As spring has ended and I enter into my first summer in Prince George — I am finding more and more beautiful stroller-friendly places to explore. If I can bring along our rambunctious puppy, it’s an added bonus. Here are a few of my favourite and frequented trails.
Cranbrook Hill Greenway, Forests for the World and Shane Lake
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The fishing dock at Shane Lake.
Cranbrook Hill offers over 25 km of stunning trails. The paths are smooth and well maintained, with some small hills. The forest reminds me of back home on Vancouver Island. In among the big fir trees are groupings of birch trees, and a forest floor rich with flora and fauna. There’s a great website set up here with information on the park, trail maps, photos, etc. I’ve done some hiking around the Forests for the World section of the Cranbrook Hill Greenway and enjoyed fishing with my daughter at Shane Lake. We’ve even discovered some hidden beautifully painted rocks around the trails. It’s just a short walk to the lake when accessing it from Kueng Road. However, the trail can be muddy in winter/spring, so a Bob type, or all-terrain stroller is recommended if you enter the trail system from this side. There are pit toilets, two fishing docks, fire pits and a picnic shelter — great for a hot dog and s’more picnic with kiddos!
Nechako Riverfront
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Walking toward Hudson’s Bay Wetland.
For a quick, nicely paved pathway, I love walking along the Nechako River. Starting at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, there are some nice routes throughout the park and along the river. During the summer months, The Little Prince steam engine runs on weekends, and you can grab your little ones an ice cream from Frozen Paddle Ice Creamery, head inside to Exploration Place, or let your small human(s) burn off some energy on the great playground and waterpark. Fur babies are allowed on the river walk pathways, but not on the inner paths of Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.
Ginter’s Meadow
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Walking through Ginter’s Meadow.
Starting at the parking lot at Ginter’s Meadow, I enjoy taking both my pup and little ones for a stroll along the nicely paved pathways. This is a great place for kids learning to ride bikes, or roller skate — with little traffic on the trail heading towards Foothills Boulevard. There’s a plethora of trails that link up towards the University of Northern BC, and a large off-leash field for fido to roam. If my dog comes barreling at you, guaranteed she will flop on her back for belly rubs. She’s as sweet as she looks.
Cottonwood Island Park
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The chickadees at Cottonwood Island Nature Park are very friendly.
Cottonwood Island Nature Park is the first park I visited when I moved to Prince George last fall. I can now say that I’ve explored this park in all seasons, and it might just be my favourite. Beautiful colours in the fall, snowshoeing on the riverfront in winter, and puppy swims on hot days. Keep an eye out for some of the amazing carvings in the cottonwood trees, chickadees you can feed from your hand, and squirrels throughout the park. While not all trails are paved, they are well maintained and stroller-friendly. For a longer walk, you can join up with the paved portion of the trail, and follow it along the river towards the railway bridge. Bug spray is a must for early spring walks here!
Where to next?
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Where to next?
While there are many other stroller-friendly places to venture around Prince George, these are just a few that I’ve enjoyed exploring. I am always looking forward to discovering new places around the city as nice as these. Enjoy your summer and what this city has to offer. And hey, where are your favourite walking paths I should check out?
