Koksilah River Park

Koksilah River Park is located west of the village of Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The wilderness park is one of the more rustic, rugged parks located in the South Cowichan Valley.

Much of the park is left to nature. There are lichens hanging off of branches of trees. Moss covers the ground. Deadfall trees carpet the forest floor. You can hear birds chirping and the sound of the river rapids tumbling in the distance.

The trails consists of foot paths following the shores of the Koksilah River. They are not marked nor are they highly maintained. The trails can be muddy and slippery at times (especially after a rainfall) with some sections consisting of exposed tree roots, moss covered earth and loose rocks.

The 210 hectare park is better known as a picnicking, fishing and swimming destination. There is a small day use are with picnic tables and pit toilets near the parking lot. However there are no campfires or camping allowed in the park.

There are no designated swimming areas in the park. The big boulders and swimming holes are the swimming destinations. Boulders double as sunning beds. The same pools of water used for swimming are also used by fly fisherman in the fishing season. To fish in British Columbia requires a fishing licence.

How to Get to Koksilah River Park

Travel Highway #1 to the community of Mill Bay in the South Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. From Highway #1 look for the Shawnigan Lake (Mill Bay Road) Exit in Mill Bay. Turn west and travel to Shawnigan Lake. Then turn right onto Shawnigan Lake Road and continue to Renfrew Road. Turn here and drive to the parking lot.