Attraction Vancouver — North Shore, Canada

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

Vancouver's most famous thrill: a swaying footbridge 137 metres long and 70 metres above the Capilano River, with a treetop walkway through old Douglas firs and a cantilevered cliffside path on the far side of the canyon.

Duration: 1 day
Distance: 2 km
Difficulty: Easy
Best season: Year-round; May to September for the full park, winter for Canyon Lights

Print day cards

The first bridge across the Capilano canyon was built in 1889 by George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer, from hemp rope and cedar planks so he could reach his cabin on the far side. It was replaced by a wire-cable bridge in 1903 and rebuilt in 1956, and the site has been a paid attraction for well over a century. Today it is one of the most visited attractions in British Columbia, and it does feel theatrical: the bridge bounces and sways under every step, and the river is a long way down.

The park has grown well beyond the bridge. On the far side, Treetops Adventure links old Douglas firs with seven small suspension bridges up to 33 metres above the forest floor, opened in 2004. Back on the entrance side, Cliffwalk, opened in 2011, is a narrow walkway of glass and steel bolted to the granite wall of the canyon. Near the entrance, Kia’palano is a cultural space dedicated to the Coast Salish peoples, with a collection of totem poles.

It is expensive and busy, and many locals will point you to the free suspension bridge at Lynn Canyon instead. What Capilano offers is scale, a polished, family-friendly experience and the treetop and cliff walks, which have no free equivalent.

Getting there. The park is at 3735 Capilano Road in North Vancouver, about 15 minutes’ drive from downtown over the Lions Gate Bridge. A free shuttle runs from downtown hotels and Canada Place (keep your admission proof for the return). Public transit options include bus 236 from Lonsdale Quay, reached by the SeaBus. There is pay parking on site.

Permits & tickets. Admission covers the bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk and the other exhibits. Buy only from the park’s official website or at the gate; fraudulent resale sites have been reported. Prices change by season and there are discounted twilight tickets at some times of year; check the official site.

Good to know:

The park is open year-round, with hours that change by season.
In winter, Canyon Lights strings the bridge and forest with lights; in October, Canyon Frights adds Halloween décor. Dates vary each year.
Allow two to three hours; the whole circuit is about two kilometres on boardwalks, bridges and stairs.

Tips & Insights for this route Planning this route? Read our practical tips before you go — 8 tips. Read the tips

Download waypoints (GPX) Points of interest in walking order — not a trail trace.

Day by day

DayDistanceAscentDescentWalking time

Day 1 Hardest dayAcross the canyon and back

Distance2 kmAscentNot recordedDescentNot recordedWalking timeNot recorded

Day 1

Across the canyon and back

Park entrance, Capilano Road → Park entrance, Capilano Road 2 km

Navigate this day Print day

Kia’palano and the totem poles, the suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure and the rainforest trails, then back across to Cliffwalk.

Segments

Kia'palano and the totem poles 0.2 km Map

Park entrance → Suspension bridge, east end

Paved plaza

Just inside the gate, Kia'palano is an outdoor space dedicated to the Coast Salish peoples, whose territory this is, with a large collection of totem poles and interpretive panels. Take a few minutes here before the bridge, when it is still quiet. About 15 minutes.

About this place

Squamish Nation, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, is the First Nations government of the Squamish people. Squamish Nation is composed of 26 First Nations reserves located around the Capilano River, Mosquito Creek, and Seymour River on the north shore of Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, British Columbia, and along the Squamish River, and in Gibsons and Port Mellon in the Howe Sound. They also jointly own private land holdings with neighbouring First Nations like the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Lil’wat.
Read more on Wikipedia Photo: OldManRivers · CC BY 3.0
The suspension bridge 0.2 km Map

Suspension bridge, east end → Suspension bridge, west end

Swaying suspension bridge

The bridge spans 137 metres at 70 metres above the Capilano River. It is rock-solid in construction but moves noticeably with every group that crosses. Stop in the middle for the view down to the river and up and down the canyon. About 10 minutes.
Treetops Adventure 0.4 km Map

Suspension bridge, west end → Treetops Adventure exit

Elevated walkways

Seven short suspension bridges hang between old Douglas firs, reaching up to 33 metres above the forest floor. The platforms are held to the trees by steel collars rather than nails or bolts, so the trees are not harmed. About 30 minutes.
Rainforest trails 0.6 km Map

Treetops Adventure exit → Suspension bridge, west end

Boardwalk and gravel trail

Loop through the rainforest on the west side of the canyon, past a trout pond and among towering cedars and firs, with signs on the forest's ecology. In the warmer months, Raptors Ridge shows birds of prey here. About 30 minutes.

About this place

The Capilano River flows from north to south through the Coast Mountains on the North Shore of the Burrard Inlet between British Columbia's district municipalities of West Vancouver and North Vancouver and empties into Burrard Inlet, opposite Stanley Park. The river is one of three primary sources of drinking water for residents of Greater Vancouver, and flows through the Capilano watershed. The Cleveland Dam, built in 1954, impounds a reservoir for this purpose. The entire area of the reservoir and watershed area upstream of the dam is closed to the public to ensure the quality of the drinking water. Prior to construction of the Cleveland Dam, the Capilano River deposited large amounts of sediment into Burrard Inlet. A dredge was needed to remove this sediment build-up in order to keep Burrard Inlet open for ship traffic.
Read more on Wikipedia Photo: Arnold C · Attribution
Cliffwalk 0.6 km Map

Suspension bridge, east end → Park entrance

Cantilevered walkway and stairs

Recross the bridge and follow Cliffwalk, a narrow walkway about 213 metres long that clings to the granite wall of the canyon above the river, with glass-floored sections and a curved platform jutting out over the drop. Return through the shops and the story centre to the entrance. About 30 minutes.

About this place

The Capilano River flows from north to south through the Coast Mountains on the North Shore of the Burrard Inlet between British Columbia's district municipalities of West Vancouver and North Vancouver and empties into Burrard Inlet, opposite Stanley Park. The river is one of three primary sources of drinking water for residents of Greater Vancouver, and flows through the Capilano watershed. The Cleveland Dam, built in 1954, impounds a reservoir for this purpose. The entire area of the reservoir and watershed area upstream of the dam is closed to the public to ensure the quality of the drinking water. Prior to construction of the Cleveland Dam, the Capilano River deposited large amounts of sediment into Burrard Inlet. A dredge was needed to remove this sediment build-up in order to keep Burrard Inlet open for ship traffic.
Read more on Wikipedia Photo: Arnold C · Attribution