Highlights
- Popular hike to practice navigation. The historic 33 km route extends deep into the Vancouver Island Ranges. In good weather, we enjoy outstanding views of Mount Septimus, Mount Rousseau, Nine Peaks, Golden Hinde, Red Pillar, and Mount Myra. Colourful wildflowers are abundant in late spring and summer.
- BC’s first provincial park. Strathcona Provincial Park was established in 1911 and is 245,807 hectares in size. It is not as well known as other parks, preserving a truly wild experience for hikers and backpackers.
- Wildlife diversity. Some mammal species who live on the Island are found no where else. Examples include the Roosevelt elk, coastal black-tailed deer, Vancouver Island wolf, and the endangered Vancouver Island marmot. Birds we see often include the chestnut-backed chickadee, gray jay, common raven, red-breasted nuthatch, Pacific wren, and Steller’s jay.
- Island alpine landscape. Strathcona Provincial Park contains endless natural features such as cold blue, lakes, green forest valleys, snowy mountain peaks, waterfalls, glaciers, high ridges, granite domes, and basalt spires.