Last Updated on March 11, 2023
Update: These creatures have now been disassembled.
Mythical Creatures Hike Near Vancouver
Nestled in the woods, in a small park beside Highway 1 in East Burnaby hide mythical creatures. If you unknowingly went for a walk through Robert Burnaby Park, you would probably pass most of these creatures none the wiser. While they are all along the sides of existing paths, without a sharp eye, it is all too easy to wander right past these incredible mythical creatures near Vancouver.
Where Is Burnaby?
Burnaby, BC is located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated just east of Vancouver, and is part of Metro Vancouver. Burnaby borders several other municipalities including Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Moody and Surrey.
Robert Burnaby Park
When you think of Burnaby parks, your thoughts likely immediately go to Deer Lake Park and Burnaby Lake Park. Robert Burnaby Park is in the City of Burnaby, is a short ten-minute drive from those well-known parks, and is worthy of being explored as well.
Robert Burnaby Park is a large (48 hectares) public park in East Burnaby, just south of Burnaby Lake. The park is located off Edmonds and 4th Street. Featuring an extensive trail system, the network of trails within the forested creek ravine was built during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
How To Get There
Robert Burnaby Park is located at 8155 Wedgewood St, Burnaby, BC, beside Highway 1 in East Burnaby. Coming from Vancouver, it is a thirty-minute drive.
Related Story – 10 Easy Hikes and Walks Near Vancouver
Where To Park
There are multiple entrances to the park, but we suggest that you use the parking lot off of 4th street.
Finding The Sculptures
Luckily, if you pull up this map on your phone, you’ll be able to find your way to each of the sculptures. You’ll have to wander and keep your eyes peeled if you want to see a few other sculptures that are hidden and not on the map, such as the Ewoks. Keeping the map open as you search will help you find each sculpture easily.
How Long Does It Take To Find The Sculptures?
We spent a couple of hours wandering as we enjoyed the trails during our search. You could certainly do it faster than we did, but we also had four little pairs of legs along for the journey. It was wonderful to take our time and enjoy the peace. You will find that there is some noise from the highway traffic on the north end of the park, but we barely noticed it.
Stroller Friendly?
Sadly, I would have to say no. There was plenty of areas where you could take the stroller, but we also saw some families having great difficulty. I was glad that I brought my baby carrier. Go with a baby carrier and little walking legs and you will be glad you did.
Dress Appropriately
It was really rainy when we went to explore. We were so glad that we wore boots because there was a LOT of mud. If there has been a lot of rain recently, wear boots! You’ll be glad you did when your feet are dry.
The Inspiration Behind The Sculptures
As Lewis wrote in her biography that she has been working towards using more sustainable artistic mediums such as twine and sticks found on the forest floor. To explain her exhibit, she noted: “This is a part of a collection of sculptures created with only a few screws, and the rest is only twine and sticks. The sticks are gathered from the area in which these sculptures live and the twine used is jute. These were created with the purpose of creating something that nature could control. The twine will decompose and the sticks will rot, and nature will decide if they fall back to the earth or morph into something completely new.” You can find out more about Nickole on Instagram and at her website.
Related Story – Hiking Historic Lighthouse Park In Vancouver
A Sense Of Wonder
The timing for the appearance of these sculptures could not have been better. With adventure options limited by the pandemic, going on a hunt for mythical creatures was a perfect way to spend a rainy weekend morning. It was a lot of fun wading through the mud with laughter, while the kids’ eyes lit up with each creature we found. If you were to ask each of the kids which creature was their favorite, they all have a different answer for you. The mythical creatures really brought out that sense of wonder for the kids, and us adults, too. The favorites among us were Chewbacca, The Dragon, and The Mermaid.
Mystical Creatures That You Can Find
- Mr. Troll the gentle giant
- Lillith the sleeping fairy
- The Guardian
- Echo the non-binary unicorn
- Emerald the dragon and her babies
- A mermaid
- Chewbacca
- A pair of Ewoks
Please Do Not Touch
While it can be very tempting for little hands (and face it, big hands too), please do not touch the mystical creatures. If we all observe from a distance, the creatures will be able to be around for our enjoyment until mother nature decides another fate for them.
Remember to keep your eyes peeled if you go in search of Lewis’ mythical creatures near Vancouver, or you may just miss them.
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