malcolm knapp research forest

Most people wanting to make a walk in the forests north of Maple Ridge will choose to take the road into the Golden Ears Provincial Park (which requires a 8-15 km drive further uphill), but you can do with a much shorter trip when staying on 132th Street, and continue until Silver Valley Road that ends at the entrance of the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest (MKRF). Here, you'll find a small parking lot (that recently has been expanded), and, besides some larger logging roads that span the entire forest, the choice between 3 hiking tracks (marked red, blue of yellow) that are good for walks up to several hours. The diehards even may choose to go up to Loon Lake in the Northwestern part of the forest. The hiking tracks can be quite hilly and steep, but generally have been very well maintained. There is comprehensive documentation on information panels at the beginning of the tracks. When you go into the rainforest proper (which starts some 5-10 min walking from the entrance), you'll be amazed by the beauty of the forest with it's trees overgrown with moss, in various states of decay (which is, of course, carefully monitored by the academic research staff of the forest). For the handicapped, there is a 1 km short walk immediately starting at the entrance suitable for use with rollators. My #1 favorite attraction in Maple Ridge!