Traboulay PoCo Trail: the 25-kilometre loop around Port Coquitlam

Every city claims a signature trail. Port Coquitlam actually has one. The Traboulay PoCo Trail is a 25.3-kilometre (15.7-mile) loop that circles the entire city, stringing together the Coquitlam River, the Fraser River and the Pitt River in one continuous, mostly flat ride or walk. It is rated easy, and it is the rare urban trail that genuinely shows you a whole city in an afternoon.

What the loop is like

The trail's character changes as it rounds the city. Along the Coquitlam River the route runs beside fast water and gravel bars. Where the trail meets the Fraser, the views open to working riverfront and farmlands. The Pitt River stretch, with its wetlands on the west side, is the wild part: marshes, meadows and mountain backdrops that make it hard to believe you are inside city limits.

The route passes through a range of ecosystems, from creeks and forestation to open meadows and marshland, and the wildlife follows. Many bird species work the wetlands, and bears have been spotted along the trail during the salmon run, a reminder that this loop crosses genuine habitat.

A centennial project that grew

The trail began as an idea in 1967, conceived as Port Coquitlam's way of celebrating Canada's 100th birthday. Development started in the early 1970s, driven by a volunteer group that called itself the PoCo Trail Blazers. For years the trail existed in pieces.

The modern era began in 1997, when the city started improving the trail to make it a central part of the community. The work continued in the years that followed, with the trail included in the city budget for upgrades between 2015 and 2019. The result is the continuous 25.3-kilometre circuit that exists today, named for the community effort that imagined it.

Riding the full loop

Cyclists treat the PoCo Trail as one of the region's essential easy rides. The full loop at a relaxed pace, with stops for river views and a coffee downtown, takes most riders two to three hours. The flat profile makes it a genuine all-ages circuit, and it shows up on regional best-bike-routes lists for exactly that reason.

Walkers usually take it in sections rather than all at once. The Pitt River wetlands stretch is the favourite for birding and sunsets. The Coquitlam River side suits a quick after-work walk. Each section connects to parks and neighbourhoods, so it is easy to build an out-and-back of any length.

The rivers that shape it

Three rivers give the trail its personality. The Coquitlam River section feels young and quick, with views to the water where it braids over gravel. The Fraser River stretch is the working river: big, tidal and lined with the kind of industry and farmland that built the Fraser Valley. The Pitt River portion is the contemplative one, where the trail runs beside wetlands that flood and recede with the seasons and the mountains of the northeast sector fill the horizon.

That variety is the trail's quiet achievement. In a single loop, it teaches the geography of the whole city: where the water comes from, where it goes, and how the neighbourhoods fit between the rivers.

Walking it in pieces

A full 25.3 kilometres on foot is a long day, so most walkers pick a side. A sensible first outing is the Pitt River wetlands section at golden hour, when the marsh birds are active and the light comes across the water. The Coquitlam River sections are the most sheltered on a wet day. Linking a river section with a stop downtown turns the walk into an afternoon with a coffee break built in, which is how most PoCo residents actually use their loop: often, and in pieces.

Practical notes

The loop is multi-use, so cyclists and walkers share the path; standard trail etiquette keeps it friendly. Surfaces vary along the route, and after heavy rain the low sections near the rivers can be wet or temporarily flooded, a natural consequence of a trail built along three rivers. Spring high water is the season to check conditions before setting out.

Access points ring the city, so there is no single right place to start. Many people begin downtown, others join from Gates Park or the riverfront parks. However you approach it, the trail's flat grade and easy navigation make it as welcoming as a 25-kilometre trail can be.

Why it matters to PoCo

The PoCo Trail is more than recreation infrastructure. It is the connective tissue of the city's outdoor life, linking its rivers, parks and neighbourhoods into a single loop a kid can ride and a birder can study. Cities spend decades trying to create assets like this. Port Coquitlam has had one since 1967, and it keeps getting better.