Trout Lake (John Hendry Park).

Trout Lake is not grand, and that is its charm. Set in John Hendry Park a few blocks from Commercial Drive, it is a small, shallow lake with a gravel path around it, a community centre on one side and a sandy beach on the other. For the people of East Vancouver it is the place for a morning walk, an after-school play or a slow lap with a coffee, and in autumn it quietly becomes one of the prettiest spots in the city.

The colour comes from the big trees along the shore. Black cottonwoods and poplars on the west and south sides turn a clear yellow, usually early in October, and the willows near the north end follow with softer gold. On a still day the whole arrangement sits upside down in the water, with the North Shore mountains filling the gap at the top of the frame. The little wooden dock on the east shore is the favourite vantage point, and it is where you will find the herons too.

The loop is a touch over a kilometre, so there is no need to plan: just walk it in whichever direction the light favours. For a longer outing, link it with a stroll down Commercial Drive for lunch, or cross to the Grandview Cut trail that runs alongside the SkyTrain line.

Families like the beach, the playground beside the community centre and the fact that nothing here is more than a few minutes from a washroom. The dog beach at the south end is popular and lively. The honest caveat is scale and weather: this is a short, local walk rather than a destination hike, and after sustained rain the lake path develops puddles that will test your shoes.