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Discover Gabriola with the Lynch Group Blog

Our Discover Gabriola blog features what we think is the best of Gabriola Island, sights, experiences, what’s happening, and a bit about our daily lives in the community!

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707 Acre Park Walks

GaLLT Walks — 707-acre Park

707-acre Park is an undeveloped community park in the centre of the island. Enjoy this regenerating young forest on foot, bicycles or horses. Motorized vehicles are not permitted. The network of old logging roads and footpaths can be confusing and surfaces are often rough and sometimes muddy. It is easy to get lost or wander onto private land. The RDN has named many of the trails and installed numbered signposts, some of which have maps on their tops.

 

GaLLT Walk: 707-acre Park Ricki to Jeanette loops: (up to 3 km)
Park at the end of Ricki Avenue. Behind the park gate is Post#18, with a map. Ricki Road Trail splits the 707-acre Park down the middle, with many short loop options to the east.

  • For the shortest loop, turn left at Post #16 onto Trail to Nowhere. Left again at Post #19 will take you to the end of Jeanette Avenue, which you can walk down to Ricki Avenue.
  • The next option is to turn left at Post #16, then right at Post #19, straight on at Posts #20 & 21, and stop at Post #22 (at the end of Trail to Nowhere.) Left here brings you to the end of Jeanette, and walk back to Ricki.
  • “Ridge Run”: Turn left to take Trail to Nowhere at Post #16. Keep right at Post #19, and keep right again at Post #20 to take you up to the ridge. Turn right at Post #21, turn right at the twin tracks (with a concrete block) and follow the foot path on the left at the end of the twin tracks to get back to Ricki Trail at Post #15, and return to Ricki (or Jeanette).
  • The longest loop is to walk Ricki Road Trail to its end at Post #13, which has a map. Turn left on Old Centre Road Trail, passing Posts #33 & 32. Turn left at Post #31 and left again at post #23. (Straight on here would take you to North Road.) Ignore Trail to Nowhere at Post #22 —turn left toward the end of Jeanette, with a short walk to Ricki.

 

GaLLT Walk: 707-acre Park Fisher Road loops, up to 3km
Park at the end of Fisher Road (off Hess). The “Yellow trail” (unofficially named because of early painted signs) starts at Post #29 with a trail map. A short distance on is post #28 at Coats Drive Trail. There are short and long loop options in this area:

  • Shortest loop –Turn left to get you down to Coats Drive at Post #30. Turn left on Coats, left again on Hess and left again back to Fisher.
  • The middle unmarked trail and its side trails will take you out of the park onto private driveways, or perhaps into Coat’s Marsh and South Road.
  • Big loop – Turn right at Post #28 on Coats Drive Trail, left at Post #27, the split going toward North Road. The road will dip into the marsh (which can be a lake in wet weather) but up the hill again to Post #31.  Turn right and walk toward Post #23 on Old Centre Road Trail; turn right at Post #24, and right again at Post #26 onto North Rd Trail, and continue to Post #27 on Coats Drive Trail. Bear left and turn left at Post #28 to get back to Fisher Road.
Posted by Jennifer on August 06, 2014