Deer Lake Park.

Deer Lake is the kind of place that quietly earns a spot in your weekly routine. It sits in a shallow bowl of parkland in the middle of Burnaby, close enough to Canada Way and Highway 1 that you can be on the trail minutes after leaving the car, yet the moment you drop down toward the water the traffic hum fades behind the trees.

The classic outing is the lake loop. Start from the beach parking area off Sperling Avenue and walk clockwise so the open shoreline comes first: this is where the big deciduous trees along the east and south banks light up in October, and on a still morning their reds and golds double themselves in the water. The far side of the lake changes character, trading lawns for boardwalk and marsh, with cattails, willows and the occasional heron standing motionless in the shallows.

Families like that the route is forgiving. There are benches at regular intervals, a playground and washrooms near the beach, and plenty of spots where small children can safely watch ducks. If attention spans are short, the eastern half alone makes a satisfying out-and-back. Older kids may enjoy renting a canoe or pedal boat in the warmer months, and the Burnaby Art Gallery and Shadbolt Centre at the north end give you an indoor option when the rain arrives.

Colour here peaks later than in the mountains, usually from the middle of October into early November, though a windy week can strip the maples quickly. The honest caveat is mud: after a few wet days the western trails get soft and the boardwalk planks turn slippery, so bring shoes you do not mind getting dirty and keep an eye on the city’s notices for any sections under repair.