The old easy route off Karley Crescent has been closed since February 2021 — it crosses private property and the City of Coquitlam confirms there’s no public access. There is still a legal way to the falls: through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, via the Woodland Walk Trail and the Coquitlam River Connector. Longer, harder, and worth it. Here’s everything you need to do it right.
About 420 m of cumulative elevation gain. Most hikers take 4–5 hours including breaks. Moderate difficulty — not the easy walk the old Karley Crescent route used to be.
Yellow metal gate at the end of Harper Road, just before the Port Coquitlam & District Hunting and Fishing Club. Approximate coordinates: 49.3136, -122.7491.
Through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. Optional return loop via the Bullet Dodger Trail if Pritchett Creek is low enough to cross.
Spring (April–June) is the biggest flow. Late summer is easiest underfoot. Winter is doable but expect mud; high water after rain can shut the creek crossing.
If you Google “Crystal Falls Coquitlam” today, the top results still describe a flat, easy, 3-km-each-way walk that starts on Karley Crescent at the north end of Shaughnessy Street and follows the Coquitlam River north to a small waterfall on Pritchett Creek. That route has been off-limits to the public since February 2, 2021. The landowner blocked access to the privately-owned sections, posted No Trespassing signs, and reinforced the closure with new signage on March 6, 2025. The City of Coquitlam has posted its own notice. Trespassing is illegal.
I’m flagging this up front because nine years on Burke Mountain means I hear the question often — usually from new arrivals who pulled up a hiking blog from 2018 and drove to Karley Crescent expecting an easy family walk. They get there, see the signs, and turn around frustrated. The information is out of date everywhere except the City of Coquitlam’s own page and the Vancouver Trails closure notice.
The waterfall itself is still genuinely worth the trip. You just have to come in the back way — through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, from the Harper Road trailhead — and accept that it’s a real hike, not a stroll.
Do not park on Karley Crescent and walk the river-side route to the falls. You’ll be trespassing — visibly, in plain view of the homes whose owners installed the signs.
Via the Coquitlam River Connector. Optional Bullet Dodger loop on the way back if Pritchett Creek is low.
You climb up to the powerline cut, descend to the falls, then climb back out. The return surprises people.
With breaks at the falls. Burke Mountain Naturalists schedule their guided hike 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
Pritchett Creek crossing on the way in. After heavy rain it can be unsafe — turn around if the water’s pushy.
The trailhead is at the very end of Harper Road in Coquitlam, just before the Port Coquitlam and District Hunting and Fishing Club. Look for the yellow metal gate on your right and the Pinecone Burke Provincial Park welcome sign. There is no formal parking lot — you park on the shoulder near the gate. The trailhead coordinates are approximately 49.3136, -122.7491, the same starting point used by the Sawblade Falls and Coquitlam Lake View Trail hikes.
A few things to know before you arrive:
Get yourself onto Coast Meridian Road heading north. Stay on Coast Meridian almost to its end, then turn right onto Harper Road and follow it about 2 km until the road bends and dead-ends at the yellow gate. From most of Burke Mountain, you’re 10 to 15 minutes from the trailhead.
Highway 1 east. Exit 44 for United Boulevard. Follow signs to BC-7B Mary Hill Bypass, left onto Broadway Street, which becomes Coast Meridian heading north. Right onto Harper Road. Roughly 40 minutes from downtown Vancouver without traffic.
This is the same route the Burke Mountain Naturalists use for their guided Crystal Falls hikes — the only legal access to the falls in 2026. Start on Woodland Walk, drop down on the Coquitlam River Connector to the falls, and — if Pritchett Creek is low enough — loop back via the Bullet Dodger Trail. If the creek is running high, retrace your steps the way you came.
The total elevation gain of about 420 m is the part that surprises people most: you climb on the way in to reach the connector, then descend to the falls, then re-climb on the way back. Plan accordingly.
Crystal Falls is on Pritchett Creek, which means the show depends on water. Here’s the honest read on seasons:
Snowmelt from higher up Burke fills Pritchett Creek and the falls roar. This is the postcard window. Trail will be muddy in stretches; the creek crossing demands respect after a storm. Bring real footwear and accept that your boots aren’t going home clean.
Lowest mud, most predictable creek crossing, the most reliable Bullet Dodger loop window. The waterfall flow is lighter but still scenic. Best window for first-timers and for anyone bringing kids on the hike for the first time.
Cooler temperatures, the alders along the powerline corridor turning, and Pritchett Creek coming back to life with autumn rains. Fewer people on trail than in summer. Get the layered gear out — the coastal forest runs cool.
Passable in normal conditions but expect mud, slick roots, and standing water on trail. Snow is uncommon at this elevation but does happen. After heavy rain or a thaw, the creek crossing can be unsafe and the Bullet Dodger loop is not an option — if the water’s up, retrace your route or turn around entirely.
Pinecone Burke is a provincial park, so dogs must be on a leash at all times. The leash rule is enforceable and — given the bear, cougar, and mountain-bike traffic — it’s also the right call. Pick up after them and pack the bag out; there are no bins on the trail.
The Harper Road trail network is a popular riding area, especially on the lower trails. As a hiker you technically have the right of way, but the courteous move is to step aside on the singletrack — they’re working harder than you are. Listen for them on the descents and give them the line where you can.
The Port Coquitlam and District Hunting and Fishing Club operates a public range adjacent to the parking area, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except Tuesdays. You’ll hear it for the first kilometre or two of trail. It’s loud, it’s legal, and you’re well clear of the firing line itself — but worth knowing in advance so it doesn’t unsettle you (or the kids, or the dog).
I’m a 47-year Tri-Cities resident and a nine-year Burke Mountain resident. The families I work with on this side of the river are almost always making the move to be closer to exactly this kind of place — trails, parks, forest. Knowing the routes personally — including which ones are closed and what the real legal alternative looks like — is part of how I help.
If you’re looking at a home anywhere near Burke Mountain or the upper Coquitlam neighbourhoods and want a real read on what living there is actually like, that’s a conversation I’m happy to have. For other trails worth knowing about, the Coquitlam Crunch, Buntzen Lake, and Minnekhada Park are the other Tri-Cities hikes I send clients to most often.
The original Crystal Falls trail follows the east side of the Upper Coquitlam River north from a residential street. The route was never a formal park trail — it was a community path that crossed several pieces of privately-held forest land. For decades, the landowners tolerated the foot traffic. In February 2021, that changed: the property owner along the critical middle section installed signage and physical barriers blocking access. The Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC documented the closure that same year, and Vancouver Trails posted a notice at the top of its Crystal Falls page that’s still there.
The City of Coquitlam, which doesn’t own the property and can’t unilaterally re-open it, has been working on a long-term access solution. None has been announced. The current, public-facing City notice — “No Public Access on Crystal Falls Trail” — remains active as of this writing. The March 2025 reinforcement of the closure suggests the situation isn’t likely to change soon.
The takeaway is straightforward: do not park on Karley Crescent and walk the river-side route to the falls. You’ll be trespassing — visibly, in plain view of the homes whose owners installed the signs in the first place.
This guide is built from authoritative sources, plus on-the-ground familiarity from living and hiking in the Tri-Cities. Trail status and access notes are current as of May 2026.
Methodology: All trail facts (distance, elevation, route, hazards) are cross-referenced against at least two authoritative sources. Closure status is taken from the City of Coquitlam’s own civic alert and the active Vancouver Trails closure notice. Trail conditions change — always check current status before heading out.
I’ve lived on Burke Mountain for nine years and worked the Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam market as a REALTOR® since 2017. The Harper Road trailhead is a 15-minute drive from my house and I’ve done this route in every season. The notes in this post are written from on-the-ground hiking, not pulled off a blog from 2018. If you’re weighing a move to Burke Mountain or the upper Coquitlam neighbourhoods and want a straight read on what living there is actually like, you can book a 20-minute strategy call here.
The pages below go deeper on the neighbourhoods, trails, and decisions that bring people up this side of the river.
The main pillar page — everything Burke Mountain in one place.
894 stairs — the local read on Coquitlam’s most famous workout trail.
The Anmore-side day trip — loop trail, beach, and bookings.
High Knoll, the marsh, and bear country — one of the best half-day hikes in PoCo.
What the new Coquitlam sports facility means for families — opening summer 2026.
Coquitlam’s 178-hectare urban forest — trails, lakes, and the renewed outdoor pool.
Indian Arm beaches and waterfront walks — a 20-minute drive that feels like a day off.
The full hub of trails I send clients to most often — sortable by difficulty and distance.
47-year Tri-Cities resident, nine years on Burke Mountain. The lived-here read.
If trails like Crystal Falls are part of why you’re looking at this side of the river, let’s talk. A 20-minute strategy call gets you a clear, data-driven plan calibrated to your situation — and a written one-page summary within 24 hours.
Craig Johnston, REALTOR® V99960 · The MACNABS · Royal LePage Elite West · 604-202-6092