Minnekhada Regional Park covers 219 hectares of low forested ridges and dyked wetlands at the edge of the Pitt River, on the north-eastern outskirts of Coquitlam. The Halkomelem name Minnakhada means "place of berries" — the marshes here are dotted with cranberry, salmonberry and other plants that the Kwikwetlem First Nation harvested for centuries.
The park has about 10 km of trails. The Lodge Trail (1.7 km loop) is the easiest, passing the historic Minnekhada Lodge, the cattail-fringed High Knoll viewpoint and the lower marsh. The High Knoll Trail (2.7 km loop) climbs the central rocky ridge for good views over the Pitt and Fraser river floodplains. The Lower Marsh boardwalk is the best stretch for birdwatching; in winter, large numbers of trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes and bald eagles use the flooded fields.
The park is on Quarry Road in north-east Coquitlam, about a 20-minute drive from the SkyTrain at Coquitlam Central. Free parking, no admission charge. Allow two to three hours. The trails can be muddy after rain.