Ambleside Beach Park
Markus posing on a log on Ambleside Beach in front of the Lions Gate Bridge
About Ambleside Beach Park
Type: Beach/Paved Trail
Length: 2.5 km
Traffic: Moderate to Heavy
Route Type: Out & Back
Markus smiling by the water along Ambleside Beach
Even before we adopted Markus, Ambleside Beach was one of our favourite beaches to frequent. Located in North Vancouver, Ambleside Beach is just over the Lions Gate Bridge from downtown Vancouver, tucked in behind Park Royal. If you're able to catch it during the sunset, it is a taste of the beauty that Vancouver has to offer.
The path at Ambleside Beach goes alongside the Burrard Inlet for a little while and then curls into the Capilano River. This path that runs along the edge of the park is called the Capilano Pacific Trail. From the parking lot, you can get on the path right away and if you were to go down a little bit, there's an off-leash dog beach where many dogs are playing.
If you keep following this path, it'll eventually curl left and lead you towards the back side of Park Royal. Around here and depending on the time of year, you might see people fly fishing in the Burrard Inlet. As you keep going on the path, the Burrard Inlet eventually meets with the Capilano River. The walk starts to become a dirt path with trees on either side with plenty of places for dogs to find their spots.
Markus standing in front of the Taylor Way Bridge along the Capilano Pacific Trail in North Vancouver
The Capilano Pacific Trail actually keeps going all the way to Cleveland Dam, where most of Vancouver's drinking water comes from. This whole trail takes about 4 hours to do (roundtrip) at about 15 km altogether. Unless you want to do the entire trail with your dog, you'll have to find a spot to double back and go back the way you came. If you're in the Park Royal area, you can also choose not to follow the trail and there are some outdoor malls in the area (though your dog won't be able to go in with you).
For us, we generally cut the walk short at about Fullerton Ave. where there is a bridge that passes over the Capilano River and we double back from there. Getting to this point takes about 40 minutes from the Ambleside Beach parking lot with a dog, so the round trip is about 1 hour and 20 minutes if you double backed from here.
For the most part, it is a quiet walk and most of the dogs we came across were leashed and the paths were wide, so we didn't have concerns about Markus not getting along with other dogs. The walk itself was beautiful, as we had gone during a nice summer evening. If you can time your walk to be at Ambleside Beach when the sun's setting, you will get a glimpse of the beauty of Vancouver and we think you'll love it.
Ambleside Dog Beach
Type: Off-Leash Dog Beach
Size: Medium
Enclosed: No
Doors: None
Traffic: Moderate
Located within Ambleside Beach is a dog park. If you're starting from the parking lot and you follow the beach towards the Lions Gate Bridge, the dog park is just a little bit down the path. There are all types of dogs running in the sand and playing with each other. It is a beach, so keep in mind that there are no fences or anything like it, so bring your dog here at your discretion.
When we were there, we couldn't let Markus off-leash and we found that the other owners were good to make sure they were closer to the actual beach area before letting their dogs run free. If your dog is reactive and you're worried about the off-leash area along the Capilano Pacific Trail, do know that the dog beach was far off from the path and I never felt that a dog would get loose and come towards Markus.
What we liked
Although it is a beach, there's also a path that eventually turns into a trail that'll take you through a wide variety of areas.
The view here is amazing, especially if you can catch it during sunset.
Even though there's an unfenced dog beach, we never felt uncomfortable that an off-leash dog might get loose and come towards us.
What we didn’t like
It is an Out & Back trail, so you'll have to find a place to turn around and then re-walk the same trail to get back to your car.
Our Recommendation For Reactive Dogs
The walk around Ambleside Beach Park is a relaxing stroll especially in the evening during sunset. There will be off-leash dogs on the path, outside the off-leash dog beach, so be aware of that. We’ve found the owners to be respectful, though, since they know their dog’s not supposed to be off-leash and we didn’t have any issues with their dogs.
Keep in mind that the designated off-leash dog beach isn’t enclosed and dogs are running in and out of the area. The area starts deep into the beach and it’s unlikely that those dogs are running all the way to the path. Since we can’t let Markus off-leash without an enclosure, we normally stay on the path and the walk’s completely fine for us.
Disclaimer
Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.
Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.
