In the midst of all of Vancouver’s treasures at the water’s edge, Renfrew Ravine is a nice inland surprise. 

A large natural gorge that stretches seven whole blocks just north of the 29th Avenue SkyTrain station, the park is essentially a series of trails down to Still Creek, along with a long flat walking trail along the eastern perimeter filled with interesting art. 

How much you enjoy the park depends on a couple of things: some of the trails are quite manufactured and accessible (mostly on the north end), while some are steep and scrambly (mostly on the south end), but there’s no signage to help people determine which is best for them. And while the bottom of the park is a peaceful oasis, there’s a bit too much garbage and other assorted paraphernalia around for some people’s enjoyment.  

It’s hard to fault a large nature area too much though, and in 2020 Renfrew Ravine is a wonderful thing to have right in the middle of a metropolis.