Not since the beginning of time has the world beheld terror like this!
Okay, so that reference was to the 1954 cult horror classic Creature from the Black Lagoon. No, there’s nothing terrifying about this little jaunt out and around Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park — except maybe for a blind corner around 2.5k (see note below) — but the title had a nice ring to it.
The Creature From the Lost Lagoon is a fairly tame and scenic nine-mile run that gives you a taste of parts of the BMO Vancouver Marathon course. There are several washrooms on the route as well as the water fountain at Ceperley Park at Second Beach. Bonus points for doing the extra loop around Second Beach pool in honour of BRC marathoner emeritus, Rich Widdifield.
Click here for the route on FriendFit
To stretch the route to 10 miles, follow Cornwall Avenue past the Chestnut Street turn on the way back and continue to Arbutus Street. Turn right on Arbutus and follow the road along Kits Beach Park (Arbutus-McNicoll-Maple) eventually turning right onto Ogden Avenue. Pass by the Maritime Museum and turn LEFT at Chestnut down to the crushed-gravel path around Vanier Park. Follow it around to Burrard Marina at Whyte Avenue where you will rejoin the main route for the remainder of the run back to Broadway.
PLEASE NOTE: Take care when approaching the turn from Chestnut onto Cornwall which continues on to the Burrard Bridge. There is a high curb with no sidewalk and a large tree obscures the view of motorists who often take that turn hard.