Stanley Park, Vancouver, B. C.

Location: Vancouver, B.C.

Length: Miles of trails within park.

Level of difficulty: Park trails vary; look for nesting areas in trees above level, paved parking lot; accessible.

Setting: Stanley Park, one of the largest city parks in North America, has a wide variety of trails and scenic attractions. For a great introduction to this hugely popular park, take advantage of a recent natural phenomenon that is rarely this accessible to the public: For the fourth year in a row, great blue herons have chosen to build their huge nests in selected tall trees (mainly bigleaf maples) near the park administration building. The area now features an astounding 157 nests in 24 trees.

Highlights: It's extremely rare for great blue herons to build their nests this close to humans, and although herons generally are easily disrupted, the park's herons seem undisturbed. The herons return in February, and the last fledglings leave the nests by the end of September, so visitors can see a wide range of heron activity throughout spring and summer. The huge birds offer an otherworldly sight, resembling pterodactyls as they fly in and out of the maple trees, tending their young.

Facilities: Restrooms and water in park.

Restrictions: Leash law in effect. Please do not feed the wildlife. Parking at any of the many lots is $2 (Cdn.) per hour or $4 (Cdn.) per day (free street parking around the park perimeter is rare). From June 14 through Sept. 18, take the park's free shuttle buses, which travel daily between 14 of the park's most popular destinations from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Directions: Take I-5 to the U.S./Canadian border and drive into downtown Vancouver (stop at the tourism office just past Customs for a free map). Stanley Park is just west of downtown; the rookery is next to the park administration office at the Beach Avenue (southwest) entrance of the park.

Information: 604-257-8400 or www.vancouver.ca/parks.

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