Welcome to hiking heaven! Criss-crossing the island, old logging roads and hiking trails provide easy access to alpine areas and inspiring mountain scenery. Less challenging than backpacking, day hikes provide lifetime memories of peaceful walks, bird watching and wildlife viewing.

The UN has designated many of the natural wonders part of the Mt. Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve. These sites are available and accessible to all through an extensive provincial and regional park system. There are seven provincial parks and numerous regional and local parks to explore.   

1. Englishman River Falls
2. Rathtrevor Beach
3. Cathedral Grove
4. Top Bridge Park
5. Horne Lake Caves
6. Mount Arrowsmith Regional Park
7. Spider Lake
8. Rosewll Creek Provincial Park
9. Little Qualicum Falls
10. Horne Lake Regional Park

 Along the many paths in our protected forests and provincial parks you'll find the freedom to discover nature for yourself; an abundance of waterfalls, meadows, lakes and beaches - all reachable without guides, ropes or heavy packs.

Along the many paths in our protected forests and provincial parks you'll find the freedom to discover nature for yourself; an abundance of waterfalls, meadows, lakes and beaches - all reachable without guides, ropes or heavy packs.

Both Englishman River Falls and Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Parks have rambling trails that lead beside the clear waters of these pristine rivers. A walk to the falls is a big part of a visit to either park.

The Englishman River Falls Trail is located near Parksville in the Englishman River Falls Provincial Park, which offers good hiking on a one-hour loop trail that follows both sides of the river canyon and crosses the Englishman River twice.

The upper falls are very spectacular, as is the upper bridge that crosses high above them. Following the loop trail to the bottom of the canyon provides hikers with an opportunity to sit on rocks, swim if it's warm water or observe spawning salmon in the fall.

From Parksville, take Highway 4 for about 5 km and turn left onto Errington Road (signposted). Another 8 km will bring you to the parking lot.
 

Little Qualicum River Falls are located near Parksville in the Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park. The Little Qualicum River has carved a narrow canyon through the rocks, and visitors can admire thundering waterfalls from the safety of the trail and two bridges.

The loop trail takes about thirty minutes and is suitable for families with young children. On hot summer days the Little Qualicum River offers a number of cool, clear pools - great for a refreshing dip.

The trail follows the course of the river on both sides before crossing in 3 places, allowing shorter walks if desired.

From Parksville on Highway 4, drive about 18 km and turn right, continuing 1.3 km to the car park. Watch for park signposts 2 km and 400 metres before the highway cutoff.

The rugged wilderness areas, glaciers, snowfields and mountains of Strathcona Provincial Park require that hikers who wish to venture off maintained trails and away from developed areas be entirely self-sufficient, properly equipped and suitably experienced.

Backpacking routes in Strathcona are not signed or defined in any way, and required orienteering by the group. All trails in Strathcona are closed to mountain bikes and horses.

Strathcona Park is bear and cougar country - these wild animals are potentially dangerous and may be encountered at any time. Prudent hikers will exercise due caution and follow the published Bear Safety and Cougar Safety guides.

As the opportunity for backcountry hiking in Strathcona is endless, we have described two of the recommended hikes. Hikers wishing to challenge the trails of Strathcona should use Hiking Trails lll as their travelling companion. This guide describes approximately 40 trails and routes in Strathcona, providing excellent route maps.

Della Falls
The Della Falls Trail leads Hikers from the head of Great Central Lake to the base of the highest falls in Canada, a 440 metre cascade from Della Lake into the valley of Drinkwater Creek. The trail starts at the campground at the northwestern tip of Great Central Lake and follows an old logging path carved out earlier this century, crossing timber bridges and travelling through second-growth and old-growth forest.

This 16 km trail takes about 7 hours each way (from the trailhead) and is suitable for intermediate level hikers. For Great Central Lake, drive 13 km west of Port Alberni on Highway 4 and, instead of turning towards Sproat Lake, continue on Great Central Lake Road for 8 Km. It takes 20 minutes to the Ark Resort, where you can park for a small fee and take a boat to the Della Falls Trailhead. Allow 3 days for a round trip if using a powerboat, and six days by canoe.

Comox Glacier
The Comox Glacier Trail is a steep trail and alpine route suitable for advanced hikers and mountaineers only. This is a three day hike (9 km) in reasonable weather for strong hikers: one day to the frog pond campsite about 1.5 km along the ridge, a second day to travel light up to the glacier and back to the camp, and a third day to pack out. The route is rough and in places the rock steps can be quite intimidating. Good backpacking gear, maps, a compass, ice axe, ropes and a stove are all essential.

Road access to this area is by very poor logging roads for about 38 km from Courtenay. Local conditions can be checked before embarking on the trip by calling BC Parks or TimberWest. A 4x4 vehicle is essential.

Strathcona Provincial Park was created in 1911 and is the original park in the provincial system, which now numbers over 450 protected sites. At the time, the 544,000 acres (200,000 hectares) seemed like a fabulous amount of land to set aside. It still does, especially to those who like to hike in the middle of the rugged, heavily glaciated Vancouver Island Mountains. The park was created for those who seek adventure in remote wilderness surroundings. It may be easier to reach the trailheads, but the routes still remain as challenging as ever. To really experience the beauty of this park, come prepared to explore the backcountry.

You'll find trailheads at three locations in the park, including those at Great Central Lake for the Della Falls Trail. Hiking routes also originate in the Forbidden Plateau region to the summit of Mount Becher (moderate; 6 miles/10 km return) and to McKenzie Meadows (strenuous; 22 miles/35 km return). Other trails in Forbidden Plateau begin from the Paradise Meadows trailhead on nearby Mount Washington. Forbidden Plateau is located 14 miles (23 km) west of Hwy 19 in Courtenay, via well-marked Mount Washington and Piercy Roads Somewhat gentler, these trails range from a short loop through Paradise Meadows (easy; about 3 miles/4.5 km return) to an extended 5-mile (8-km) loop around Lake Helen McKenzie and Battleship Lake. Much lengthier exploring is possible using Lake Helen Mackenzie and Kwai Lake as a base. The Helen McKenzie-Kwai Lake-Croteau Lake Loop (moderate; 5 miles/8 km return) leads to a series of subalpine lakes in the beautiful alpine amphitheatre of Forbidden Plateau. Farther afield, the Circlet Lake Trail (strenuous; 12 miles/19 km return) leads from Lake Helen McKenzie past Hairtrigger Lake to a wilderness campsite at Circlet Lake. Stunning views of the rugged nearby mountain peaks, as well as the unending string of Coast Mountains to the east on the Lower Mainland, reward hikers for their efforts. Die-hard enthusiasts can hike still farther from Circlet Lake to Moat and Amphitheatre Lakes, eventually reaching the summit of Mount Albert Edward.

More than a dozen more hikes and walks originate from the Buttle Lake area of the park. Trailheads are found at both the north and south ends of the 9-mile (15-km) lake, as well as additional trails that lead off elsewhere around the lake. From the park entrance on Hwy 28, the Elk River Trail (moderate; 13.5 miles/22 km return) leads through the Elk River Valley to aptly named Landslide Lake. Careful of your footing here and on the Crest Mountain Trail (moderate; 6 miles/10 km return), which climbs to a variety of scenic viewpoints farther west. The Crest Mountain trailhead is located on the north side of Hwy 28, about 15 miles (24.5 km) west of Buttle Narrows Bridge.

One of the park's gentler hikes begins at the south end of Buttle Lake and leads to Upper Myra Falls (moderate; 4 miles/6 km return). Don't be fooled by the seemingly short distance. The lower part of this trail crosses a steep hill with sections of loose rock. A series of shorter hikes and walks leads from Hwy 28 to viewpoints at Lady Falls, Elk River, and Lupin Falls. A fascinating look at weathering appears along the Karst Creek Trail (easy; 2.5 miles/4 km return), which begins beside the picnic area on the east side of Buttle Lake. The Wild Ginger and Shepard Creek walking trails originate in the Ralph River Campground.

Links

Rainforest Nature Hikes

Comox Valley Kayaks

Sunstar Kayaking

Mount Washington