Trip 205 - May 5, 2021 (Wednesday)

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

Chilliwack, BC

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Distance from Vancouver: Approximately 96km: 90.5 km from Vancouver via Highway 1 East (Grandview Hwy entrance to Hwy 1) to Exit 119 (Yale Rd / Vedder Rd) in Chilliwack, then 5.4 km on Vedder Rd to Petawawa Rd (turn right), then 200 meters to park entrance.

Liked: Wide and smooth paths, Vedder River views, forest views, several fine rural vistas, art graffiti under several bridges, numerous benches by the trail.

Of Note: The trail is popular, horses and manure on the trail, electrocution hazard from overhead wires by Keith Wilson bridge.

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Backroad Mapbook (5th edition) Trailhead Coordinates: Page 4 (Chilliwack) C5.

Another Dyke Trail in Chilliwack Area: Chilliwack Dyke Trail.

Other Trips in Chilliwack Area: Flora Lake Trail, Williams Ridge Trail, Mount Thom Lookout Loop Trail, Teapot Hill Trail Hike, Greendrop Lake Trail, Mount Cheam Peak Trail, Ling Lake Trail Hike (off Chilliwack Foley FSR), Chilliwack Foley FSR, Chilliwack Bench FSR, Elk-Thurston Trail, Slesse Memorial Trail, Downtown Chilliwack BC Visit, Chilliwack Lake FSR, Radium Lake Trail, Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park, Minter Gardens, Town of Agassiz BC, Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park.

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Vedder Rotary Loop Trail is approximately 21 kilometers long, and is a very easy and picturesque loop actually consisting of four trails: Vedder Rotary Loop North, Vedder North Dyke, Vedder South Dyke, and Vedder Rotary Loop South. There are numerous points where one can access the trail, but we started at Vedder Park, which is just a few hundred meters away from kilometer 0 located by Vedder Bridge on Vedder Road. Unlike its cousin to the North, Chilliwack Dyke Trail, Vedder Rotary Loop Trail is much busier, and not as picturesque. That said, the fact that it's a loop, and it's such a level and smooth bunch of trails, makes it a great trail to bike, which is what we did today.

There were a few other bikers, but most folks were content with walking, and a few were jogging. There are some side trails too, including a short trail to Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve. Lots of benches and several pit toilets in key locations ensure the comfort of visitors to Vedder Rotary Loop Trail. Aside from a few small hills, there is hardly any elevation change throughout the loop.

This trail appears to be particularly busy between Vedder Park and Lickman Road, three kilometers to the West. Also, the trail is used by horse riders, so watch out for horses and manure. Vedder Rotary Loop Trail goes by the river, through the forest, across a busy vehicle-used Keith Wilson Bridge, and also on top of dykes. So, there is a bit of everything here, making for a very fine outing.

A note of caution, and it's one of those amusing situations which wasn't very funny when it happened, but the power lines crossing above the trail by Keith Wilson Bridge are so powerful, that they have energized our bicycle when we had the misfortune to stop under the wires for a few seconds, so we got electrocuted when bare skin touched the metal part of the bicycle! Wasn't terribly painful, more like a bee sting, but nonetheless.

1. We are on Highway 1 East in Chilliwack, taking Exit 119.

TransCanada Highway 1 East at Exit 119 in Chilliwack BC

2. At the end of the exit, stay right to get onto Vedder Road.

Highway 1 Exit 119 Chilliwack British Columbia

3. Proceed on Vedder Road. Cross Keith Wilson Road (a major intersection) pictured below.

Vedder Road at Keith Wilson Road Chilliwack BC

4-5. About 5.4 km after exiting from Highway 1, turn right onto Petawawa Road.

Vedder Road near Petawawa Road

Vedder Road at Petawawa Road Chilliwack BC

6. Petawawa Road immediately after the turn.

Petawawa Road Chilliwack British Columbia Canada

7-8. Drive on Petawawa Road for 200 meters, an enter Vedder Park straight ahead (Petawawa Road would go to the right).

Petawawa Road

Petawawa Road at Vedder Park Entrance

9. Arriving to Vedder Park parking lot. Coordinates: N 49⁰05.904' W 121⁰58.108'. Elevation: 41 meters. Parking is free. Vedder Rotary Loop Trail would be on the right side, by Vedder River.

Vedder Park Main Parking Lot Chilliwack British Columbia

10. Heading towards the trail.

Vedder Park

11. Here is the map of Vedder Rotary Loop Trail. Many such maps are placed along the trail. We indicated our current location in Vedder Park with a red square.

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail Map

12. Here is the trail. The actual start at kilometer 0 is a few hundred meters to the left, by Vedder Bridge. That's where we would come from after completing the loop. For the time being, we turned to the right. The sign indicates 9.8 km to Keith Wilson Bridge, among other things.

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail at Vedder Park

13. Off we go. Lots of people for the next 3 kilometers, until Lickman Road parking lot.

Chilliwack Hiking - Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

14. Vedder River keeps you company for much of the trail.

Vedder River by Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

15. The mileage markers are from kilometer 0 by Vedder Bridge.

Chilliwack Biking - Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

16. About 3 kilometers from Vedder Park, just before Lickman Road, Peach Creek Rotary Trail is on the right side. It parallels Vedder Rotary Loop Trail, and rejoins it several kilometers later.

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail at Peach Creek Rotary Loop Trail - Chilliwack Hike

17. Another fine river view 300 meters later.

Vedder River

18. Approaching a bench with a view and a bridge.

Chilliwack Trail - Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

19. The bench with a view.

Bench on Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

20. The bridge.

Chilliwack Trail - Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

21. The view from the bridge.

View from Vedder Rotary Loop Trail - Hiking in Chilliwack

22-23. About 6.5 km from Vedder Park, shortly after another short bridge, a road to the right leads to Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve.

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail at Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve Turnoff

24. Vedder Rotary Loop South Trail is about to end at Vedder South Dyke Trail, about 8 kilometers from Vedder Park.

Hike in Chilliwack - Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

25. We took the path to the right of the gate.

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail - Bike in Chilliwack

26. Another mileage marker.

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail

27. And here is a T-junction, where Vedder North Dyke Trail goes back to Vedder Park (right turn) or to Keith Wilson bridge in 1.9 km (left turn). We turned left.

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail at Vedder North Dyke Trail

28. Vedder North Dyke / Vedder Rotary Loop Trail after the left turn.

Vedder North Dyke Trail

29. No shade here, so sun protection would be needed on dykes when the sun is out.

Vedder Rotary Loop Trail / Vedder North Dyke Trail

30. A few hundred meters before Keith Wilson Bridge, we stopped to check our GPS. There were overhead power lines, but nothing indicated any trouble ahead. All of a sudden, we felt electrocuted in the upper leg, where bare skin touched the metal frame of the bicycle. Suddenly, a slight buzzing noise started coming from the bike, as well as our synthetic shirt. Quite a surprise! These power lines energized the bicycle, so we got out of there as soon as we could.

Powerlines Above Vedder North Dyke Trail

31. Approaching Keith Wilson Bridge. You would need to go under the bridge, turn to the right, then get onto the bridge, cross it, turn to the right again, go under the bridge one more time, then get onto Vedder Dyke North Trail.