Between November 1st and March 31st the Greenheart Canopy Walkway is only open to pre-booked group tours. To book a tour fill out our online booking form.

Located in the David C. Lam Asian Garden and open year-round, the Greenheart Canopy Walkway is a 308-metre (1010 feet) aerial trail system that offers a rare perspective of the natural beauty of the west coast forest canopy ecosystem. It is the only one of its kind in Canada.

What is a canopy walkway?

The aerial trail system allows for interpretation of the tree canopy, providing dynamic new research and learning possibilities. And it's a lot of fun! Canopy walkways allow access to the upper parts of the forest (the canopy) where visitors are introduced to a world of flora and fauna that thrives in this lofty environment. “Guests traverse bridges suspended around 50 feet in trees that are over a century old. This experience is an exciting and adventurous way to interact with nature and the forest.” –Brian McCarthy. Greenheart Guide and Operations Manager.

Greenheart's approach is to provide access to the canopy with minimal impact on the trees or habitat. On the walkway, trees are used to support suspension bridges using patent pending ‘tree hugger’ technology. The  prefabricated walkways are designed to allow individuals to transport the pieces into remote sites, so that no roads need to be built, nor helicopters required.

Tours of the Greenheart Canopy Walkway take approximately 45 minutes, are fully guided and are currently offered every hour on the hour. Please budget at least 1.5 hours in total for a group visit, in order to fully experience everything UBC Botanical Garden and the Walkway have to offer. Specific Botanical Garden tours are also available by booking in advance. For more information please call 604-822-4208.

Hours of operation and rates

Click here for hours of operation and rates. Tours are limited to 20 people per tour. Please arrive early to reserve your spot otherwise you may have to wait until the next available hourly tour.

What will you see and learn about on a tour?

Tours touch on many interesting topics including sustainable eco-tourism, first nations’ uses of local forest materials, and trees of the coastal temperate rainforest, including western red cedar, western hemlock, Douglas fir, grand fir, and red alder. The area is also home to some spectacular wildlife, such as bald eagles, woodpeckers and coyotes. It’s not uncommon for visitors to spot these garden residents while on the Canopy Walkway.

About the Walkway

The Greenheart Canopy Walkway has eight tree platforms more than 15 metres above the ground with a ninth, a two-storey platform, on a free-standing tower reaching more than 22 metres in the air. The longest bridge is 50 metres long. The total length of the walkway is 308 meters. Construction is as non-invasive as possible using the patent pending ‘tree hugger’ suspension system. The tree hugger uses no nails or bolts or intrusive fasteners of any kind, using instead, a variable tension system to provide the least amount of infringement or impact on the trees.

Special considerations/accommodations

It is important that all visitors to the Canopy Walkway wear proper footwear. For safety, no open-toe shoes (sandals, flip flops, etc.) are allowed on the walkway. Visitors should also ensure that both hands are free to hold on to the canopy guide ropes. Small children must either be able to walk on their own or be securely carried in an approved child backpack or carrier. Free-carrying of children is not permitted. Strollers, walkers and wheelchairs are not permitted on the walkway.

The Canopy Walkway is not accessible by regular wheelchairs but Greenheart is currently working to develop a modified chair for the walkway. This service should be available soon. Please call us in advance to book your tour and to check availability of the modified chair.

Info on Greenheart

Greenheart Conservation Company Ltd. is a Canadian company that designs, builds and operates conservation based canopy walkways (canopy trails) and other nature-based attractions around the world. Projects attract local, national and international visitors and researchers to areas with conservation value, while locally trained guides work as interpreters, helping visitors to understand local ecology and culture. Canopy Walkways are the among the finest examples of the global trend in sustainable and responsible tourism and Greenheart Conservation is leading the way in creating innovative strategies that support and protect nature. Greenheart promotes the protection of natural forested areas through the development of non-invasive, sustainable eco-attractions.