John Hendry Park (Trout Lake)

John Hendry Park and Trout Lake provide a beautiful setting for enjoying a relaxing break from the city

A sandy beach flanks the south end of Trout Lake in John Hendry Park
A sandy beach flanks the south end of Trout Lake in John Hendry Park

A beautiful, scenic and impressive recreational park conveniently close to Commercial Broadway station is John Hendry Park (also unofficially known as Trout Lake Park). This gorgeous setting is the home of Vancouver's only accessible freshwater lake. On the south end of this tranquil lake there is an alluring man-made sandy beach. This Vancouver gem is more a community neighbourhood park; well off the radar of most tourists even though it is just a 10 minute walk from one of Vancouver's busiest transit hubs.

It's a wonderful place to enjoy sunbathing or going for a refreshing swim in the small lake. Lifeguards are on duty from late May to early September, however, there are occassional closures to the beach and swimming area due to water quality.

At the north end of the lake there's an off leash dog area, where dogs and their owners can also enjoy another man-made sandy beach to romp around and even swim from.

When visiting the park, you can enjoy one of many recreational sports fields, the community centre with an updated ice rink, arts studio, music room, fitness centre and outdoor festival plaza or one of the many multi-use trails. There's also a concession stand, but if you'd rather pack your own meal you can take advantage of the picnic area complete with shelters and barbeque pits.

John Hendry Park is the official name for this impressive 67.5 acre recreational park and lake. It was donated to the Vancouver Parks Board by John Hendry's daughter Aldyen Irene and son-in-law Eric W Hamber in 1926 soon after they were married, with the intent to honour her late father, who died in 1916 at the age of 72. John Hendry was a well known influential and respected man.

The gorgeous location was given under the condition it would always be called John Hendry Park and in 1942 Eric Hamber wrote to the Vancouver Parks Board reminding them of his family's generous donation and their trusting that the stipulation of its name would be regarded. This matter was soon resolved and once more the Parks Board officially recognized the park as John Hendry, not Trout Lake, giving homage to this prominent pioneer family.

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: No

John Hendry Park (Trout Lake) Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays

  • Monday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Thursday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Friday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Saturday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Sunday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Address: 3300 Victoria Dr, Vancouver, BC V5N 4M4, Canada

Phone: (604) 873-7000

Official Website: John Hendry Park (Trout Lake)

John Hendry Park (Trout Lake) Reviews

Rated 4.5 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating This lake is fantastic for a good walk. You can walk the path around the whole lake in about 15-20 min. Also loved the kids park with swings. Very family friendly. Lots of dogs and people of all different walks of life. Stroller friendly as well. Will be back year round!
Shelbx bk - a week ago

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5 Star Rating Very lovely and great place to spend the day. The beach is nice and we did see some people swimming but the park itself it perfect for a leisurely stroll. We saw a lot of happy dogs with their humans. Daughter and I were at the farmers market and there were a lot of interesting stalls and food trucks. The port a potties near the farmers market are really indescribably bad. No paper, water is non functional and potty super dirty. Hand sanitizer is provided. A better option are the clean and bountiful washrooms at the arena which is a ten minute walk through the park. It’s best to plan ahead so you are in close proximity to these nice facilities when the need arises, but, if you gotta go…..
Jane Darling - 6 months ago

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4 Star Rating A little oasis in the city! It is so relaxing to sit on a bench or grass here! Also a great place for a quick walk or walking dogs. The trail is about 1.2-1.5 k for a loop. Lots happening throughout a year… encountered a clothing market and a dog costume contest one time.
Kanako Sakurada - 2 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating An urban oasis and one of my favorite places to walk through. There is a loop that goes through the park, the pond, a community center and on Saturdays in spring/summer, the farmers market. They often have events like live music in the evenings in summer. It's fun to check out the different people gathering. There is also a concession and beach, as well as a kids playground and bathrooms. Only one of the beaches is dog friendly.
K S (Kat) - 6 months ago

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5 Star Rating There are just some places in the city that are good for the soul, and can renew your spirit with each visit. Trout Lake has all the amenities, and yet, so much more... Here, you'll see baseball diamonds, football fields, an off-leash dog area, an ice rink, a community centre, tennis courts, tons of picnic spaces, playgrounds, tennis courts, a farmer's market, a concessions stand... You'll see juggling acts, funny photo shoots, jazz, rock, and karaoke performances, festival of lights installations, maybe even a wedding... You'll see children being children, families being families, friends being friends, even strangers being friends... You will see people playing that weird sport where people are in a circle batting a ball down into a mini-trampoline. You will accept an ice cream from a family that has too many in the hot sun... You will buy drinks from a 7 year-old's stand. There's a shared experience here, and you feel the vibe of wholeness as a community. The mix of people is as diverse as you can get socio-economically, culturally, or age-related, but the sense of sharing an singular existence is not only palpable, but honoured. Come out of the rat race for a spell, and join the human race... And then, there's moments like this out of nowhere on a frozen day in January. Pure gold!
Tom Chin - a month ago

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Directions

SkyTrain Line Nearest Station Walking Time
Expo Line or Millennium LineCommercial-Broadway Station11 Minutes
Expo LineNanaimo Station9 Minutes

How to get to John Hendry Park (Trout Lake) by SkyTrain

Take either the Expo or the Millennium Line to Commercial-Broadway Station. Exit the station and proceed one block east on E Broadway to Victoria Drive then go right. Walk south on Victoria Drive to 15th Avenue and go left along 15th into the park.

If you are travelling to the park on the Expo Line from downtown Vancouver you can continue past Broadway Station and get off at Nanaimo Station. This will result in slightly less walking distance and is ideal for getting to the south end of the park. Exit Nanaimo Station and cross over Nanaimo Street. Go right (north) up Nanaimo to Copley Street which is opposite to 20th Avenue. Make the sharp left onto Copley and then go right at the first laneway and follow it straight into the park.

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