Thompson Park- Chilliwack, British Columbia

Trail: Thompson Park Trail

Date Completed: February 2, 2020

Distance:  Approximately 1.5 km, however, this is not determined

Elevation: Minimal

Type of trail: Loop

Location: Thompson Park (up Chilliwack Lake Road)

Distance from Vancouver: Approximately 1 hr 35 min

Directions: Click here for Google Map

Adults: 1

Ages of children: 3, 5

Stroller Friendly: Yes

Bathrooms: Yes 

Dog-friendly: Yes, on leash

Cell Service: Not reliable- in and out of service

Time to Complete: 45 minutes, including stopping to look at signs

Jelly Bean Rating: 1/5

Oh, Chilliwack River Valley you’ve done it again.

It’s possible for us to write an entire website about the gems you’ll find as you head up Chilliwack Lake Road, but there’s also so much in the Fraser Valley that can’t be ignored so we’ll stick to covering it all!

Thompson Park is located about 15 minutes from the roundabout at Vedder and Chilliwack Lake Road. Just before the Firehall and Tractor Grease Cafe is a parking lot on the right-hand side. Turn into here and find a spot to park!

There’s a wonderfully large covered area at Thompson Park that has hosted family picnics, weddings, and it’s where Sam learned her Wilderness First Aid (that you can register to do through Waddington’s Outdoors).

covered area at thompson park

Now, there’s also a pretty awesome natural element playground at Thompson park, so be prepared to make some compromises with your kids about when to play there (in other words, explain that they will get some jellybeans if you go for a little hike before playing).

Once they’re convinced to go for a hike start making your way towards the forest. There’s a memorial for lives that were lost in an airplane crash in the Chilliwack River Valley with a piece of the plane on display.

Go past the memorial into the opening where you’ll see a sign explaining invasive plants and a boot cleaner for you to make sure you’ve removed anything that could be potentially harmful off your shoes.

clean boots at thompson park

We decided to go right at the fork so that we could follow the signs that we could see going down the trail.

Thompson Park is a habitat for lots of animals, including salmon, birds, and even salamanders! There are signs put up along the trail to provide information for those who want to find out more about the area and the conservation efforts that are being made.

By now your kids probably need a break (it’s been 5 minutes). Fortunately, there’s a nice little bench for you all to take a seat, have a few jellybeans, recharge, and make promises of seeing a bridge.

bench at thompson park

Just a few moments further, beyond the little bit of a hill is a bridge.

After the bridge, the trail winds through the trees. You’ll be able to see glimpses of the river as you near the back of the trail. It’s fun to stop here and see how many ducks you can spot!

It’s not much further to go after these little breaks. You’ll come to a fork where one side continues on with the gravel trail and the other is a dirt trail. Continue on the gravel trail and you’ll be able to see the sight of the park. This last bit will be the quickest one as your kids will begin to run towards the fun playground (and jellybeans) that are ahead!

thompson park trail

Just like at William’s Park there’s a really neat playground at Thompson Park. It acts as an obstacle course which is fantastic news for competing siblings! There’s also a large field that’s great for racing and playing tag!

playground at thompson park

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    Thompson Park is a perfect place to spend some time, whether it’s half an hour or 3 hours!

    Have you been? What are your thoughts?

     

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