Como Lake Park.

Como Lake is the neighbourhood park that other neighbourhoods wish they had. Set among the quiet streets of central Coquitlam, it is a nearly circular lake small enough to walk around in fifteen minutes, which means that in autumn you can see the entire shoreline of colour from almost any point on the path.

The trees do the work. Maples, poplars and alders alternate with cedars and firs around the water, and from mid-October the deciduous ring lights up in yellow and orange with the occasional flare of red. Because the lake is sheltered and the loop is low, the water is often glassy in the morning, and the two wooden fishing docks on the east and south sides give you a clean, uncluttered view across the reflections. Ducks and coots patrol the edges, and a resident heron is usually working one of the inlets.

The lake is stocked with rainbow trout, so you will share the docks with patient anglers, and families with young children find the loop ideal: short, flat, fenced from the road and dotted with benches. A playground, picnic tables and a washroom sit near the Gatensbury Street entrance, and the park connects to Coquitlam’s wider trail network if you want a longer walk.

The caveat is simply size and parking. The lot is small, so on fine weekends people park on surrounding streets; please keep driveways clear. The loop itself can soften into puddles after a run of wet days, and because it is so short, this is best treated as a stop on a bigger outing or a reliable local walk rather than a half-day destination.