Widgeon Marsh is Metro Vancouver’s New Regional Park
Metro Vancouver’s newest regional park, Widgeon Marsh, will be opening for limited public access beginning Saturday, November 1, 2025. This marks the first time the public will be able to explore one of the region’s most ecologically significant natural areas.
Widgeon Marsh Regional Park
I attended a preview tour of this brand new park a few weeks ago. It’s nestled between steep rocky cliffs with moss-covered boulders perched in the forest, and a migratory bird’s paradise in the marshes. From a salmon stream rushing through a dark evergreen forest, to a wide open plain surrounded by mountains like one epic stadium.
“Widgeon Marsh Regional Park is a remarkable ecological treasure, and we’re proud to take this important step toward welcoming the public,” says Mike Hurley, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Board of Directors.“ This limited opening reflects our commitment to protecting sensitive habitats while creating meaningful opportunities for people to connect with nature. We’re grateful for the collaboration with First Nations and local communities, and we look forward to continuing this work.”
Widgeon Marsh is part of southwest BC’s largest freshwater wetland and is home to some of the most sensitive lands in the region, and preserving its natural habitats and ecology is a top priority.
The park will be open seven days a week from 8:00am to 3:30pm, except in the event of severe weather or construction. Visitors will be able to access the park by making a vehicle parking reservation, coming by bicycle, walking in, or paddling in via Widgeon Slough. On Saturdays and Sundays, visitors can also reserve seats on the free shuttle that will pick up and drop off in the vicinity of the Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station.
- Limited Public Access Begins November 1, 2025
- View location on Google Maps (up past Minnekhada Regional Park)
- Book a seat on the weekend shuttle
- Reserve a vehicle parking spot
“This is a truly special place, and we’re excited to begin welcoming the public in a way that respects the land and its ecological importance,” said John McEwen, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Regional Parks Committee. “Widgeon Marsh Regional Park offers a rare opportunity to connect with nature in one of the region’s most peaceful and pristine settings.”
Visitors are also reminded that Widgeon Marsh includes wilderness areas with limited cell service and no access to drinking water. Proper preparation is essential. A highlight of the park is a four-kilometre, accessible paved trail. To preserve the park’s ecological integrity, dogs are not permitted except for service animals. This will be strictly enforced.
Metro Vancouver’s regional park system is made up of 25 parks, five greenways, two ecological conservancy areas, and two regional park reserves, spanning nearly 14,000 hectares in communities from Bowen Island in the west to Langley and Maple Ridge in the east.
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