Biking in Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada

July 2015

In July 2015, I visited Vancouver before embarking on a cruise to Alaska. I decided to explore Stanley Park by what I consider the best way to do so, by bicycle. There are many bicycle rental places on Denman Street just a few blocks away for around $30-40 per day but you can also rent by the hour.

Stanley Park is a large urban park which is roughly 400 hectares in size. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful urban parks in the world. The park is comprised of manicured lawns, gardens, dense forests, hiking and biking trails and a seawall that circles most of the park. The park offers amazing views of the downtown skyline, Lions Gate Bridge and English Bay.

There are over 27kms of trails winding inside the park as well as a 9km trail that follows the seawall around the park. It takes about 1 hour to bike the seawall but it is worth taking more time in order to visit the many attractions and viewpoints within the park.

Vancouver Rowing Club

Stanley Park Totems

Brockton Point Lighthouse, Stanley Park

Prospect Point, Stanley Park

Looking out towards English Bay from Prospect Point

View of Lions Gate Bridge about 200 feet from Prospect Point

View of Lions Gate Bridge from the Seawall

Stanley Park Seawall

Siwash Rock

Third Beach

Lost Lagoon

Rose Garden, Stanley Park

Pine Creek Gorge, Pennsylvania: Leonard Harrison State Park and Colton Point State Park

September 2010

The native Americans called Pine Creek "Tiadaghton" which means river of pines.Today most of the area is composed of deciduous trees and only a few pine remain because of overlogging.

Often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania”, Pine Creek Gorge is a beautiful landscape that is well worth a visit in every season of the year but especially in late September through mid-October when the forest displays beautiful autumn shades of yellow, orange, red and purple. The gorge is 47 miles long and in some sections is over 1000 feet deep. Situated near the small town of Wellsboro in the northeastern section of Pennsylvania, the canyon is straddled by two state parks- Leonard Harrison State Park (East Rim) and Colton Point State Park (West Rim). The views from the numerous lookouts that dot the rims in these parks are spectacular.



Colton Point State Park

In the summer, mornings are often misty due to the warm moist air rising and meeting the cooler air from the mountaintops. Often mist is trapped in the canyon until the sun's rays can burn through.

 

 

Leonard Harrison State Park

Pine Creek Rail Trail follows Pine Creek for most of the way.

The canyon offers many recreational activities such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing and birdwatching. The area has several good hiking trails but the crown jewel of the gorge which attracts thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each year is the multi-purpose Pine Creek Rail Trail. The hard packed gravel trail voted as one of the “10 great places to take a bike tour” spans 57 miles from the towns of Ansonia to Jersey Shore.

 

If you are into hiking here are a few suggested Short Hikes: The Overlook Trail (.6 miles) is situated in Leaonard Harrison State Park. Colton Rim Trail (1.5 mile) is in Colton Point State Park. The Turkey Path Trail is a steep trail that descends 1 mile to the floor of the canyon. There is a waterfall close to the bottom that has a lot flow in the spring but turns into a trickle towards late summer. For a longer and more challenging trail, the West Rim Trail offers a 30 mile blazed trail that traverses the West Rim of the canyon.

 

For more information visit the following related links.

VisitTioga: Pine Creek Rail Trail
Map of Pine Creek Rail Trail
Pine Creek Outfitters
Colton Point State Park
Leonard Harrison State Park
Maps of Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks