The Canyon View Trail was officially built in 1991 by many groups coming together including the Rotary Club of Campbell River, for many years I enjoyed hiking here on what was originally a game trail, I first hiked here in the early 60s, we would hike up to the beginning of the canyon from the local pulp mill water intake pipe, the fishing was just awesome and few folks would hike in.
As a boy, l hiked all through the canyon and climbed the cliffs there. The trail has some awesome views throughout and for some really great views, stop on the suspension bridge, you will be amazed. This bridge was built to cover and hold up the gas line that runs across the canyon at this point. The trail has become a popular recreational hiking trail.
The Canyon View Trail is a 6 km long hike through forests of giant fir trees, huge cedars, and thick rainforests. The hike is a great place to walk, taking about one to two hours to complete. The trailhead is located at the John Hart Generating Station off Highway 28.
At the bottom end of the trial, you cross the Campbell River using the old logging bridge, and you cross the Quinsam River on the Hwy 28 Bridge.
Canyon View Trail, Vancouver Island, BC, Photo By Bud Logan
This trail is a loop that starts at the Hydro station and runs on both sides of the river, on the north side, you travel along and over many man-made salmon spawning streams where you can get great views of spawning salmon in the fall. At the Hydro station, you can remain on the west side of the canyon and walk up to Elk Falls Park where there are many beautiful trails to hike on.
This year, they are going to build a new suspension bridge right at the falls to take you across the canyon, you will get some awesome views from here and once that is complete, we should see trails travelling down the east side of the canyon that will join up with trails along the river.
Update: the suspension bridge is open and an awesome sight to see. There is much construction going on at the generating station and portions of the trail could be closed. Signs are posted and most of the trails are open, you access the suspension bridge off the elk falls turn off, there are a new parking lot and a BC Hydro information center there to keep you posted on the construction.