John Dean Park
In the woods in John Dean Park
This is not your tourist walk with a gentle perambulation from the car park, but a good long hike around the edge, with views of the water to the east and west of the peninsular, including a glimpse of Mt. Baker if you're lucky.
Park at the end of Carnamagh Terrace, near a gate which bars vehicle access to the abandoned Dunsmuir Lodge. Walk through the gate, and immediately to the left you'll see the beginning of the Montfort Barrett Trail. Start walking.
The Barrett Montfort Trail will take you along the eastern edge of the park. After a short climb, leaving the houses behind you, you'll see the Slektain Trail heading off to the right. This is where you'll come out on the way back.
Park at the end of Carnamagh Terrace, near a gate which bars vehicle access to the abandoned Dunsmuir Lodge. Walk through the gate, and immediately to the left you'll see the beginning of the Montfort Barrett Trail. Start walking.
The Barrett Montfort Trail will take you along the eastern edge of the park. After a short climb, leaving the houses behind you, you'll see the Slektain Trail heading off to the right. This is where you'll come out on the way back.
Continue past a couple of water towers, down some steps, across the road which leads to the car park, down some more steps, and along the trail. Soon you'll pass beneath Pickles Bluff, and through breaks in the trees you'll look out at the sea and perhaps catch a glimpse of Mount Baker.
Leave the Lauwelnew Trail to the right, you won't be tempted to go straight up the cliff, anyway, and contine along what is now the Woodward Trail. Soon you reach an important junction. The Woodward Trail continues straight ahead and cuts a little bit off the circuit if you're pressed for time; the Thompson Trail branches off to the right. Take the Surveyors' Trail to the left.
Leave the Lauwelnew Trail to the right, you won't be tempted to go straight up the cliff, anyway, and contine along what is now the Woodward Trail. Soon you reach an important junction. The Woodward Trail continues straight ahead and cuts a little bit off the circuit if you're pressed for time; the Thompson Trail branches off to the right. Take the Surveyors' Trail to the left.
Follow the Surveyors' Trail down into a ravine and up again, along the southern border of the park around to the north, passing various viewpoints over the water to the west. Soon after passing through Owl Hollow, you arrive at a T-junction with the West Viewpoint Trail.
Take the West Viewpoint Trail to the right, and continue across a junction with the Merrill Harrop Trail to the left and the Woodward Trail, the short cut, to the right.
Press on, straight ahead, and soon you'll go down some steps to the Lily Pond. Keep going and just when you're about to take Bob Boyd's Climb up to the road, turn left into an unmarked but well trodden trail which leads to the Slektain Trail and back to your starting point.
Take the West Viewpoint Trail to the right, and continue across a junction with the Merrill Harrop Trail to the left and the Woodward Trail, the short cut, to the right.
Press on, straight ahead, and soon you'll go down some steps to the Lily Pond. Keep going and just when you're about to take Bob Boyd's Climb up to the road, turn left into an unmarked but well trodden trail which leads to the Slektain Trail and back to your starting point.
