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Distance: 5-10 km
Difficulty: Easy
By Heather Macdonald

GVRD map of Minnekhada Regional Park

This is a well-maintained all-season trail in the Minnekhada Regional Park marshlands in Port Coquitlam. Trails are well-marked and very runnable with minimal elevation gain, and there are services close by. The outside loop described here is about 5 km but you can add to that by doing some of the interior trails as well, or you can add a reverse loop after the first loop and make it 10 km.

Trails are hard-packed with some gravel sections. If it has been raining, I recommend trail shoes for the muddy bits.

Note: The Addington Trail is closed right now. This is unfortunate because it is an interesting single track, technical trail; but it is not well-maintained at the moment. Addington is not included in the loop described here.

Dogs are allowed on-leash. Bird watchers frequent the area.

Here’s a loop starting from the trailhead at the Quarry Road parking lot. Take the Lodge Trail and go right towards the lodge. You pass the Lower Marsh. At the picnic tables near the lodge, keep left on the trail and this becomes the Fern Trail. Follow Fern to a junction and then take a left towards the Low Knoll. At the turnoff to the Low Knoll lookout, keep right to continue and go past the Mid-Marsh Trail turnoff. You pass a lookout to High Knoll. Follow the signs for the North Trail (not Addington which heads down). You reach a point where the trail is close to Quarry Road (as shown on the map). Follow the Quarry Trail south, pass the Upper Marsh on your left, and return to the parking lot.

For another 5 km, reverse the loop heading north along Quarry Trail and finish on Lodge Trail.

How to Get There
T ake Lougheed or Barnet Highway to Port Coquitlam, turn left on Coast Meridian, right on Prairie Road, then left on Cedar Road. Cedar becomes Oliver Road. Follow Oliver to the park. Take the left turn marked “To Trails” (Gilley’s Trail) instead of going to the Minnekhada Lodge. At the T-junction, turn right onto Quarry Road and you reach a parking lot on your right. (See the link to the GVRD map.)