Parks located on Vancouver Island number more than 150, they all offer incredible memories. They are all beautiful in their own way. Come see for yourself.
Admiral Broeren Park
There are many Parks In the Sayward Valley area. Way up high above Cooper Creek, in the Salmon River watershed, at the end of a long rough road. you will reach the Admiral Broeren Rec Site. The home of Vancouver Islands’ biggest Cypress, (Yellow Cedar). The area has many large trees with some almost as big as the Admiral. Admiral Broeren is about 11 meters in circumference and about 50 meters high. Read More….
Alder Bay Resort
Alder Bay Resort has 30 acres of private land with abundant walk-on waterfront, fully serviced RV pull-through sites, easy boat launch, and dock facilities. Alder Bay Resort is ideally suited to be the focal point of your Northern Vancouver Island adventure. There are many activities to make your stay awesome, you can go kayaking or whale watching, and everything in between here at the bay. Read More….
Alice Lake Rec Site
Alice Lake Park is located on Alice Lake, it is a very pretty lake located on the north end of Vancouver Island. It is one of a series of good fishing lakes just off the Port Alice highway, which runs down the west side of the lake. There is plenty of wildlife here and you will have a good chance of seeing elk, deer, bears, possibly a wolf or cougar and a huge variety of birds. So don’t forget to bring your camera so you can take home some memories. Read More….
Antler Lake Rec Site
The Antler Lake Rec Site is located about 3 km from the town of Gold River. This is one of those Paks that is well looked after with picnic sites with fire pits and tables. This is a day-use site with no camping. It is a very pretty place and you will have plenty of opportunities to view a wide variety of wildlife and birds. Don’t forget to bring your camera. Read More….
Anuntz Lake Rec Site
To get to the Anuntz Lake Rec Site you head up the inland island highway from Woss until you come to the Zeballos turn off. From there, you head down the Zeballos road until you come to the river main road. Turn here and drive until you reach the Anuntz Lake Recreational Site turn off. I would recommend that you use a truck as this road can get rough. Read More….
Atluck Lake Rec Site
The Atluck Lake rec site has plenty of room for camping and a boat launch. The camping here is pretty awesome. There are 2 campgrounds that have a boat launch along with camping. Both sites are awesome and are right on the lake. Camping here is pretty good, you will enjoy yourself. There are several other rustic campsites on the lake. Read More….
Auger Point Park
Strathcona Park is one of the oldest Parks 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 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, and others are week-long treks requiring wilderness skills. Read More….
Bamberton Park
The Bamberton Provincial Park Situated in Mill Bay, is a beautiful place to visit. The white sandy beach and picnic areas at the beach are great places to sunbathe. Situated on the west side of Saanich Inlet, the park is a great place for a picnic. The views from the beach are awesome and kids will love swimming at the beach. Up off the beach area is a well-maintained campground surrounded by a forest full of arbutus trees available for camping, there are 50 camping sites here. Read More….
Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park is one of those wonders that abound on Vancouver Island, it is a place of beauty. The park has a long history that goes back many thousands of years and was a gathering place for the Lekwungen people, we know them as the Songhees People now. They would harvest camas roots here, in amongst the Gary oak forests. In 1842, the hill was selected as the site for Fort Victoria. In 1878 over fears of war with Russia, batteries were placed on the hill that had two 64-pound guns mounted. Read More….
Big Bay Rec Site
Big Bay Rec Site is on Lower Campbell Lake. There are many, many places to camp here besides the main campground, and they all offer something. Some are great places to fish, others are great for swimming. Some can have large groups camp together and most of the camping spots are free to camp at and are maintained by the BC Forest Service. There are many spots that can be reached by boat that give you complete privacy, great if you have dogs that bark. Read More….
Botanical Beach Park
Botanical Beach Park is on the west coast of Vancouver Island northwest of Victoria. The beach has 251 hectares of forest habitat, but most people visit to see the abundance of intertidal life at low tide. The area is one of the most amazing places on the entire West Coast. There is one of the most amazing trails that runs between Botanical Beach Park and Botany Bay, this trail has the wildest twisted trees you will ever see, my wife and l love walking along this trail. Read More….
Bowen Park
Bowen Park is located right in the middle of Nanaimo BC. This is one of those Parks with plenty of trails along the Millstone River that runs through the park. These are interpretive trails, the Parks 36 acres are mostly undeveloped and a real jewel for the city of Nanaimo. You can walk to a very pretty waterfall that includes a fish ladder where you can observe the salmon as they move up the river. Read More….
Cape Scott Park
Cape Scott Provincial Park is a rugged, isolated, beautiful park located at the north end of Vancouver Island. The park was created in 1973, the park has over 115 kilometres of incredible, remote, and scenic beaches, estuaries, and trails for you to enjoy. The park starts at Shushartie Bay in the east, then stretches westward around Cape Scott running south to San Josef Bay. White sand beaches dominate the park with the most impressive being Nels Bight. Read More….
Carmanah walbran Park
Carmanah Walbran Park is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island and is by far the most beautiful place on Earth. It is a rugged area full of waterfalls and giants, a land of mists full of animals and plants of incredible beauty. A place that one should see and walk in just once in their life. Carmanah Walbran is home to giant spruce trees that can reach heights in excess of 95 meters, some of these trees could be over 900 years old. Read More….
Cathedral Grove Park
Cathedral Grove is located in the Macmillan Provincial Park. To get there from the Inland Island Hwy, you take the Port Alberni Hwy and follow it until you pass Cameron Lake, the park is just past the end of the lake when you are heading west. Cathedral Grove Park was created to protect and save a few hectares (157 hectares) of old-growth forest. I am quite pleased with this. This grove is a wonder. Read More….
Cluxewe Campground
The Cluxewe Campground is located just outside of Port Mcneill. The campground is owned and managed by the Kwakiutl. The Cluxewe word has several meanings, ” place of the changing river mouth” and “place of refuge”. I love this resort and campground, even though you are only minutes away from Port Mcneill and all the modern amenities, you will feel like you are a million miles away from all the hustle of the modern world. Read More….
Colliery Dam Park
Colliery Dam Park is a very popular park within the city boundaries of Nanaimo. It is a pretty awesome freshwater swimming spot that is big enough to take a lot of activity. The park is a dog walking park where the upper section is an off-leash area, this means off-leash, not out of control. This makes it a very special place when the wife and I go walking in the park, we meet so many dogs, most of them are very well-behaved and extremely friendly, and we love this. Read More….
Comox Lake Campground
The Comox Lake Campground Park is a jewel of a site. It has beautiful sandy beaches, a swimming float, a boat launch, a dock and a great concession shop where you can pick up needed items that you left at home. There are 18 sites that are serviced with water and power, and there are 41 un-serviced sites that are set back into the forest, a few of these are walk-in sites that are surrounded by old-growth forests. Read More….
Cougar Creek Campground
Cougar Creek is located on the Nesook Bay road, it runs off the Head Bay road that will take you to Tahsis from Gold River. It’s a sweet campsite that is quite reasonably priced. The cost per night is $12, seiners stay for $6, $10 per night parking, or $40 a week, there is a boat launch that is free to use for campers or a $5 fee for those who are not staying. you are welcome to stay for a max of 14 days. The campground is open to camping year-round, fees are charged from mid-May to mid-September. Read More….
Elk Creek Campsite
A small, shady site next to a creek. An open forest makes for easy exploration. There are lots of private sites here and a wonderful little creek that runs behind most of them, you can expect to see plenty of wildlife here like deer, elk, black bears, and plenty of little forest creatures. There are a few trails that meander through the trees. I like this spot as it is right off the side of the highway with easy access and the Sayward Valley has some of the best trails on the island including the world-renowned Kusam Klimb Trail. Read More….
Elk Falls Park
Elk Falls Park is located just west of Campbell River on the Gold River Hwy. It has a great many trails for hiking, picnic areas and over 200 individual campsites along the Quinsam River. The upper falls and the day-use areas are located just below the dam on John Hart Lake. The new suspension bridge is open now and it’s quite an awesome place to view the falls from. Read More….
Englishman River Falls Park
Englishman River Falls Provincial Park is located 13 km southwest of Parksville on central Vancouver Island. Take the Port Alberni Road at Parksville and follow the directional signs that are posted about 9 km up the road. Englishman River Falls Park. The park has beautiful old-growth and second-growth forests of fir, cedar, hemlock and maple along with beautiful trails that meander through these forests. Read More….
Fairy Lake Rec Site
The Fairy Lake Rec Site is on Fairy Lake and is located close to Port Renfrew. You use the paved Harris Creek mainline to get there. This a pretty little rec site with some awesome views. There is a very small island on the lake with a tree growing on it, this island has been photographed by so many people, it is such a beautiful little island. Read More….
Filberg Lodge Park
The Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park is located in the community of Comox, BC in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, Canada. The park is spread out over 9 acres and includes incredible trails, beautiful ponds, a pretty creek, a traditional totem pole, herb and flower gardens, a great little tea house and a lodge. The lodge was originally the home of R.J. Filberg and his family. Read More….
French Beach Park
Situated on the west coast of Vancouver Island, on the shore of the incredible beautiful Juan de Fuca Strait, French Beach Provincial Park offers awesome hiking trails through the surrounding rainforest. You park almost on the beach so it’s a great place for those with mobility issues to come and enjoy the ocean views with very little effort. All in all, this is a great beach park. Read More….
Fuller Lake Park
Fuller Lake Park is a great place for swimming, fishing canoeing, kayaking, and boating (electric motors only). The park is located just outside Chemainus on south Vancouver Island. The park has an incredible beach area, lots of space for picnics, a well-built fishing pier, a boat ramp, and full washroom facilities. There are tennis courts, a floating swimming pier and change rooms for your use and the beach has a lifeguard on duty during the summer months. Read More….
Gods Pocket Marine Park
Gods Pocket Marine Park is a new park. The 2,000-plus-hectare park provides some of the best coldwater diving in the world. Jacques Cousteau called the park one of the best cold-water diving destinations in the world. Some say the nearby Browning Wall as being the best dive in the world. Gods Pocket Marine Park is comprised of a group of islands at the entrance to Queen Charlotte Strait, including Hurst, Bell, Boyle, Crane Islands, and numerous smaller islets. These islands provide sheltered anchorage for boats that come to dive here. Read More….
Gold River Rec Site
The Gold River Park is located just 5 km from town on the banks of the Gold River, Just head towards the Gold River Estuary and follow the signs. The campground is quite rustic but well-maintained. The available services include picnic tables and fire pits at each site and pit toilets that are located within the campground. This is a very pretty spot with large trees and the gold river rushing by. Read More….
Goldstream Park
Goldstream Park is just a few minutes out from Victoria, yet it is so wild and majestic, that one would think you were in the middle of a great wilderness. The park is full of incredible waterfalls, fascinating birds, and plants, some of which are very rare. For the hiker who wants to get away and see Vancouver Islands’ deep rain forests, or a birder who is looking for that rare bird or someone who loves to watch the salmon run, Goldstream Park has it all. Read More….
Goose Spit Park
Goose Spit Park is located a short distance from the town of Comox, Goose Spit is a pretty cool place that is found at the entrance to Comox Bay, forming a natural breakwater. It is a little over 2 km long, the beach is made up of sand, cobble, and rock that has been deposited as glacial till and the sand comes from Willemar Bluffs. The beach and bluffs are part of an ongoing erosion and repositioning system that has changed over the years. Read More….
Gordon Bay Park
Visit Gordon Bay Park, where great family camping and fishing await you on the shores of Lake Cowichan. The park is north of Duncan on south Vancouver Island. There are many campsites for you to camp in and a wonderful beach area. During the summer months, the lake is warm and inviting, with great beaches and great picnic and camping opportunities. Read More….
Gray Lake Rec Site
The Gray Lake Rec Site is located on Gray Lake, you can find it between Fry Lake and Brewster Lake, this is a pretty little rec site. At one time you could cross the trestle to the far side of the lake, I used to go mushrooming over there. There are some nice campsites here and a car-top boat launch for your use. There have been recent improvements to the campgrounds, this is great as this is a very nice campground on a very nice lake. The lake is part of the Sayward Valley canoe route. Read More….
Hoomac Lake Rec Site
The Hoomak Lake Rec Site is in between the Sayward Valley and Port McNeill on the North Island hwy, not very far from Woss. It’s a very nice little rec site. There is a rest area with a trail that takes you down to the lake through a series of railed steps. There is a hook-up to the lake trail from the bottom of the stairs and another way to join from the north end of the parking lot, just past the restrooms. Read More….
Horne Lake Caves Park
Vancouver Island has many cave systems to visit, but the caves at Horne Lake Park have got to be the best on the island, caving here is something that all should do at least once in their lives. You can do quite a variety of tours here. There is no camping right at the caves but you can camp at the Horne Lake Regional Park, this is a very nice campground with areas for tent camping and RV sites as well. Read More….
Joe Walker Park
Joe Walker Park is located just between Buckley Bay and Union Bay on the east coast of Vancouver Island. The park is a long narrow park, there are over 500 meters of shoreline in the park but the park runs on the narrow ocean side of the highway. This is one of those spots that are nice to stop for a relaxing break as you travel along the highway, it’s a pleasant park with great views, and the possibility of seeing various types of sea life makes it a great place to stop. Read More….
Kaikash Creek Rec Site
The campground at the Kaikash Creek Rec Site is a remote campground. It is only accessible by water. It is extensively used by kayakers. there is freshwater here and quite a few campsites all located just up from one of the longest beaches in the area. It has composting toilets, picnic tables, and privacy. The beach is almost a km long and is located 11 km south of Telegraph Cove and only 6 km north of the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve boundary. Read More….
Kains Lake Rec Site
The Kains Lake Rec Site is located on Kains Lake, you can find it on the Holberg rd about west 14 km of Port Hardy. There is a very good chance to see some of our larger animals like bears, elk, deer or maybe even a cougar and there are many types of smaller animals here, animals like pine martens, raccoons, mink, beaver, otters and many more. So, when you drop in to visit this little lake at the rec site, don’t forget to bring your camera and take home some memories. Read More….
Kennedy Lake Park
Kennedy Lake Park is a great place to visit, the lake is located between the communities of Tofino and Ucluelet. Kennedy Lake Park is a recreation destination for kayaking, boating, canoeing, picnicking, swimming, camping, and sightseeing. The park includes two day-use areas, campsites, and a boat launch. Both picnic areas are located on the south end of the lake. Read More….
Kin Beach Provincial Park
Kin Beach Park can be found in the Comox area. To reach this park, drive to the Comox Airbase Gate and turn left, follow the road for a few km and you will see the entrance to the park. Kin Beach Park offers a beautiful day-use area with picnic facilities, a playground, and beach trails, as well as a campground. This small park is right on the Strait of Georgia and you can quite often see dolphins, seals, and sea lions as well as awesome views of the coastal mountains. Read More….
Kinsol Trestle Park
The Kinsol Trestle that crosses the Koksilah River is a pretty amazing sight to see. It is one of eight trestles that are part of the Cowichan River Trail that is part of Trans- Canada Trail. The Kinsol Trestle being 205 meters long and 48 meters high is one of the largest free-standing timber trestles in the world. The trestle is located a bit southwest of Duncan, you drive through the village of Shawnigan Lake, and along the lake by the same name, it’s a pleasant drive. Read More….
Kitty Coleman Provincial Park
The Kitty Coleman Provincial Park is located on the south side of the Straight Of Georgia. The park is a nice place to visit, it is in between Campbell River and the Comox Valley and it is a very popular park for camping, picnicking, swimming, fishing and a great base for day trips out in a kayak. The park has a picnic shelter with tables, pit toilets, nature trails, 2 boat launches and plenty of camping areas for both single as well as group camping. Read More….
Klaklakama Lake Rec Site
The Klaklakama Lake Rec Site or might I say, Klaklakama Lakes Rec Sites, there are two of them, are called the highlight of the Nimpkish Valley by some, I do agree. The mountain views you get as you drive these roads are incredible, take your time and enjoy them, l am always taken aback by the beauty of this area. I am sure you will be too. Read More….
kye Bay Play Park
Kye Bay has one of the prettiest beaches that you can find on the east side of Vancouver Island. The beach can run out for a great distance when the tide is out, allowing you to explore the many tide pools left behind. There is a nice little play park with picnic tables and an awesome view of the bay located here, my grandson loves coming here to play when we are in Comox. Read More
Little Qualicum Falls Park
One of my favourite places to visit on Vancouver Island is the Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park. Little Qualicum Falls Park has a series of beautiful waterfalls that tumble down a rocky canyon in a misty forest, this is a mythical place of beauty and wildness all surrounded by mountain peaks, a sight of wonder awaits you here. This is truly one of the most beautiful parks on central Vancouver Island. Read More….
Lizard Lake Rec Site
The Lizard Lake Rec Site is a nice little rec site on the South Island. Lizard Lake is a very popular lake 18 km northeast of Port Renfrew. It is easily accessed off the Harris Creek mainline. The lake gets its name from the salamanders who live and breed here, there are many. The west coast wet rain forests are perfect for these salamanders to breed in and this lake seems to be very popular to them. Read More….
Loudon Park
Loudon Park on Long Lake is a popular lake located in North Nanaimo, it is a very popular spot for swimming, fishing, and quite a variety of paddling sports like canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, rowing, and walking. It’s a nice spot to have a picnic. There is a walking trail that runs between Norwell Dive and 101 Street. It’s a pleasant walking path. Read More….
McCreight Lake Rec Sites
I first fished McCreight Lake back in the early 60s, it was called Bear Lake then. This lake is set in some very nice country, mountains and valleys with wildlife all around you. There are 3 recreation sites on the lake along with lots of camping areas plus several car-top boat launches. At the west end of the lake, there is a trail that takes you down to where the creek that feeds the lake flows in, there is a nice sandy beach here and lots of room for camping, this is such a nice beach. Read More….
Memekay Horse Camp Rec Site
The Memekay Horse Camp is located near the river with the same name, the Memekay River, this site was created to serve as the north-end campsite the Salmon-Brewster Horse Trail. This site has a large shelter, high lines, and horse corrals. each site has 2 small corrals and plenty of room for trucks, campers and horse trailers. Read More….
Miller Creek Rec Site
A few years ago, the road into the Miller Creek Rec Site was completely redone and a great campsite was put in, there are quite a few campsites with tables and fire pits. It all comes with a sandy beach and wondrous views. This is a very nice spot, with lots of great places to park a camper or pitch a tent and plenty of beaches for the kids to play at. This is an exceptional site that is only a few minutes out of Campbell River. Read More….
Miracle Beach Park
As a camping destination, few locations can beat the beautiful Miracle Beach Park, located between Campbell River and the Comox Valley. Miracle Beach Park is right on the water’s edge. A large white sandy beach on the shores of the inland straights is the main attraction at Miracle Beach. Read More….
Moorecroft Park
In 1934, Gertrude Moore created Moorecroft Camp for women on the site of the current Moorecroft Park. She named the camp after her childhood home back in Ontario. In October 2010, the Regional District of Nanaimo voted unanimously to purchase the land to be put to use as a Regional Park. By January 2013 the management plan was complete. It was completed using guidelines put forth by the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Conservation Covenant. Read More….
Morton Lake Park
Morton Lake Park is located north of Campbell River in the Sayward forest area. The park is on the shores of Morton Lake and also on a portion of the adjoining Mohun Lake. There are 24 campsites, all car accessible on Morton Lake. 12 of these can be reserved. There is a really nice day-use area with picnic tables, and a wonderful sandy beach area for swimming, along with two change houses, pit toilets, and an information area. Read More….
Neck Point Park
Neck Point Park is a pretty awesome place to spend a day exploring. Everything from fine pebble beaches to rugged rock cliffs with plenty of trails that will lead from one incredible view to another and there are many views here, all of which will take your breath away. There are more things to do here than would ever think could be contained in just 36 acres. It’s a paradise for photographers, it’s a place of wonders for all. Read More….
Nimpkish Lake Campsite
Nimpkish Lake is located in the Nimpkish Valley and it is a big lake. It is 20 km + long and quite narrow. The wind can come up on this body of water to produce some extremely large waves that will put you to shore to wait it out so be careful. On the other hand, it is an ideal place to camp, wind-surf and kite-sail. There is a great campsite that can be reached by road or from Kinman Creek via a great trail that runs south along the lake. Read More….
Nitinat River Park
The Nitinat River Provincial Park is comprised of 160 hectares of BC coastal rainforest that includes several endangered species of plants like the tooth-leaved monkey flower and the scouler’s corydalis, both are quite rare and beautiful. The park protects the river where summer steelhead, winter steelhead, sea-run cutthroat, rainbow trout, chum, coho and chinook salmon spawning beds. The park also protects a forest of big trees. Read More….
Nixon Creek Campground
The Nixon Creek Campground is a very pretty place, the rec site has 48 campsites right on the edge of Cowichan Lake, a great site for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and swimming. This is a great family site surrounded by a beautiful older stand with a real west coast feel. There is a great beach where it is easy to launch boats, kayaks or canoes. The site fee is $15.00, but there is a $2.00 premium on waterfront sites. Read More….
Octopus Islands Marine Park
Octopus Islands Provincial Marine Park is located along the northeast coast of Quadra Island. The park is a spectacular destination for ocean kayaking enthusiasts. The park is 404 hectares of land and another 458 hectares on the foreshore. The underwater life here is incredible that is due to the high concentration of nutrients in the cold northern waters. Read More….
Oyster River Nature Park
The Oyster River Nature Park is a great place to go for a walk, you have the river on one side and the farm fields on the other side. There are some awesome trails that wander through some very nice trees. You will find Douglas Fir, Big Leave Maple, Western Cedar, Red Alder, Western Hemlock and a variety of shrubs and flowers. Read More….
Pacheedaht Campground
Pacheedaht Campground and Beach are located on the lands of the Pacheedaht people, very close to the trailhead for the West Coast Trail. There is much to do here, you can surf and swim, go for endless walks or just sit back and enjoy the view. At night you can see the lights at the other end of the bay. The beach out front of the campground is a 2 km long and curved beach of sand. Read More….
Petroglyph Park
Petroglyph Park is found in the city of Nanaimo, BC. The park is at the estuary of the Nanaimo River where it flows into the Nanaimo Harbor. There are many Petroglyphs here to view and you get some great viewing opportunities for marine life here as well. The whole area has significant importance to the Snuneymuxw First People and is considered a spiritual place. Read More….
Pye Mountain Rec Site
The Pye Mountain Rec Site is roaring to go and off-road enthusiasts of Vancouver Island have been enjoying the trails. It took 3 years of building trails and of course the facilities of the campground. There was a huge base of volunteers that worked for those 3 years to make this happen. Mike Coulter, president of the Campbell River ATV club was instrumental in the creation of this off-road ATV rec site and trails. Read More….
Ralph River Campground
Ralph River is located in Strathcona Park and flows into Buttle Lake. There is a very nice campground at the river mouth with 85 vehicle-accessible sites. These sites are non-serviced but do have pit toilets and a hand-pumped water supply along with a boat launch. Camp Fires are allowed in the fire rings unless there is a fire ban. Please bring your own wood or purchase wood at the site, it is illegal to gather wood from the park to burn. Read More….
Rathtrevor Park
Rathtrevor Park in Parksville is one of the best camping picnic areas on Vancouver Island. Giant old-growth firs, an incredible sandy beach with campsites located in the mature Douglas fir forest. There are many campsites in this forest along with trails throughout the park. All campsites are within a 5-minute walk of the beach. There is plenty of parking and it’s free. Read More….
Resolution Park
Resolution Park is a sweet little campsite a few km from Zeballos on the road to Fair Harbour. There are 7 sites, picnic tables, pit toilets and a wonderful wharf for your use. Rhodes Creek runs through the site and fishing is the best reason to be here. I personally think this Park is awesome, it really is a great place to spend a few nights. Read More….
San Josef River Heritage Park
The San Josef River Heritage Park is a nice little campground just off the road and only a short distance before the Cape Scott Trail parking lot. On your way in you will be driving on active logging roads so please use your lights and plenty of caution. The campsite is run by Doug. The camping fees are the same as all BC Parks are charging at Cape Scott, in 2015 it was $10 per night per adult. There is a cash-only policy here. Read More….
Sealand Park
Sealand Park is located in Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island and it’s such a pretty park to take a walk in. It is a bit of a down-and-up park. Right from the parking lot, you head down a very impressive twisting staircase that takes one down quite a ways, you need to go back up this to get back to your car or you can walk up the trail and take the road around to the car. Visit in the fall when the park is incredible. Read More….
Sproat Lake Park
Sproat Lake Park is located northwest of Port Alberni, it is a beautiful lakeside park where you can swim, canoe, kayak, powerboat, water ski and windsurf to your heart’s content. The Sproat Lake Park has 2 campgrounds and a great picnic area. The two campgrounds are separated by the lake road but there is a path that runs under the road that joins both these campgrounds. This is one of our special Parks. Read More….
Stocking Creek Falls Park
Stocking Creek Falls Park is a favourite spot of ours to get a bit of nature and we go there often, there are good chances to see deer, pine martins, eagles, herons and many types of songbirds. The trails are mostly level and quite easy to walk. Read More….
Strathcona Park
Strathcona Park was designated a Provincial Park in 1911 and was the first provincial park in British Columbia. Situated on the central Island, Strathcona Park is a premier wilderness hiking park with some of the island’s highest peaks. This park is beautiful. There are many beautiful lakes and streams scattered throughout the park with trails going to most of them. Read More….
Willow Point Park
Willow Point Park in Campbell River has so much to offer. The Parks tennis courts, splash parks, skate parks, and frisbee golf course, are pretty awesome Parks. The splash park is simply amazing. There is no charge to use the splash park. There are three sections, one for families, one for teens and one for toddlers. Some of the water pieces are quite awesome, you will find a number of cool ones here, killer whales, fire hydrants, fishing poles and over-spilling bowls. Read More….
White River Provincial Park
This is one of those parks of wonder our island is famous for. Its old rainforest is stunning enough that Hollywood took notice. Portions of the Parks River were used as a film site for the movie, The Scarlet Letter, which was filmed here and at Myra Falls in 1994. Visitors to the park today will find remnants of the film set, including wide boardwalks designed to accommodate horse-drawn carriages. Read More….
Whether you like to backpack into wilderness areas, pack your trunk and camp at one of our Parks or load up your camper and head out into the woods. You’ll discover an outdoor wonderland filled with pristine lakes, rugged mountains and incredible trails. No matter where you travel on the BC Coast, you will always be close to one of our provincial parks.
From the wild beauty of Cape Scott on north Vancouver Island to the Haida Gwaii’s South Moresby National Parks. From the parks located along the Skeena River to the southern islands around Victoria, there will be a park ready for you to camp in. The Carmanah Walbran Park protects old-growth rain forests and in the south, the sunny Gulf Islands cradle dozens of Marine Parks.
Vancouver Island has 150 government-designated Parks. Some, like Strathcona Provincial Park, are the most incredible parks on Vancouver Island. Hikers can hike the most scenic trail on earth (The West Coast Trail). All in all, the Island has many parks.
The whole BC coastal Region has many Parks, protected areas, ecological reserves, and conservancy areas. It is a windswept land of waterfalls, rivers, mountains and ocean vistas that rival any place on the planet. I grew up on this coast and still am able to find Parks that not only have l not been to visit, but I also have not even known of their existence, this gives me the excitement of something new just about every time l go out.
Sometimes we can drive right into the middle of a Park and take short hikes into some incredible places. This is what’s so great about Parks, besides of course the whole protection component of parks. Parks can allow the less able to get out and enjoy the wonders of the coast. There are many trails in our Parks that are even wheelchair accessible and this is wonderful.
Some of my most fond memories are of hiking up in the high country Parks with a group of guys that l grew up with. We all enjoyed the same things, we all enjoyed getting out into the wilderness. We would hike for days through swamps and brush to get to hidden lakes or mountain trails. I remember both the soreness from carrying heavy loads to the exhilaration at first sight of our destination.
Many of our elders are now unable to do hikes in the Parks like they could when they were younger, although l have hiked alongside some that could put a 25 yr to shame. These shorter and mostly level trails still allow them to get out and taste the fresh air, feel the forest winds gently blow across their faces and feed their souls with peace.
