Glen Valley Regional Park

Glen Valley is the quiet one. While other regional parks in Langley have long trail loops and busy car parks, this park is about the river: cottonwood trees, the wide Fraser, and farmland on the other side of the fence. Metro Vancouver’s page describes the park as defined by those cottonwoods and the river, and says it is popular with anglers and has good views.

What you can do there

• Walk down to the river. The Two-bit Bar area has a short path to the water. The page says the surface is grass, and the park is listed as having an accessible area. Metro Vancouver’s brochure lists about 0.6 km of walking trails, so think stroll, not hike. For longer outings, see our Langley hikes and walks page.
• Fish. Tidal fishing is available on the Fraser. Freshwater fishing follows provincial rules and tidal fishing follows federal rules, and the page points to the BC ministry and Fisheries and Oceans Canada for licence information.
• Paddle. You can carry a canoe or kayak down to the river from the nearby Poplar Bar parking lot. The page says there is no trailer boat launch.
• Picnic. There is one picnic table, seating four to six, and one portable pit toilet that is listed as accessible.

House rules worth knowing

• Dogs must be leashed and under control at all times, and owners need to pick up after them. Our off-leash dog parks page covers places where dogs can run free.
• Campfires, barbecues and cooking stoves are not allowed in the park. The page shows the fire danger as high when we checked, and asks visitors to report wildfires to 911 and to park staff.
• Drones are not permitted.
• The park borders working farms, so the page asks visitors to watch for slow farm vehicles and to be considerate of the farming community.

Hassall House

Near the park stands a farmhouse built in 1917. Metro Vancouver’s page says the site was once Glen Valley’s first store, post office and wharf, and a riverboat stop on the way to Aldergrove. The house is rented as a private home and is closed to the public, so enjoy it from a respectful distance.

Canada’s Historic Places register lists the Hassall Residence as a two-storey, pioneer-style wood-frame house. It says the Hassall family lived there from 1918 until the late 1970s, and that the house is one of the few in Glen Valley on land acquired through the Soldiers’ Settlement Board, which helped returning veterans take up farming. The register also says that a fee Mrs. Hassall charged for fishing on the shore gave this stretch of river its nickname, “Two Bit Bar.” The register notes the house was restored by the Langley Heritage Society together with the regional district. For more of the area’s past, see Langley heritage sites and the history of Langley.

Nearby

Glen Valley is in the Township of Langley. For a feel of the countryside around it, see our rural Langley guide, and for other Metro Vancouver parks in Langley, try Derby Reach and Brae Island.

Contact

Call 604-432-6350 or email [email protected]. The park page also mentions volunteer opportunities on Metro Vancouver’s regional parks site. Looking for something on the calendar? Try our events page.

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