There's a unique strip of land off the coast of Richmond that has become a bit of a rite of passage for those who live in Vancouver or Richmond. This man-made land is a large sewage pipe that runs perfectly straight for 4 kilometres out of the main land and into the water. With pathways built along the pipe, getting to the end of the Iona Jetty has become a fun challenge that locals like to complete.

If you're looking for something different that's outside of the woods, we'd recommend checking out the Iona Jetty although there are a few things to look out for when making the trip.

About the Iona Jetty

• Length: 8.2km

• Traffic: Moderate

• Route Type: Out & Back

Iona Island is just off of Richmond, BC next to the airport and it is home to a sewage treatment plant. The plant is located near the middle of the island (technically a peninsula now that it's connected to the main land) and branching out of the plant are two jetties - the North Arm Jetty and the Iona South Jetty. The North Arm Jetty is not as accessible and therefore not as popular as the Iona South Jetty.

The Iona Jetty is a 8.2km long trail that juts out into the water. It is, in fact, a long pipe that runs out of the sewage treatment plant and into the water. If you were to view the jetty on a map, you will see a straight line in the water coming out of the peninsula. There are beaches in the area, although beachgoers and dogs are advised to avoid them because of the sewage emissions.

Along and on the way to the jetty, you will find a lot of cyclists and runners exercising. It is also a hotspot for birdwatching and we got to see a couple of eagles, groups of heron and other birds that we weren't as familiar with.

Keep in mind that this jetty gets fairly busy. We were turned back a couple of other times we tried visiting over the weekend and ended up coming during a weekday. There is quite a bit of parking, but they fill up fast. When the main lots are full, the parking tends to overflow onto the street, so there are a lot of areas to park, but it does still fill up. If you're coming over the weekend and especially on a warm day, be prepared to have to fight for parking or end up walking a lot just to get to the jetty!

Walking the Jetty

The trail down the jetty has two paths, one above the pipe and the other that runs alongside it. The path on top of the pipe is mostly crushed gravel with two sidewalk-like paths on the side. For dogs, the top path has a few areas with greens along the way. The lower trail is reserved for off-leashed dogs even though it states that dogs need to stay on-leash. It's almost like an understanding that off-leash dogs will stay on the lower path. There are a lot more access to greenery on the lower path and it might be a little bit more exciting for your dog below, but just be aware that is where all the off-leash dogs will be.

Whichever path you choose to take, keep in mind that it's not too easy for humans to get up and down the farther you get down the jetty. At the beginning of the walk, you should be able to climb up and down the pipe pretty easily, but as you head further down the jetty, the pipe will be higher up. There are two sets of stairs along the way - one at the end of the pipe and one closer towards the middle - that will help you get up and down.

We should also mention that the jetty is uncovered for most of the path and it can get hot quickly. If it suddenly gets too hot, you won't be able to find cover immediately. There are two small covered shelters along the way (at roughly the 1/3 and 2/3 marks) where you'll be able to temporarily escape from the sun, but the sun will be bearing down on you the rest of the time. We recommend coming on a day that's cloudier, dress appropriately and bring water for your dog.

What's at the end of the jetty?

We were beginning to wonder if the jetty would ever end, but sure enough, two covered shelters later we finally saw the end of the jetty. At the end was a building (not sure what it was used for) and beyond the building was a small lookout where planes flew overhead and you could look into the vast body of water. There's also another outhouse at the end here, next to the building (there's one about halfway).

Before heading back, we took a moment to take a breather and give our dog a bit of water. Just remember that you might want to take the stairs back up at this point if you didn't want to walk along the off-leash path because it's harder to get back up in case you needed to later.

What we liked

• It's breezy and a nice walk along the water.

• Even though it can be busy, most of the pedestrians here were fairly spread out.

• The upper and lower parts of the trail are pretty well separated (although it is possible to go up and down, it takes a bit of effort especially towards the end).

What we didn't like

• Nothing really changes for all 8.2km so it's a long walk and not exactly rewarding at the end.

• There aren't any covers so be extremely mindful of the heat on a hot day.

• We had tried coming here a couple of times before over the weekends and the parking was completely full that we had to go elsewhere.

Our recommendation for reactive dogs

This one's fairly interesting because if you're looking for a walk that's distanced away from other dogs (especially when they're off-leash), this wasn't a bad place for that. The top and the lower paths are pretty well separated, especially the further you head down the jetty.

The top part of the pipe doesn't have as much greenery and we found that our dog was more concerned with getting to the end of the jetty rather than stopping to smell. The walk itself can be long and repetitive because it is just a straight and flat path for 4.1km one way and then another 4.1km back and honestly speaking, we don't think our dog really enjoyed it all that much.

Aside from that, just remember that it can be very hot and there isn't much cover along the way. There are two small areas the size of a bus stop, but aside from that, it is uncovered the rest of the way. Bring water and if the sun's really bearing down, you might want to consider shortening the walk or just coming again another day. The view at the end is nice, though for us not so spectacular that you have to make it all the way to the end. 

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.