Unspecified/General

The Capilano Suspension Bridge has been thrilling visitors near North Vancouver since 1889, a slender footbridge that sways some seventy metres above the rushing Capilano River and stretches around one hundred and forty metres across the forested canyon, making it one of the oldest and most popular attractions in the region. The first bridge was built by the Scottish engineer George Grant Mackay from hemp rope and cedar planks, hauled across the gorge with the help of an Indigenous man and a team of horses, and it was rebuilt with wire cables in 1903 and again with heavy steel cables in the twentieth century, growing over time from a simple river crossing into a full park experience under a succession of owners. Crossing the gently bobbing bridge high above the river and the towering trees is the central thrill, but the park has added several other attractions that extend the adventure: the Treetops Adventure, a series of smaller suspension bridges strung between huge Douglas firs that let visitors walk through the forest canopy, and the Cliffwalk, a narrow walkway of glass and steel cantilevered out from the granite cliff face above the canyon, offering vertiginous views straight down. Throughout the park, trails wind through the coastal rainforest among ancient trees, and displays interpret the natural history of the area and the culture of the local First Nations, including a collection of totem poles gathered over the decades. With its combination of heritage, natural beauty and gentle adrenaline, the park draws over a million visitors a year. The long history of the bridge gives the park a character quite distinct from a purely modern attraction, for it has been drawing visitors for well over a century, since the days when reaching it meant a considerable journey out from the young city, and the early adventurers who crossed the swaying span were affectionately known as Capilano tramps. The Treetops Adventure carries visitors along a series of smaller suspension bridges attached to the trunks of towering Douglas firs, allowing them to walk among the branches well above the forest floor, while the Cliffwalk takes a different kind of nerve, a slender cantilevered walkway, partly floored with glass, that clings to the sheer granite face high above the river. Throughout the park, interpretive displays and a story centre recount its history and the natural history of the rainforest, and the carving of totem poles and the culture of the local First Nations are presented to visitors. Seasonal events, including a much-loved winter display of lights, add to the appeal, and the park remains one of the most visited attractions in the region.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: 3735 Capilano Road, Vancouver, Canada

Telephone: 604 985 7474

Website: https://www.capbridge.com

Opening Date: 01/01/1889