Vancouver has a lot of great things to offer, and sometimes there are attractions and events right in your own neighbourhood you might not have even known about. That was the case for me when I heard about the TreeWalk at UBC’s Botanical Gardens. I grew up minutes from the UBC campus, I did my undergrad at UBC and I am up on campus at least once a week for one kid’s activity or another – but I had never visited the Botanical Gardens before!
The UBC Botanical Gardens is right on campus, just near the football stadium. The gardens are more than 100 years old and I was surprised to find out just how much area they cover. There are around 30 thousand different plants throughout the gardens. You can walk through temperate forest plants of BC, woodland gardens with plants from eastern North America and Asia, a food garden and more. There are lots of great pathways, trails and even tunnels that kids can have fun exploring. But probably the thing my family was most excited about was trying the Greenheart TreeWalk.
The TreeWalk is a 310 metre long tree top canopy walkway that hangs from huge Douglas firs, cedars and grand firs. Reaching a height of nearly 20 metres above the forest floor, the walkway will give you a bird’s eye view of Vancouver’s magnificent coastal temperate rainforest.
If you are very scared of heights then this attraction is probably not for you. But if your family is feeling a little adventurous it is fun to make your way from platform to platform so high through these trees. If you have done the treewalk at the Capilano Suspension Bridge it is a similar height to that. As you move through the walkways you can read about the trees and plants you are seeing. You can also have a knowledgeable guide take you on a tour if you want to learn more. At the peak of the TreeWalk you will be 23 metres above the forest floor on a towering viewing platform from which you can take in the sights of the forest.
A few important things to note about the UBC Botanical Garden and the TreeWalk. The Greenheart TreeWalk operates April 1 – October 31. Drop-in tours are limited to 18 people and are approximately 1 hour long. It does not take you that long, however to walk through it yourself. It probably took our family around 30 minutes to complete. Small children must be able to walk on their own or be carried in an approved child backpack or carrier. You cannot carry your baby or toddler in your arms as you cross. Admission to the garden and the Treewalk is $23 per adult, $17 for teens, $10 for children aged 6-12, and 5 and under are free.
