Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island is the oldest park in B.C. It became a provincial park in 1911. Strathcona Park is truly a wilderness park. There are many high peaks here, most have trails that are well maintained. There are lakes and mountain tarns that are like jewels surrounded by the high country forests and meadows, some of these lakes have campsites complete with tent platforms to keep you off the ground. The whole park has many trails, some are easy short trails to various area wonders and waterfalls, others are week-long treks requiring wilderness skills.
Many of these trails can be accessed from the shores of Buttle lake. Buttle Lake was named after Commander John Buttle who explored the area in the 1860s. The Auger Point day-use site is located on the shores of Buttle Lake. There are picnic tables and washroom facilities here, and it’s a great place to put in a canoe/kayak for some awesome adventures on the lake.
There is a pleasant and short loop trail located here and the western trailhead for the Auger Point Traverse begins here. It starts off pretty rough with a breath-stealing, heart-pounding hike up Jacks Trail, this is a steep one. This is a hike through, from one end to the other, the eastern trailhead begins in Paradise Meadows up on the mountain Washington resort area. There are plenty of camping areas along this trail and lots of incredible views, I think the best place to stop is at Ruth Masters Lake, one place of incredible beauty in a wilderness park full of awesomeness.
The fishing at the Auger Point is pretty phenomenal and if you have a small vessel to get out beyond the shore, you just might lock into a big one. The birding here is pretty incredible, and you might see many other animals like bears, cougars, wolves, pine martins, and other smaller forest creatures. Don’t forget to bring your camera so you can take home some memories.