Our next stop was the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. We knew we were in trouble when the nearest parking spot was about half a mile away from the entrance. We were there on a very busy day.
In 1935, local First Nations were invited to place their totem poles in the park
My favorite:
The central feature of the park is, of course, this incredibly long span. As it bounced up and down and swayed back and forth as we traversed the gorge, it reminded me of the seemingly fragile but surprisingly strong thread of a spider's web:
There were a LOT of people on it. I was surprised the number wasn't regulated. Obviously it can bear a lot of weight.
It was a long, long, LONG way down. If you are acrophobic, keep your eyes focused on the end of the bridge.
The crowds thinned the further we traveled from the bridge. Walkways meander through the treetops and on the ground:
I love this sign:
There are some fun interactive displays. Check out the teeth on these two predators:
There was nature's sculpture:
. . . and man-made art:
The tallest tree in the park, "Grandma Capilano," is over 250 feel tall and over 1300 years old:
She may be old and large, but in 1895 a tree was cut down nearby that was 417 feet tall!
There is beauty in every nook and cranny:
Capilano is a beautiful but very crowded park, especially for a Wednesday. Imagine what Saturdays and Sundays are like!
The Capilano bridge is 460 feet long and 230 feet above the river. The original bridge, built in 1889, was made of hemp ropes and cedar planks. Version 2.0 was built in 1902 and was a wire cable bridge. Version 3.0 is the current bridge, completely rebuilt in 1956. In 2004, a feature called "Treetops Adventures" was opened--seven footbridges suspended 98 feet above the forest floor between old-growth Douglas firs.
In 1935, local First Nations were invited to place their totem poles in the park
My favorite:
There were a LOT of people on it. I was surprised the number wasn't regulated. Obviously it can bear a lot of weight.
Yeah, this is a no brainer:
The crowds thinned the further we traveled from the bridge. Walkways meander through the treetops and on the ground:
There are some fun interactive displays. Check out the teeth on these two predators:
Along with the body parts, there were whole, live animals. We think this is a barred eagle owl:
A Harris hawk:
And even a Siberian tiger:
. . . and man-made art:
She may be old and large, but in 1895 a tree was cut down nearby that was 417 feet tall!
There is beauty in every nook and cranny:
I would rate Capilano as one of the most over-hyped, over-priced, unpleasant places we've ever visited. You're hoping to get back to nature and it is wall to wall people, pushing, swinging and jumping on the bridge. The cost would not be worth it even if you were there by yourself, but when the crowds are as bad as Disneyland, it is hopeless.
ReplyDeleteI think you felt more strongly about that than I did. I agree that it was over-priced and over-crowded, but away from the main suspension bridge was much better and the scenery was beautiful. Note that there aren't tons of people in the pictures that were taken in the further-away parts of the park.
DeleteThat's an impressive suspension bridge and some beautiful park areas. I don't think I'd like walking with sooo many people on the bridge. I'd be to worried about someone ahead of me cutting the cables Indiana Jones style.
ReplyDelete