Credit: Scarlet Black
10 Best Surrey Parks to See and Hear Signs of Spring
Step into spring and visit our top 10 Surrey parks to see and hear signs of the new season.
What do you think of when you think of spring? It may be the warmer weather and longer days, or blooming flowers and trees growing leaves. With over 800 parks in Surrey, there is something for everyone to get outdoors and enjoy nature this spring.
Green Timbers Urban Forest Park
Watch Green Timbers Lake transform into a spring-time nursery as ducks raise their ducklings in nests hidden amongst the bulrushes. Remember to give them space, not food.
The lake is stocked with rainbow trout and fishing from the shore is welcomed (provincial regulations apply). Stop by the Surrey Nature Centre to borrow a fishing rod!
Make sure to come back in early summer to see the lupines bloom in the meadow.
Learn more about Green Timbers Urban Forest Park.
Surrey Nature Centre
Continue your adventure from Green Timbers Lake to the Surrey Nature Centre where you can hear Pacific tree frogs singing by the pond. Along the way, marvel at red-flowering currant, osoberry and salmonberry’s beautiful blooming flowers—classic signs of spring.
Visit the Sky Room interpretive space which has displays of local flora and fauna, a reading nook filled with plant and animal guidebooks, a family area, and Sammy the salamander.
Learn more about Surrey Nature Centre.
Hi-Knoll Park
Nicomekl River and Anderson Creek (both fish-bearing) run through Hi-Knoll Park creating a rich mix of habitats for native plants and wildlife, especially birds. Bring your binoculars and look for songbirds or a pileated woodpecker—Canada’s largest woodpecker! You can’t miss its large size, bright red head and loud cackling.
If you’re lucky, you may spot lovely fawn lilies growing in the park’s shady areas. If you see them, please don’t pick them so everyone can enjoy their beauty.
Learn more about Hi-Knoll Park.
Darts Hill Garden Park
What better way to experience spring than at one of Surrey’s feature gardens? Discover trees and plants from all over the world! Explore the winding mossy pathways, go through “tree tunnels,” and take in the colours, sounds and smells of spring.
Open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm until the end of September. Admission is by donation (suggested amount is $5).
Learn more about Darts Hill Garden Park.
Redwood Park
Immerse yourself in countless shades of green as trees start growing their leaves. Visit the magnificent arboretum of over 50 different species of trees and six groves started by twin brothers David and Peter Brown in 1893. Check out the iconic bigleaf maple tree in the meadow.
The trees are ever-changing with the seasons, so make sure to visit often.
Learn more about Redwood Park.
Godwin Farm Biodiversity Preserve Park
Surround yourself with towering trees such as sequoias, redwoods and firs. Stop by the old field habitat and an orchard with apples, blueberries, and figs, and walk along the looping trails. Feel free to have small taste.
Birds love the different habitats in this biodiversity preserve. Ducks swim and nest in the pond, and birds of prey, like barn owls, hunt in the meadow. Look for the nest box we built for barn owls from the trail.
Due to environmental sensitivities, no dogs (even on-leash!) are allowed in the park.
Learn more about Godwin Farm Biodiversity Preserve Park.
Port Kells Park
Stroll along nature trails and discover the natural areas in Port Kells Park, including a wetland area in the southern half of the park.
Look for a giant European beech tree near the pool. Planted in 1898, this is the oldest known tree planted in a Surrey park. Use our Great Trees of Surrey StoryMap to discover more heritage trees in Surrey.
Learn more about Port Kells Park.
Blackie Spit Park
Visit one of the top birdwatching locations in Canada during spring migration! Dunlins, western and least sandpipers, greater and lesser yellowlegs, and long-billed dowitchers are just some of the shorebirds you might see.
Purple martins are also unique visitors to Blackie Spit Park. Known for their graceful flight, gurgling calls and great insect-eating ability, purple martins are Canada’s largest swallow. Look for the nest boxes we built for them by the Savenye Environmentally Sensitive Area.
Learn more about Blackie Spit Park.
Elgin Heritage Park
Elgin Heritage Park is located along the Pacific Flyway, a “highway” in the sky for migrating birds. Each spring and fall, thousands of birds feast and rest here.
In the meadow, you’ll find a mini-barn we built for barn owls. Look from the trail and see if you can spot other birds of prey hunting in the meadow.
Learn more Elgin Heritage Park.
Crescent Park
Walk through a forest that transitions from evergreen to deciduous trees and past a pond. A variety of birds and wildlife live here including eagles, owls, frogs and coyotes!
Learn more about Crescent Park.
Environmental Extravaganza
From April 21 to June 11, take part in seven weeks of free family-friendly events and programs that celebrate nature in Surrey.