Strathcona Provincial Park
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island is nature's work at its finest and purest. A land of untouched rugged forests, looming mountain peaks with far reaching valleys covered by a complex network of rivers and lakes. Wildlife roams freely in Strathcona Provincial Park preparing for the seasons. The Black Bears fish, the Bald Eagles soar, the Elk graze, and the Squirrels scurry. A wilderness world enjoyed by nature, while admired by people. A journey into Strathcona Provincial Park will change outlooks of lives and rekindle lost spirits, no doubt, when exploring this amazing 500,000 acre wilderness park located in the middle of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Strathcona Provincial Park is Vancouver Island's biggest park and British Columbia's oldest park and second biggest park, oh yeah!

Vancouver Island, BC normally enjoys moderate temperatures making the summers sunny and warm and winters mild. Strathcona Provincial Park, BC is no different except winters usually will enjoy some snow falling at the higher elevations in the provincial park on many of the larger, higher elevation, mountains. The larger mountain cliffs and alpine plateaus will usually have snow falling between the months of November and March. This is good news for all year round outdoor adventure seekers visiting the West Coast. Meaning, the secret is, we are lucky to be the only place in Canada where down at sea level we can play a game of golf and up high up in the mountain peaks we bogey down slopes on snow skiis in the winter seasons. Gotta Luv it on the Islands.

Strathcona Park has some of the countries best wilderness scenery hiking and backpacking trails around. The vast network of walking trails in the park range from hourly day hikes to backpacking trips deep into the forests for weeks getting down and dirty doing some wilderness backpacking. Hiking trails like the Bedwell Lake Trail and the Bedwell River Trail combine for scenic water views, scented forests and wildlife sounds as you follow the river to Bedwell Sound which opens up to views of Meares Island. Strathcona Park, BC is filled with natural crashing waterfalls also where such trails as the Della Falls Hiking Trial takes you up close and personal to one of the world's top 10 highest waterfalls! Della Falls has a drop of 440 feet falling down over three cascades. Then there is the Flower Ridge Hiking Trail in Strathcona Park, BC taking you up some steep climbs to the alpine meadows. From the meadows one can continue the adventure onto the Comox Glacier. All trail routes should be researched thoroughly and hikers be prepared adequately. Please remember to take out with you what you hiked into the park. No littering and no approaching the wildlife. Not a good idea.

The top attractions of the Strathcona Provincial Park area is, generally, Mount Washington, Buttle Lake, Forbidden Plateau and Paradise Meadows. Mount Washington in Strathcona Park is a premium ski and snowboard mountain in the winter and spring months. Snowmobiles are not permitted in the provincial park. In the summer months Mount Washington converts itself into a top destination for mountain bikers, hikers and backpackers. Paradise Meadows is a hiking photographers dream with mutated twisted alpine trees, many varieties of wildflowers and often roaming wildlife.

Buttle Lake is the largest body of water in Strathcona Provincial Park. Fishing season populates Buttle Lake as would be fisherman cast their lines and lures for Cutthroat, Rainbow, and Dolly Varden Trout. Strathcona Provincial Park is the land of many firsts as Vancouver Island's highest mountain , the Golden Hinde, has an elevation of over 2,200 metres and sits in the middle of the park. Proudly the park "powers to be" have taken some initiative as it has developed three nature conservancy areas which will be kept untouched by human activity. They are the Big Den, Central Strathcona and the Comox Glacier. All three have a combined area of 122, 500 hectares of wilderness bliss!

Strathcona Provincial Park is located on central Vancouver Island near the communities of Comox, Courtenay, Campbell River, Gold River and Saratoga Beach, BC. All the surrounding communities are a close drive to the provincial park with Courtenay, BC being the closest. Strathcona Park brings smiles to peoples faces all year long whether they are hiking, kayaking, canoeing, horseback riding or backpacking in the summer months to snow skiing, snowboarding or cross country skiing in the winter.

Strathcona Park is an adventurers dream come true. Fresh Vancouver Island mountain and valley air always seems to do that to a person. Strathcona Park is filled with wilderness beauty and is an important part to how we live here on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.