Pitt Lake east of Vancouver offers scenic mountain views, tons of water recreation activities and plenty of bird-watching.
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Looking for outdoor fun near Vancouver? Pitt Meadows Lake offers these 9 fantastic activities.

About an hour east of downtown Vancouver is an extensive recreational area known as Pitt Lake, Pitt Meadows, Pitt Meadows Lake, Pitt-Addington Marsh Wildlife Management Area or Grant Narrows Regional Park.

So many different names, but they all equal a fantastic nature recreation area for water activities (boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming) as well as hiking and bird-watching.

Surrounded by mountains, Pitt Lake was created when a series of dams and dikes were built at the end of the Pitt River to improve the agricultural zones in the area. Pitt Lake is 15 miles long, 2-1/2 miles wide and 490 feet at its maximum depth.

We spent a whole day there – exploring, hiking, birdwatching, people watching. Let us show everything you need to know to have a fabulous day at Pitt Meadows Lake, BC!

Quick Facts about Pitt Meadows Lake

  • Hours: Generally Dawn to Dusk
  • Amount of Time: Minimum 2-3 Hours – We spent a whole day there!
  • Cost to Get In: FREE, but there is a nominal cost for parking
  • Pets Allowed?: Leashed Dogs are allowed in most areas of the park.
  • Put In your GPS: Grant Narrows Regional Park in Pitt Meadows BC
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Pitt Meadow Lake Map

This map highlights where to find each of the item covered in this blog post.

This map highlights the activities that happen around the Park Info Building and the Boat Launch at Grant Narrows Regional Park.

Top 9 Things To Do at Pitt Meadows Lake

#1 – Boating

The large lake has ample opportunities for boating recreation. At the park, there is a nice big boat launch (also known as the Grant Narrows Boat Launch) for trailered boats. Passes are available for a daily or seasonal fee. And then miles and miles of lake to explore!

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Note that Pitt Lake is a tidal lake so boaters should pay attention to the water fluctuations. But there is also a general consensus that Pitt Lake has a “tidal mind of it’s own” and conditions can vary widely from any predictive reports. Just be smart and stay attuned with changing water conditions.

A white boat on a trailer waits to back down the paved boat launch into the Lake.
A blue-white fishing boat churns through the water at Pitt Lake as it leaves the boat launch area.
A smaller boat with only two people on it cruises through the water in Pitt Lake BC.
A red speed boat full of people speeds through the water at Pitt Meadows Lake, leaving a large wake behind it.

#2 – Kayaking

Next to the launch for trailered boats, there is also a smaller walk-in launch for kayaks, paddleboards and canoes.

People are busy putting their canoes and paddleboards and kayaks into the water of Pitt Lake. Some children are wading in the water despite there being a "no swimming" sign right there.

And there is plenty of room nearby to prepare for your walk-in launch. We saw lots of people inflating their kayaks and stand up paddle boards.

Two men unpack two large blue paddle boards next to their vehicle.
Two people use a hand pump to inflate their kayak, Next to them two colorful kayaks are strapped to the top of a white car.

#3 – Stand Up Paddleboarding

Tons of people brought their stand-up paddleboards to Pitt Meadows Lake to explore the waterways. If you go left from the launch, there are more islands and coves to discover, providing waters that are more protected than the large open lake to the right.

A woman in black stands up on her paddle board as she propels out into the middle of Pitt Lake
A couple kneel on their paddleboards as they navigate away from shore.

#4 – Canoeing

Either bring your own or you can rent a canoe at Grants Narrow Regional Park. Two person and four person canoes are available for daily and overnight rentals.

Wind is always a consideration on Pitt Lake so be aware of changing conditions throughout your padding adventure.

Two people paddle a canoe out into the water at Pitt Lake, BC
A blue sign indicates the rental prices for canoes at Pitt Meadows Lake.

#5 – Pitt Lake Fishing

Fishing is a very popular activity at Pitt Meadows Lake, whether out on a boat, from the docks near the boat launch or in the areas along the dikes. In the image below, two men are fishing just below one of the hiking trails at the Pitt River Dike Scenic Point.

Fish commonly caught in this area are the Rainbow Trout, Florida Bass, Black Crappie, Brook Trout and Dolly Varden Trout.

Two men whose heads are barely visible at the bottom of this photos are fishing in the waters of Pitt Meadow Lake with the stunning mountain range in the distance.

#6 – Swimming

There is a swimming beach to the left of the boat launch area. No lifeguard is present so children should be watched carefully.

# 7 – Picnicking

We ate our lunch at the large picnic area near the lake. Lots of tables and benches, lots of garbage cans. Quite a few shade trees. Plenty of families brought blankets and camp chairs to enjoy time in the grassy area.

Families gather at picnic tables under the trees to enjoy lake views while they eat their lunch or dinner. Lots of folding chairs are set up for easy relaxation.
Some families bring blankets and chairs to sit on the grass while enjoying a picnic lunch.

# 8 – Bird-watching

Our main purpose to come out to Pitt Meadows Lake was to do some birdwatching. Over 200 species have been recorded in the area. We found lots of familiar ones like the Belted Kingfisher, Osprey, Cedar Waxwing, Great Blue Heron, Eastern Kingbird, Glaucous-winged Gull and the Mallard.

A large black and white Osprey perches on the nest with trees in the distance behind him.
Osprey
The juvenile Kingbird watches and waits for something to happen, sitting perched high in the treetop.
Eastern Kingbird
The Cedar Waxwing sits on a branch, showing off his reddish brown crested head and his black eyemask.
Cedar Waxwing
A large heron scrunches his neck to his body to protect him from the strong winds as he perches high on a dead wooden branch.
Great Blue Heron

There is a large Osprey nest on a pole out in the water. Fun to watch the two adult and two juvenile Osprey coming and going as they hunt for fish.

To learn more about the birds we found and where we found them, check out our British Columbia birds blog post.

#9 – Hiking

Hiking along the dikes in this park gives you access to stunning mountain views, fishing opportunities and wildlife. We hiked three different areas of the park – two from the Info Building, and one from the Pitt River Dike Scenic Point down Rannie Road.

A map shows the broader view of Pitt Meadow Lake area, also known as Grants Narrows Regional Park outside of Vancouver, BC
This trail along the dike at Pitt Meadows Lake curves besides a small stream towards trees and mountains in the distance.
Pitt Meadows Lake with pink foxfire in the foreground and mountains in the background.
A marshy area with lily pads and foxglove flowers is home to lots of bird and wildlife at Grant Narrows Regional Park right next to Pitt Lake in British Columbia.

For those seeking a more defined hiking trail, check out the Pitt Wildlife Loop or the Pitt River Regional Greenway.

Amenities Available at Pitt Meadows Lake

Park Info Building

There is a small Info Building near the Boat Launch where you can pay for parking, canoe rentals and boat launch fees. It’s also a great place to ask questions about the trails and other parts of the Pitt Meadows Lake Recreation area.

Outhouse Toilets

There are outhouses with pit toilets near the boat launch and Info Building, and within the parking lot. Hint: There wasn’t much TP left when we visited so you might want to bring your own!

Dining Options

There is no food available at Pitt Meadows Lake, but lots of people bring coolers for a picnic lunch.

Getting To Pitt Meadows Lake

Located 33 miles northeast from downtown Vancouver, it takes about an hour by car to reach Pitt Meadows Lake. Put Grant Narrows Regional Park into your GPS or favorite maps app.

Screenshot of a map showing drive from downtown vancouver to Pitt Meadows Lake, BC

Once you exit the TransCanada freeway onto BC-7 East and follow the exits, you’ll drive through mostly agricultural areas, past a large number of roadside fruit stands (we bought yummy cherries!) plus a few large golf courses.

As you drive along Rannie Road for the last 7 miles, it feels like you are alone in the middle of nowhere. Until you reach the park and see that hundreds of other cars are also there!

There is a large pay parking lot, but when we visited on a Saturday, it was pretty full of trucks with boat trailers. We managed to snag a spot and paid the small fee at the Park Info building near the boat launch.

The large parking lot at Pitt Meadows Lake is full of cars. Helpfully, lots of trees line the lot, offering shade to parked cars.

Tons of cars were also parked out on Rannie Road leading into the park, some more than a half mile from the entrance.

Cars are parked all along the road leading into the Recreation area at Pitt Meadows Lake.


Note, there is no public transit option that gets you all the way to the park. An Uber would cost $61-85 USD each way from downtown Vancouver.

Conclusion: Is Pitt Meadows Lake in Vancouver Worth a Visit?

Absolutely it is! It might not be on everyone else’s “Top Things to Do in Vancouver Lists”, but if you love water recreation and being outside in nature, it’s a great place to spend a day. So many different options of activities and they are (mostly) free! It was quite crowded when we went on a Saturday in July, but I’ll bet during the week, it’s way less busy.

More Info on Canada

Here are some more posts about Canada, British Columbia and Vancouver, including some that I’m still working on. If you’d like to receive emails when I’ve posted new content to the site, please complete the short form above.

Vancouver:

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