Inspired by Birdability and the work they do to make “birding for everybody and every body”, we’ve compiled a list of accessible birding hotspots throughout every region of the BC Bird Trail.

While this isn’t a definitive list, we’ve chosen birding hotspots that offer accessible facilities such as public washrooms, parking and reserved parking, wheelchair access, generally flat trails, boardwalks, and more.

If you’d like more information about birding-specific accessibility, check out Birdability’s website. Discover accessible birding locations through their crowdsourced Birdability Map that describes in detail the accessibility features of birding locations all over the world. For BC-specific information, refer to BC Parks’ Accessibility page. You’ll find detailed accessibility information for individual parks across the province to find the ones that best suit your needs.

Jump to a Region:

Kootenay Rockies
Northern BC
Thompson Okanagan
Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
Vancouver Island

Kootenay Rockies

Cranbrook

Elizabeth Lake Bird Sanctuary

  • Walking trails wide enough for strollers and wheelchairs
  • Three loop trails: “A Loop” is 0.76 km, “B Loop” is 1.23 km, and “C Loop” is 0.76 km
  • Picnic table areas and benches throughout trails
  • Interpretive signage available
  • Parking available
  • Near public transit routes, but not direct access

Cranbrook Community Forest

  • 7 trailheads in the south part of the forest, with only the College of the Rockies trailhead, Chief Isadore trailhead (north end of Cranbrook), Lower Baker Mountain Road trailhead, Upper Baker Mountain Road trailhead, and Eager Lookout trailhead having some (limited) parking available
  • Kettle Loop trail is 0.9km with interpretive signage
  • More trail information can be found on their website

Golden

Confluence Park

  • Features a level, graded community-built trail
  • Equipped with picnic tables, wheelchair access, and public washrooms

Reflection Lake

  • Interpretive signage available
  • Gazebo viewing area
  • Picnic area
  • Parking available

Nelson & Kootenay Lake

Lakeside Park & Nelson Bridge

  • Parking with access to changerooms
  • Paved trails along the lakefront
  • Often has a Mobi-Mat over the sandy beach for wheelchair access to the lake 

Kootenay Lake Park – Davis Creek

  • Accessible pit toilets at campgrounds with level entry and grab bars
  • Firmly packed gravel surfaces on trails
  • Most trails have slopes appropriate for wheelchairs, with a few short sections that are slightly steeper
  • Learn more at BC Parks Accessibility page

Radium & Invermere

Tilley Memorial Park

  • Shaded picnic area
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Public washrooms available
  • Large parking area

Wilmer Wetlands Hiking Trail

  • 3.7 km relatively flat trail that has a hilly portion at the end of the hike, which might reduce mobility for some hikers, as well as some narrow sections
  • Small gravel parking area

James Chabot Provincial Park

  • Washroom facilities, one picnic table, and four parking stalls are reserved for wheelchairs
  • A concrete ramp that provides access to the lake
  • Paved pedestrian pathways run through the park, providing access from the parking area to the picnic area and the beach, with the pathways to the lake having a slight slope
  • More information on accessibility at James Cabot Provincial Park can be found at BC Parks Accessibility webpage.

Northern BC

Prince George

Cottonwood Island Nature Park

  • Parking available
  • Paved, dirt and granular trails
  • Picnic shelter, benches and picnic tables

Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park

  • Amenity rich park on the Fraser River where it meets the Nechako
  • Multi-use trails, picnic sites, park benches, washrooms
  • Wheelchair accessible playground opened November 2025
  • 3 large free parking lots
  • 4 designated wheelchair accessible spaces at the entrance to The Exploration Place

Thompson Okanagan

Kelowna

Waterfront Promenade to Rotary Marsh Park

  • Paved and crushed gravel trails, some boardwalk sections
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • A 2 km pathway along the edge of Okanagan Lake, linking 5 parks: City Park, Kerry Park, Stuart Park, Waterfront Park and Rotary Marsh Park.
  • Easy access to downtown amenities

Okanagan Rail Trail

  • 50 km multi-use pathway between Kelowna and Coldstream (near Vernon)
  • Gentle grade (no more than 1.3%)
  • Rest stops and interpretive signs
  • Fully accessible for people of all ages and abilities

Osoyoos

sẁiẁs (Haynes Point) Provincial Park

  • Day-use and campground
  • A peninsula that stretches 1km into Osoyoos Lake
  • Main loop trail is fully paved
  • Parking, picnic tables, washrooms

Nk’mip Desert Cultural Centre

  • Fully accessible to all guests
  • Wheelchair ramp leading from parking lot to cultural centre
  • Outdoor “Living Land” exhibits feature accessible gravel pathways
  • 1 km nature trail
  • Some sectors have steeper inclines making them non-accessible, but all trails are clearly marked on the outdoor map

The Shuswap

Herald Park

  • Lots of general signage
  • Paved or gravel pathways – generally level, stable and firm
  • Picnic tables, benches, accessible washrooms
  • More detailed information can be found on BC Parks Accessibility page

Tsútswecw Park – Main Parking Area

  • Two designated accessible parking stalls
  • Paved or hardpacked crushed gravel
  • Paved trail to viewing area
  • Wide, firm and stable trails with no slope
  • Picnic tables with accessible overhanging
  • Accessible pit toilets
  • More detailed information can be found on BC Parks Accessibility page

Vernon

Ellison Provincial Park

  • Two designated accessible parking stalls
  • Gravel pathway to access the beach from accessible parking stalls. During busy times access to this path could become difficult.
  • Pathways are generally wide, firm, stable and level with good overheight clearance.
  • Picnic tables, benches, accessible pit toilet
  • More detailed information can be found on BC Parks Accessibility page

For more information on wheelchair accessible trails in Vernon see Ribbons of Green Trails Society and their Interactive Trail Map.

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains

Abbotsford

Fishtrap Creek Park

  • Day use sheltered picnic area
  • Sightseeing benches
  • Interpretive signage
  • Main trail (part of the larger Discovery Trail) is flat and paved and wheelchair and stroller accessible
  • Near public transit routes

Matsqui Trail Regional Park

  • Mission Bridge (main park) entrance has parking, washroom facilities, drinking water, and picnic areas
  • Page Road Trailhead has parking and toilets
  • Flat gravel paths
  • Some parts of the trail are known to flood
  • Near public transit routes

Sumas Mountain Regional Park

  • Parking available
  • Washroom facilities
  • There are twelve trails that work their way through the park, ranging from easy to hard difficulty. Consult online for which trail would be best suited for you.

Willband Creek Park

  • Has two relatively flat, gravel looped trails (a 1.6km northern trail an 2.33km southern trail), each looping a wetland pond
  • Benches throughout the trails
  • Trails have some wooden bridges
  • Gravel parking lot

Delta

George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary

  • Parking available
  • Trails aren’t paved, but are wheelchair accessible
  • Some lookout observation decks are wheelchair accessible

Boundary Bay Regional Park

  • Several access points with parking available, live parking updates available at the link above
  • Near public transit routes
  • The Centennial Beach area offers wheelchair accessible washrooms, change rooms, concession, and picnic tables
  • The 12 Ave Dyke Trail is a semi-firm 2 km trail with some patches of coarse gravel and minimal slopes
  • The Boundary Bay Dyke Trail is flat and wide with hard-packed gravel

Harrison River Valley

Lhá:lt/Harrison-Chehalis Wildlife Management Area

  • Eagle Interpretive Trail, as part of the Sandpiper Resort, offers a relatively flat, short trail through the forest and up to a viewing gazebo
  • Washroom facilities and interpretive signage

Sasquatch Provincial Park

  • Wheelchair-accessible toilets available at the Green Point day-use area
  • The gravel lot at the Deer Lake boat launch has 15 parking spots, some of which can accommodate large vehicles. There is an empty lot at Bench Campground for extra vehicles to park. No stalls are currently designated as accessible.
  • All main paths and access routes around campgrounds and boat launch are compacted crushed gravel, wide, and with minimal slope
  • A short wooden boardwalk leading from the boat launch has some small gaps between planks which should be taken into consideration for those who have mobility issues
  • The Deer Lake section of the park has signs with good colour contrast that are conveniently located at the main entrance area of the park

Richmond

Iona Beach Regional Park

  • Mostly flat trails with loose gravel that may make it difficult for narrow tires
  • Parking available
  • Two washroom facilities
  • Wheelchair accessible areas: the washroom building beside the parking area, the table beside South Marsh, the boardwalk and observation platform at the west side of South Marsh, and the cycle path on Iona Jetty
  • Picnic tables are located at the beach area, the west side of the South Marsh, and near the Iona Jetty entrance. 
  • Drinking water available near the beach area

Terra Nova Rural Park

  • Washroom facilities
  • Parking available
  • Wide gravel paths and some wooden boardwalks along the water
  • Picnic areas and drinking fountain
  • Near public transit routes
Two young birders looking out over the water with binoculars at Gary Point Park.

Garry Point Park

  • Parking available with designated accessible parking spots
  • Accessible washroom facilities
  • Smooth and compact gravel pathways around the perimeter of the park are wheelchair friendly
  • Both the Fisherman’s Memorial and Japanese Garden are wheelchair accessible
  • Picnic areas and benches for resting along the trail
  • Drinking fountain
  • Two seasonal concession stands
  • Near public transit routes
  • Visit Access Richmond’s entry for more specific information (though slightly dated)

Squamish

Squamish Estuary

  • Wide, flat, gravel trails
  • Multiple trails and parking lots to choose from

Shannon Falls Provincial Park

  • Four designated accessible parking stalls
  • Pit toilets next to the parking lot, plus fully wheelchair accessible public washroom slightly further away
  • Paved or compact gravel paths
  • Most paths are relatively level, but access to the viewing platform has some slope
  • More detailed information can be found on BC Parks Accessibility page

Alice Lake Park

  • Two access points with separate parking lots, two designated accessible parking stalls in each
  • Most pathways are packed gravel
  • Topography of this park means many pathways have slopes greater than 8%
  • Designated accessible campgrounds
  • More detailed information can be found on BC Parks Accessibility page

Surrey

Crescent Beach

  • Washroom facilities
  • Main trail is wheelchair accessible
  • A wheelchair designed to navigate the rugged beach terrain is available for loan from the lifeguard station in Sullivan Point Park between the hours of 11am and 7pm throughout the summer. It has chest straps and a seatbelt and can be used with the assistance of an attendant, friend or family member
  • Near public transit routes

Blackie Spit Park

  • A 107-metre boardwalk (currently closed due to COVID-19) provides an accessible route
  • Washroom facilities
  • Parking available
  • Near public transit routes

Mud Bay Park

  • Parking available
  • Flat and wide hard-packed gravel 2.5km looped trail

Vancouver

Stanley Park Seawall

  • Mostly paved, flat trails
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • One-way loop trail
  • Large selection of trails to choose from throughout the rest of Stanley Park to suit your ability
  • Paid parking with wheelchair accessible parking stalls
  • Near public transit routes

Queen Elizabeth Park

  • Various paid parking lots depending on where you enter the park
  • Paved, well marked paths for wheelchairs
  • Some inclines – at 125m above sea level, the park is the highest point in the city and offers excellent views.
  • Lots of amenities, such as the Bloedel Conservatory, outdoor sports activities, and many trails 
  • Near public transit routes

Vancouver’s North Shore

Grouse Mountain

  • Accessible Skyride to the top of Grouse Mountain
  • Designated parking nearest to the tram and access ramps
  • At the top, paved ramp leads to the plaza, restaurant and attractions

Ambleside Park and Sea Wall

  • Paved and flat trails along the shoreline
  • Conveniently located
  • Lots of amenities, including toilets, located next to the park
  • Accessible parking available
  • Near public transit routes

Vancouver Island

Cowichan

Malahat Skywalk

  • The TreeWalk, Spiral Tower, and all Welcome Centre facilities are all wheelchair and stroller friendly
  • The Elevated Walkway and Spiral Tower have a 5-8% incline in some sections
  • Wheelchair accessible parking stalls and washrooms
  • Note: the more rugged terrain on the optional return trail is not designated wheelchair accessible
  • The entire Malahat SkyWalk experience is about 2.2 km
  • On-site cafe with beverages, grab-and-go food and snacks

S’amuna’/Somenos Marsh Conservation Area

  • Several parking lots to access different areas of the marsh
  • The Open Air Classroom and Watt’s Walk Trail offer wheelchair accessible flat gravel paths, boardwalk structures (with handrails), and wildlife viewing platform
  • Interpretive signage
  • Near public transit routes

The Raptors

  • Most paths are packed earth of gravel
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Contact The Raptors in advance of visiting with service animals
  • Near public transit routes
  • Photo courtesy of Jordan Dyck, Destination BC

Kinsol Trestle

  • Wheelchair accessible trails with great views
  •  Flat, wide, trail surfaced with crushed gravel fines

Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre

  • A nature interpretive centre overlooking the Cowichan Estuary
  • Wheelchair accessible ramp

Transfer Beach Park

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Accessible pathways from the parking lot to major amenities like the Sportsmen shelter, washrooms and the spray park, as well as accessible washrooms with touchless fixtures.
  • Mobi-Mat provides access to the water

Langford

Ed Nixon Trail at Langford Lake

  • Features wheelchair accessible sections and wooden boardwalks
  • Gravel trail
  • Picnic tables
  • Accessible playground at Scout Point
  • Parking available at the eastern end of the lake and at City Centre Park 
  • Near public transit routes

Glen Lake Park

  • Located at the north end of Glen Lake
  • Accessible picnic tables
  • Boardwalk
  • Public washroom
  • Close to the Galloping Goose Trail

Parksville Qualicum Beach

North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre

  • Gravel paths are wheelchair accessible
  • Two wheelchairs are available for visitor use at no charge
  • A caregiver accompanying someone who requires assistance receives free entry
  • Designated accessible parking spots
  • Washrooms with wheelchair accessibility and one with a baby changing station
Rehabilitating Eagles rest on a bar inside a flight enclosure

Seaside Nature Park / Faye Smith Memorial Pavillion

  • Located on the west end of Qualicum Beach’s waterfront
  • Parking located just off the highway, next to the beach and connected to paved pathways
  • Plenty of benches and a sheltered area with a 180-degree viewpoint close to the parking lot
  • Interpretive signage

Port Alice

Port Alice Seawalk

  • 1.5 km paved pathway along the coastline
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Picnic tables and benches
  • Parking available directly next to the road and the paved pathway

Port Hardy

Coastal Rainforest Safaris

  • Wilderness experiences by Indigenous owned and operated company
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Contact directly for more information

Hardy Bay Seawall / Carrot and Rotary Parks

  • Carrot and Rotary Parks is the park complex that the Visitor Centre and Seawall are located within
  • Seawall is 400 meter paved waterfront path that is flat and well-maintained
  • Interpretive signs
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Wheelchair accessible toilets available in Visitor Centre

Port McNeil

Port McNeil Seawall

  • Located directly in town
  • Designated accessible parking available at the Port McNeil Visitor Centre

Sointula & Alert Bay

Kaleva Road

  • Multiple look out points along the road that can be enjoyed from the vehicle
  • Gravel areas suitable for wheelchairs
  • Since Sointula and Alert Bay are naturally quite hilly, it’s recommended to bring a vehicle

Sooke

Whiffin Spit

  • Parking located directly at the start of the trail, although limited space when busy
  • Flat and wide trail
  • Hard-packed gravel, partially paved
  • Benches

Galloping Goose Trail

  • 55 km multi-use trail between Sooke and Victoria
  • Wheelchair access
  • Accessible toilets
  • Various parking lots along the trail, research which one best suits your needs

Southern Gulf Islands

Salt Spring Island – Ganges Harbour

  • board walks, paved roads
  • Accessible birdwatching available along the downtown harbour and waterfront

Tofino

Tinwis (Mackenzie) Beach

  • Hellesen Dr. has accessible parking, bathrooms, an entrance ramp and a seasonal Mobi-mat
  • Mackenzie Beach Rd features an accessible wooden boardwalk from the resort entrance to the beach
  • More info on accessibility in Tofino can be found here

Cox Bay

  • Boardwalk and concrete ramp between Long Beach Lodge Resort and Cox Bay Resort
  • More info on accessibility in Tofino can be found here

Radar Hill

  • Accessible toilet
  • Viewing platform (steep grades)

Tofino Multi-Use Pathway

  • Paved pathway in downtown Tofino
  • Connects to ʔapsčiik t̓ašii Multi-Use Pathway (see more below)
  • More info on accessibility in Tofino can be found here

Ucluelet

ʔapsčiik t̓ašii Multi-Use Pathway

  • Pronounced ups-cheek ta-shee
  • 25 km paved pathway connecting Ucluelet and Tofino
  • Both flat sections and rolling hills
  • Intersects parking lots within Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with accessible toilets

Wild Pacific Trail – Amphitrite Lighthouse

  • A small section of the Wild Pacific Trail is paved and wheelchair accessible at Amphritrite Lighthouse
  • Further areas can be explored on gravel trails
  • Other sections of the Wild Pacific Trail are not accessible

Due to varying accessibility needs, further research or contacting the park regions through the resources linked is recommended. For more information about accessible activities and experiences in British Columbia, check out Supernatural BC’s website. You can also discover more accessible locations through the BC Parks website.

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