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. The park has a variety of trees and plants within it, you can find Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Maple, Alder, Salal, and Nootka Rose. In the wet months, there are several seasonal streams that run through the park. From the shores, you get a great view of Denman Island. From these shores, you have a great chance of seeing whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals and along the shore, you could see deer, mink, and raccoons.
The park was created at the same time as the mystery beach subdivision was created back in 1976, at first it was registered to the Union Bay Waterworks but was transferred to the Union Bay Community Club which found that they were unable to look after the upkeep, and they turned the park over to the CVRD in 1992.
The park has been named after old Joe Walker, he was a long-time resident of the Mystery Beach Subdivision, Old Joe was much loved and deeply respected by all who knew him. There are picnic tables, toilets, and a shelter complete with cooking wood-burning stoves to cook up a picnic lunch or dinner. Beach fires are welcome all along the park beaches, as long as there is no fire ban in place.
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 with the possibility of seeing various types of sea life makes it a great place to stop.