Judging by the multiple buses full of tourists arriving from downtown Vancouver and the long entrance lines, Capilano Park is a successful and popular tourist attraction. Is it the trees that people come to see? Or maybe the famous swinging bridge? Maybe they just have good marketing, but we are determined to find out why it is a top attraction in the area.

We wait in line and pay the entrance fee. The first thing I notice is that the grounds are manicured and staged like a theme park. There is a promo video telling the history of the park. They have colorful maps and sharp wayfinding signage. Nothing says afternoon walk in the woods like snappy signs and asphalt. But I have to admit, there is no doubt I am in a well kept tourist attraction with high standards for the guest experience.

We decide to take the famous swinging bridge to the forest walk. I am not afraid of heights or bridges. But this swinging bridge is very long and very high. When a whole school of Japanese student tourists gets on the bridge at the same time, it begins to rock and sway in seismic proportions. I struggle to stand and all I can think about is getting to the other side.

My husband wants to linger and maybe take a few photos. He is on his own. My feet are already on terra firma. Maybe on the way back we won’t be running the gauntlet of middle school boys and giggling girls. I would like to look at the gorge when I don’t feel like I will fall to my knees if I attempt to stand still on a bouncing bridge.

Here on solid ground, the gorge is beautiful. Old growth trees stand straight and tall. A stream gurgles along giving another layer of natural appeal. I notice that not many people are looking at nature.

Elderly tourists are gripping the handrails as if their lives depend on it. I think back. Was there was a warning about accessibility? I didn’t see one.

I now see a middle age man kiss the ground. I’m not sure he has a plan for how he will get back to his car. It hasn’t sunk in that he will need to recross the bridge. For now he is celebrating a successful bridge experience that did not involve a physical spill or a spilling of guts.

The forest walk takes us up and down stairs through the trees. We encounter a large squirrel on a swing that gives off Disney vibes. Real squirrels want nothing to do with the hordes in the forest. Even the birds are wary.

We climb up to a canopy walk. It is liberating walking along the tree tops. Until…we are stopped by an Asian family taking endless selfies. There is no real way to go around someone on a rope lined path 100s of feet off the ground. I want to scream. Ten photos…fine. Ten thousand and I may push you off the walkway……. My husband makes duck lips and flips his hair until I burst into laughter.

Some trees are so old and special, they have their own names. We pay our respects to Grandma Capilano. Nearby, banana slugs happily munch on the undergrowth. Tiny creatures take shelter under the protection of giants.

There are ponds and side trails. The crowd thins out the further into the park we walk and I begin to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Here, I can listen to the river run and to bird song.

There is an area where docents hold large, rescued birds of prey and educate the visitors about their unique features. I have a love affair with hawks. Their wild call awakens my senses. I see them frequently in the woods and am aware of their presence in ways that I struggle to name. The captive hawk here is defiant. He may not be able to fly, but he is strong in spirit. He nods his head as I pass as if to say, all is well.

The trip back across the bridge is not as rough. We are able to take our time and a few photos. Then we move onward to the cliff walk. A number of walkways are suspension marvels. Some are acrylic so that you can see all the way down to the forest floor.

I look at the metal screws protruding from rock and find myself wondering how frequently they are checked. How much weight can they hold?

Somehow they have found a variety of ways to suspend guests hundreds of feet over the lovely canyon. I think I understand. People come to Capilano for the strange sensation of peaceful surroundings and surging adrenaline. It is intoxicating. Overwhelmed? Stop and look at the natural surroundings for instant calm. Feeling chill? Take a walk suspended over a massive drop. It is the trees and the bridge and so much more. They work together to make Capilano Park unforgettable.