.
At 625 square kilometres in size, there’s room for everybody. Alouette Lake day-use area provides beaches and picnic tables. Near the park entrance, there’s a turn to Mike Lake where people can hike up to the lake. For more information, visit: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/golden_ears
Fishing
Maple Ridge is known for salmon fishing on local waterways and sturgeon fishing on the ‘Mighty’ Fraser River.
There are five types of salmon running at different times in the Fraser River, Pitt River and Harrison River. The best salmon fishing is typically between June and November. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has regulations and information for anglers at www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/salmon-saumon-eng.html
Sturgeon fishing in the Fraser happens in the spring and fall, and these river kings can be up to 300 pounds and well over 100 years old.
Local lakes include:
- Alouette Lake in Golden Ears Provincial Park, for Dolly Varden and cutthroat. There are boats for rent. See www.anglersatlas.com/place/99569/alouette-lake.
- Whonnock Lake Provincial Park has a little lake that is well stocked with coastal cutthroat trout and rainbow trout, and trolling or casting from shore are both easy options. All motors, including electric, are prohibited on Whonnock Lake. Check fishing regulations at: www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/ fresh-douce/region2-eng.html
- Mike Lake, located in Golden Ears Provincial Park, is regarded as one of the top spots in B.C. to take kids fishing. Mike Lake has a fishing dock, as well as an easy walking trail that takes you around the lake, which the Fisheries Society of B.C. stocks with catchable-sized rainbow trout each spring and autumn.
Mountain Biking
There are several riding areas in and around Maple Ridge. In Golden Ears Provincial Park, there is in excess of 20 km of cycling trails – classified as cross country or all-mountain. They wind their way through the second-growth forest of western red cedar and Douglas fir.
The Woodlot is accessed by a parking lot at the north end of 287th Street. The trails in the Woodlot are built and maintained by a dedicated group of trail builders associated to the Fraser Valley Mountain Bikers Association. See fvmba.com.
Trail difficulty ranges from intermediate to extreme expert.
Dykes
The dykes in Maple Ridge, along the Fraser and Alouette rivers, go back more than 100 years. And while they were established to reclaim land and protect it from flooding, today the dykes form a popular recreational trail system, enjoyed by joggers, dog-walkers and bird-watchers alike, providing some of the best scenery in the Lower Mainland, if not the province. A popular entry point is Jerry Sulina Park in Maple Ridge.
Trail etiquette for your next adventure
