Maple Ridge city guide

Maple Ridge at a glance

Maple Ridge sits on the north bank of the Fraser River at the eastern edge of Metro Vancouver, with the Golden Ears peaks rising behind it. It is a big municipality by area, covering about 268 square kilometres of town centre, suburbs, farms, rural acreages and forest, and it runs from Pitt Meadows in the west to Mission in the east.

The heart of the city is downtown Maple Ridge around Haney Place, 224th Street and Lougheed Highway, where you will find the municipal hall, the ACT Arts Centre, Memorial Peace Park and the main bus exchange. Around it are distinct older communities with their own histories, including Port Haney and Hammond along the river, Albion, Websters Corners, Whonnock and Ruskin to the east, and newer hillside neighbourhoods such as Silver Valley that push up toward the mountains.

The 2021 Census counted 90,990 residents. Maple Ridge appeals to people who want more space and a more relaxed pace than the inner suburbs, with lakes, rivers and provincial park wilderness close by. It has a down-to-earth, outdoorsy character, with horse trails, farm stands and mountain views mixed in among the subdivisions.

A short history

Maple Ridge lies within the traditional territories of the Katzie First Nation and the Kwantlen First Nation, who share the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language. Their ancestors lived along the Fraser, Pitt and Alouette rivers for thousands of years, fishing for salmon and sturgeon and harvesting from the marshes and forests. In 2024 the City installed new gateway signs carrying the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ greeting “m̓i cepʷətxʷiləm,” meaning “welcome, welcome everyone.”

Settlers arrived in the mid-1800s, drawn by the river and the farmland, and the District of Maple Ridge was incorporated on 12 September 1874, making it one of the oldest municipalities in British Columbia. At first it had only around 50 families. Communities grew up around steamboat landings, sawmills and the railway: Port Haney was a river landing, Hammond grew around a large sawmill, Finnish families shaped Albion and Websters Corners, and Ruskin was founded by English followers of the writer John Ruskin.

Through the 20th century Maple Ridge remained a mix of farms, forestry and small towns, then grew rapidly as a commuter suburb. The West Coast Express commuter train arrived in 1995, and the Golden Ears Bridge across the Fraser opened in 2009, linking the city directly to Langley and Surrey. Residents voted to become a city in 2014, and the change took effect that September. The City marked its 150th anniversary in 2024.

Top things to do in Maple Ridge

Parks and nature

• Golden Ears Provincial Park: a vast wilderness park with Alouette Lake beaches, camping, waterfalls, and trails from easy forest walks to the long climb toward the Golden Ears. In summer, check BC Parks for current day-use pass requirements before you go.
• Kanaka Creek Regional Park: a Metro Vancouver regional park that follows the creek from the Fraser River into the hills, with Cliff Falls, sandstone canyons and a salmon hatchery.
• UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest: a working research forest run by the University of British Columbia, with public trails through tall second-growth forest near the entrance to Golden Ears.
• Alouette River dikes: flat dike trails along the Alouette and Pitt rivers that are popular with walkers, cyclists and horse riders, with big mountain views.

Downtown and culture

• The ACT Arts Centre and Theatre: the city’s performing arts centre, which also houses the Maple Ridge Art Gallery.
• Memorial Peace Park: the downtown green space that hosts the farmers market, concerts and many community events.
• Port Haney heritage area: a small riverside district of older buildings at the old steamboat landing, worth a short wander.

Farms and countryside

• Farm stands and u-pick: the rural roads east and north of downtown have seasonal farm stands, berry farms and nurseries. Summer and early autumn are the best times to visit.
• Albion Fairgrounds: home of the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Country Fest, one of the longest-running agricultural fairs in BC.
• Horse country: Maple Ridge has a strong equestrian community, with trail networks in many neighbourhoods and riding stables in the rural areas.

A weekend in Maple Ridge

On a summer Saturday, start downtown at the Haney Farmers Market for coffee and picnic supplies, then drive north to Golden Ears Provincial Park. Spend the middle of the day on the beach at Alouette Lake or on the short forest trail to Lower Falls, which is manageable for most ages. On the way back, stop at a farm stand for berries or corn. On Sunday, try a gentler morning at Kanaka Creek: walk the trails around Cliff Falls, then follow the dike paths along the Alouette River for open views of the Golden Ears. End the weekend with dinner downtown or a show at the ACT.

In the shoulder seasons, the same trails are much quieter, and the rivers and creeks are at their most dramatic after autumn rain. Bring proper footwear, since forest trails get muddy, and check trail and road conditions before heading deep into Golden Ears.

Food and drink

Downtown Maple Ridge is the main dining area, especially along 224th Street, Lougheed Highway and the streets around Haney Place, where you will find family restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and a growing range of international cuisines. It is a casual, neighbourhood-focused scene rather than a destination for fine dining.

Craft breweries and taprooms have become part of the local scene, and the rural areas add farm-gate shopping, bakeries and seasonal produce. The Haney Farmers Market at Memorial Peace Park on Saturdays, from spring through October, is the best place to sample local food. East of downtown, small commercial nodes in Albion and Silver Valley serve the newer neighbourhoods.

Where to stay

Downtown Maple Ridge is the most practical base. You are close to restaurants, the farmers market and the main bus exchange, and it is a short drive to Golden Ears and the West Coast Express stations. Hotels and motels are concentrated along Lougheed Highway and in the downtown area.

For a nature trip, Golden Ears Provincial Park has campgrounds on and near Alouette Lake, which book up quickly in summer. Rural Maple Ridge also has guest suites and bed and breakfasts on acreages, which suit visitors who want quiet and are travelling by car.

If you are visiting on a weekday and want to spend time in Vancouver as well, choose somewhere within walking distance of Port Haney or Maple Meadows station, so you can ride the West Coast Express into the city in the morning. On weekends, staying near Haney Place keeps you close to the R3 RapidBus. Visitors exploring the wider northeast often combine Maple Ridge with neighbouring Pitt Meadows, whose dikes and Pitt Lake access are only a short drive west.

Getting around

West Coast Express: Maple Ridge has two stations on TransLink’s commuter rail line, Port Haney and Maple Meadows. Trains run on weekdays only, with five trains heading west to Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver in the morning and five returning east in the afternoon and evening. It is the fastest way to downtown at rush hour, with stops at Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam Central and Moody Centre.

RapidBus and buses: Haney Place Exchange in downtown is the hub for local buses. The R3 Lougheed Hwy RapidBus runs from Haney Place along Lougheed Highway through Pitt Meadows to Coquitlam Central Station, where you can transfer to the Millennium Line SkyTrain. It is the main transit option when the West Coast Express is not running. Route 701 also connects to Coquitlam Central and east toward Mission.

Driving: Lougheed Highway (Highway 7) is the main road west to Pitt Meadows and Coquitlam and east to Mission. Dewdney Trunk Road offers a northern route through the city. The Golden Ears Bridge crosses the Fraser to Langley, connecting to Highway 1 and Surrey. Most residents drive, and traffic is heaviest on the westbound routes in the morning.

Cycling: dike trails and rural roads are popular for recreational riding, and downtown is fairly flat and compact. Distances in the wider municipality are long, so plan routes before setting out.

Seasons and events

Maple Ridge has a mild coastal climate with wet winters and warm, mostly dry summers. The mountains behind the city catch a lot of rain and, at higher elevations, snow. Summer is peak season for Alouette Lake and the rivers, while autumn brings salmon runs in Kanaka Creek and the Alouette River and colourful leaves on the rural roads.

• Haney Farmers Market: Saturdays from spring through October at Memorial Peace Park, with produce, baking and crafts.
• Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Country Fest: the long-running agricultural fair at the Albion Fairgrounds, held each summer. The 2026 fair ran from 24 to 26 July.
• Remembrance Day at Memorial Peace Park: a large, well-attended community ceremony held every 11 November.
• Christmas season downtown: the holiday season brings community events and a Santa Claus parade to the downtown core.

Living in Maple Ridge

Maple Ridge offers a wide range of housing. Downtown has apartments and townhouses near shops and transit, while the established neighbourhoods have detached houses on larger lots than you will usually find closer to Vancouver. Newer subdivisions and townhouse developments climb the hillsides in Silver Valley and Albion, and the rural areas have acreages and hobby farms. For many households, Maple Ridge is one of the more affordable ways to get a house with a yard in Metro Vancouver.

Public schools are run by School District 42 (Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows). The nearest university campuses are in Coquitlam, Langley and Surrey, and students often commute by West Coast Express or RapidBus. Ridge Meadows Hospital serves Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Neighbourhoods vary a lot. Downtown and the surrounding streets are the most walkable, with older bungalows, newer apartments and good access to buses. Hammond and Port Haney have river history and character homes. Silver Valley and the Albion area are newer, with family homes and townhouses on hillsides close to forest trails. Whonnock and Ruskin in the east feel rural, with large lots, quiet roads and a lake or river never far away. Thornhill and the northern areas are largely acreage and farmland.

The city suits families, outdoor enthusiasts, horse owners and anyone who values space and access to wilderness over being close to downtown Vancouver. You can be on a trail, a dike or a lake within minutes of home.

Practical notes: commuting can be long, so think about whether the West Coast Express or the R3 RapidBus fits your schedule if you work elsewhere in the region. A car is useful for most households, especially in the eastern and rural areas. Wildlife such as black bears and coyotes is common near the forest edge, so secure your garbage and follow local wildlife guidelines.