Stanley Park Geology Field Trip Activity

This field trip activity to Stanley Park in Vancouver was developed by Mr. Chris Loewen, who teaches Earth Science 11 and Geology 12 at W.J. Mouat in Abbotsford, BC. The field trip follows the seawall from Prospect Point to Third Beach. Each stop to look at bedrock or the surrounding geological landscape is accompanied by questions for the students to answer which relate to rock-forming processes, tectonics, map interpretation, landforms and other connected topics. It is geared for students in the Geology 12 course, but it can be modified slightly and used for Earth Science 11 students too.

This field trip is free, other than the cost of transportation. The time to complete the activity is ~3 hours; travel between your school and Stanley Park must be added to this. Your group may be dropped off at Prospect Point (tourist drop off) and then picked up at the end of the day at the Third Beach parking lot.

This activity works best for a group of 20 students, but can be managed with a slightly larger group. The path follows the seawall and coincides with the bike path, so attention must be paid to oncoming cyclists at all times. Please note that Third Beach intertidal outcrops are only well-exposed at low tide, so be sure to check the tide charts for information to help plan your trip. Check, Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Tides, Currents, and Water Levels website: http://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/cgi-bin/tide-shc.cgi

Teachers are advised to scout this field trip before they take their students.

The references below provide more information on the geology of Stanley Park and are the sources of the figures included in this activity.

Armstrong, John E. 1990, Vancouver Geology, Geological Association of Canada, (Cordilleran Section), 128p.

Clague, J. and Turner, B. 2003, Vancouver, City of the Edge: Tricouri Press, Vancouver, 191p.

You may download this field trip activity at here.