2 Killarney Lake - Bowen Is. Trails

1,350 ft.
Time & Elevation: 2½ hours walking from
Snug Cove, 1½ hours from car park, 75 ft.
OO
DS
same trail, but you could turn off to the right at one point and arrive at the
Cove further up the road, right across from a variety of restaurants and cafés,
plus two pubs. No lack of sustenance, which you deserve after a long walk!
W
Difficulty: Medium as there are a few steep
inclines around
SMI T H the lake
Variations:
JONES N .
Access: By foot from Snug Cove; by bus
(see bus schedule); parking at the lake
Main Attraction: Good circular walk,
lovely lake views
RA
IL
JONES
Route: This trail is very well
marked, with both arrows
and maps at various points.
If starting from the ferry terCRIPP EN
REGIONAL
minal, turn right on Cardena
PARK
Road and left into the park. A
wooded trail leads you alongside the small lagoon, past
MtMemorial Garden and
the
Gardner
then on to Miller Road. Just
before the road, a right-hand
turn leads you to the fish
ladder and Bridal
B O LT Falls, well
ON
worth a side trip. Turn right on
Killarney
Lake
Miller Road and cross into the
park just before the Catholic
Church. Walk straight along
T past the
Killarney CreekRTrail,
S
E
K
I
turn-off to the
H meadow, then take
either the leftPor right fork to decide
whetherTrail
you wish to hike around the
lake clockwise or anti-clockwise. If clockHead
AG
wise, a short walk on Killarney Creek Trail
takes you to Magee Road where you turn left
Picnic
Area
and then right to access Killarney Lake. Here you
P
will find benches and tables and beautiful views
over the lake, a good lunch spot, much used by visiai
e
Tr
y
C r e ek
tors. There is also a long-drop toilet available. From here,
follow the trail around the lake and watch out for roots.
There are three boardwalks and some good views of birds
and old growth fir. On the return trip, leave the lake via a
left-hand turn to Magee Road again and go into the trail
on the upper fork called Cedar Trail, down to the bifurcation.
This time, take Meadow Trail on your right, cross the meadow
Fish
(past the dog walk area on your right) and turn left to go over
Hatchery
a bridge and back to Miller Road on the Hatchery Trail, so named Recycling
Depot
for the fish hatchery just a bit further along Meadow Trail. Note the
P
amazing ‘hollow cedar grove’ on the left just before a small bridge
on Hatchery Trail. Cross Miller Road and return to Snug Cove on the
a. When you reach Miller Road first time around, cross the road on the
crosswalk and re-enter the park via Hatchery Trail. Pass the turn-off that
takes you left uphill to the Bowen Island Community School and the soccer field, continue down the hill and across the bridge. Just before you
turn right to the meadow, try turning left to have a look at the Bowen
Island Fish Hatchery. If you are lucky, one of the volunteers will be working there and can show you around. The Bowen Island Recycling Depot
is in the background, and to the left of it Knick Knack Nook, a hub of
activity for trading old clothes, toys and interesting junk. There is also a
long-drop toilet in this area.
b. Instead of entering the park on Cardena Road, carry straight on and
cross the causeway, a reminder of the old days when the Union Steamship Company offered weekend getaways for Vancouverites. Here there
are benches, an information kiosk and a lovely spot for feeding the
local ducks, geese and other sundry birds. You may catch sight of a Blue
Heron or two, as they nest in the trees next to the lagoon. There are
beavers at work, cutting their way through the tree trunks at the water’s
edge, but they are rarely visible. On your right, you have a beautiful view
of the North Shore mountains and close at hand a variety of boats either
permanently anchored in the bay or just there for the weekend. You can
reach Killarney Creek Trail by turning left on Melmore Road and sticking
to it until you reach Miller Road and the start to Killarney Creek Trail.
Cedar
Collins
Farm
M
il
EE
Tra
COLLINS LANE
O
Church
il
T ra
ch
er y
T rail
Bridal Falls
Fish Ladder
ME
H
at
do
w
Meadow
Hollow
Cedar
M OUNT GA
RDN
ER
RD
LM
OR
.
School
PROM ET HEUS PL.
LN.
AN
Artisan
TIS
R
Square
A
ROO
CROF T L
N.
ES W
PL.
Village
Square
LK
.
R
ATO
PL.
E
Lag
CRIPPEN
REGIONAL
PARK
EW
a
P
SEN
SE
RA
oon
Deep Bay
Causeway
CARDEN
P
.
A RD
in
l
DEN
m
ai
C AR
er
Tr
D.
TO R R
ON
k
NA
FT
ee
LER
G
RA
Cr.
RIVEN
More trail map info online at bowentrails.ca.
T
ey
R EED
Cr
MIL
C
1 km
l C
TER
r.
K ill arney
Dog Walk
Area
ea
rn
l
lla
AR
Killarn
LEN
Ki
C RI PPE N
RE G I ON A L
PA RK
M
B A RTO
N
2 Killarney Lake
BO WEN ISLAN D TRUNK
Snug Cove
D AV I E S
VEN
A DR
TUR
Ferry
Terminal
E