EXPLORE: PARKS & BEACHES

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Bamberton Provincial Park Second growth forest with many arbutus trees and a beautiful sandy beach some 225 meters in length fronts on the warm waters of the Saanich Inlet. Visitors can enjoy mountain and water views backed by the pastoral Saanich Peninsula, the Gulf Islands and Mount Baker. Mill Bay area.

Blue Heron Park More information to come on this park in Yellowpoint

Bright Angel Park On the banks of the Koksilah River is a hidden gem called Bright Angel Park. Trails wind through the forest and cross a suspension bridge high above the river. Huge, old Red Cedar and Douglas Fir lean over the river and, at Easter time, fawn lilies nod among the trees. The park has a typical mixed forest of Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Grand Fir and Bigleaf Maple. Black-tail Deer, Raccoon, Bald Eagles, Kingfisher, Great Blue Heron, Steelhead Trout and Mergansers are commonly found in the park, and the occasional Black Bear and Cougar wander through. It is a Class 'C' provincial park, which means that there is no government funding for the park, it is managed by the Cowichan Valley Regional District and is assisted by park rentals, donations donations and the work of volunteers. Duncan / Cobble Hill area.

Carmanah-Pacific Provincial Park A 3,592 hectare wilderness area on the west coast of Vancouver Island that protects the largest spruce trees in the world, and provides basic facilities and a rudimentary trail system. The park is one of the few remaining old-growth forests that is easily accessible. Unfortunately, people-pressure on the Sitka spruce roots is damaging many of the larger trees. Please respect areas that have been roped off to protect the trees. The West Coast Trail runs through the western end of this area. Follow the signs from Highway 18. Cowichan Lake District.

Cherry Point Nature Observation Park Located at the end of Garnett Road (which runs off of Cherry Point Road) in Cobble Hill, this half-acre CVRD Community Park showcases spectacular ocean views and nature viewing. Perfect for group outings or just simply parking to enjoy the view. Park Features include, shorebird and sealife viewing, including: Great Blue Herons, Crows, Gulls, Sandpipers, Mud Clams, Little Neck Clams, Blue Mussels, Acorn Barnacles and Sand Dollars. Inter-tidal flats have formed delta deposits from Garnett Creek allowing the creation of this ocean side park. Enjoy spectacular views of Saanich Peninsula and the islands, or beachcomb the sandy shores of this park.

Coverdale Watson Park This one-acre CVRD Community park is located off Wilmot Road in Cowichan Bay. The park is named after the Reverend Coverdale Watson, first Minister of the Cowichan Bench Methodist Church. A church was built in this location in 1883. It became a park in 1971. This multi-sport and playground park with picnic area and washrooms is ideal for a family picnic or a game of basketball.

Cowichan River Provincial Park Cowichan River Provincial Park is a 750-hectare area stretching almost 20 kilometres, from the Town of Lake Cowichan to just south of Duncan. This spectacular Provincial Park protects significant stretches of the Cowichan River, a first class recreational corridor and designated 'Heritage' river. It is internationally recognized for its wild salmon and steelhead trout, and for the historic Cowichan River Footpath that winds through dense Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock forest. This trail is popular with hikers and naturalists and is an easy to moderate level of hiking. You should allow about 6 hours to hike its length if you plan to hike the complete trail, it's advisable to arrange a pick-up at one end. The main trail is well marked, but several older secondary routes still exist, and these are not sign-posted or maintained. Marie Canyon is a wonderful picnic area, with views overlooking the Cowichan River surging through a spectacular sheer rock canyon. This is an excellent area for kayaking and canoeing. Experienced whitewater kayakers may wish to navigate the river between Skutz Falls and Marie Canyon. Swimming and tubing are popular activities at the Stoltz Pool day-use area and below Skutz Falls. Skutz Falls is a prime location from which to watch spawning salmon ascend the fish ladder in the fall, or for a picnic at the end of a day's hike. Fishing is often closed in this section of the river from October to mid-December and BC Environment should be contacted for up-to-date information. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate license. Duncan and Cowichan Lake District.

Crofton Beach Enjoy picnicing, swimming and beachcoming in Crofton by the Sea.

Fuller Lake Park Pristine, free of pollutants and stocked with trout, Fuller Lake is conveniently located off the Trans Canada Highway across from the Chemainus Fuller Lake Motel. Enjoy swimming, rowing , canoeing, kayaking, trout fishing , picnicking and hiking or just relax on the beach. Life-guards on duty during the summer months. Please note: (Motorized boats are not permitted)

Gordon Bay Provincial Park This 49 hectare provincial park of second-growth Douglas Fir forest is in one of Vancouver Island's sunniest valleys. Enjoy the sandy beach and there is a large area along the shore that can be hiked easily. A trail follows the shoreline in the trees or you can hike over the rocks closer to the water. There are several small beaches and nice outlooks onto the lake. From Highway 1, turn onto Highway 18 and travel 26 km west to the Town of Lake Cowichan. Gordon Bay Park is located 14 km west of Lake Cowichan (2.5 km west of Honeymoon Bay) on Walton Road which splits off of South Shore Road just before the park. Cowichan Lake District.

Hecate Park This CVRD Community Park is located on Cowichan Bay Road and serves as a popular picnic/ beach area and boat launch. The park’s boat launch provides an ideal location to launch for day fishing or cruising on pristine Cowichan Bay. The boat launch on this site is open from dawn till dusk with a large ramp facility and plenty of room for trailer parking. Come check out the aquatic life as the tide goes out along the shores of Cowichan Bay.

Kingburne Park The Kingburne area is best known for the Bonanza Ranch that occupied approximately 73 acres of the area along the Koksilah River in the early 1900s. The acreage was subdivided in the early 1990s allowing for the creation in 1992 of a fourteen and a half acre CVRD Community Park. Enjoy the history of this park through interpretive signage in addition to the rugged landscape features that showcase this park. The Park is rich in bird life, some species reside year round and others are seasonal. Birds that call the park home at one time or another include: Pileated Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Swanson’s Thrush, Varied Thrush, Stellars Jay, Northern Flickers, Robins, various types of Sparrows, Goshawks, and many others species. The rich vegetation and habitat provide ideal conditions for Red Squirrels, Black Tailed Deer, Raccoons, River Otters, and the occasional Black Bear. Ecosystem: The Park is primarily coniferous fir, cedar and hemlock, along with deciduous maple and alder trees reclaiming the lower open areas of the park. Fish Species: The Koksilah River is home to species of trout, summer steelhead, and various salmon species that can be found spawning between September and November. Duncan area

Koksilah River Provincial Park Koksilah River Provincial Park is located 4 km west of Shawnigan Lake. This undeveloped park offers good hiking, fishing and swimming or just spend the day picnicing in the scenic surroundings of the Koksilah River and Canyon.The nearby Kinsol Trestle, just outside the eastern boundary of the park is an historic site sadly in need of urgent restoration. The old wooden railway bridge was constructed in 1920, to allow transport to the Kinsol Copper Mine. The Koksilah River provides a 6-km whitewater kayak run above Burnt Bridge, one of the few whitewater runs on southern Vancouver Island. The Burnt Bridge region offers some incredible mountain biking trails and this is the site of the annual Burnt Bridge Classic Race Loop and the Can-Am Trials. Lose yourself for hours or even days in this challenging, but not overly technical area. Rustic campsites provide rough camping in this 210-hectare park.

Maple Bay Beach In the village of Maple Bay you can access the beach at the Government Wharf. A great spot for beach activities such as swimming, picnicing and enjoying the ocean air.

Mason's Beach Conveniently located. Enjoy a picnic on the beach and a swim in the warm waters of Shawnigan Lake. Masons Beach can easily be found at the crossroad of Shawnigan Lake Rd and Cobble Hill Rd.

Mill Bay Beach A long flat stretch of beach, easily accessible along Mill Bay Road. Beautiful views and ideal for walking, beachcombing and wildlife viewing.

Mill Bay Nature Park This is a 7 1/2 acre CVRD Community park. Construction of trails, bridges and viewing areas was started in 1989 and continues to be upgraded. There are walking trails, a viewing platform overlooking Mill Bay, Picnic Sites and it's a great place for a beach walk. Salmon spawn in the creek in the Fall and many bird species can be viewed in the area Walking Loop: Starting at Mill Bay Nature Park and use the beach access stairs at the end of Holling Road to get down to the beach. Walk southward along the beach to the stairs at the end of Welch road. Walk west on Welch road, east then south on Kilmalu, and finally back down Holling road to the park.

Olde Mill Park This seventeen acre CVRD Community park located off of Recreation Road on the east side of Shawnigan Lake. The park was the mill site of the Shawnigan Lake Lumber Co. from 1881 to 1945. In addition to its extensive industrial heritage, Old Mill Park has become a popular recreation site for family’s and nature enthusiasts.

Quarry Wilderness Park This twenty-three acre CVRD Community park is located on the east side Cobble Hill Mountain and was once the site of the Cobble Hill Lime Quarry. This once productive industrial site has now given way to a rich and diverse plant and wildlife community, which grow and flourish around the historical features of this park. Park Features include: Walking Trails, Scenic Views, Historical Site, Picnic Sites, Nature Identification, Park Interpretive Signage, Habitat and Wildlife. The park is rich in bird life, some species reside year round and others are seasonal. Birds that call the park home at one time or another include: Pileated Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Swansons Thrush, Varied Thrush, Stellars Jay, Northern Flickers, Robins, various types of Sparrows, Goshawks, and many others species.The rich vegetation and habitat provide ideal conditions for Red Squirrels, Black Tailed Deer, Chipmunks, Raccoons, and the occasional Black Bear. The area is primarily mixed coniferous fir, cedar and hemlock, with some deciduous maple and alder trees.

Spectacle Lake Provincial Park Located 10 minutes south of Mill Bay on the top of the Malahat. An easy 2-kilometre, well-maintained hiking trail circles the lake, with wooden bridges crossing the numerous creeks and marshy area feeding into Spectacle Lake. The 65-hectare Spectacle Lake Provincial Park is a great spot for swimming, canoeing, fishing or spending the day picnicking. The lake is cherished by many, as it offers the only eastern brook trout fishing on Vancouver Island. The lake is regularly stocked with rainbow trout, which means that you must get there early in the season for best results. As you look down through the lake's incredibly clear water, you'll see crayfish scuttling along the lake bottom.Spectacle Lake is special in winter, too, as it offers great outdoor ice-skating.

The Sutton Creek Wild Flower Reserve Also known as the Honeymoon Bay Wildflower Reserve is located on South Shore Road about 2.5 km west of Honeymoon Bay village. Keep left when road divides at Walton Road and go past March Meadows Golf Course. The reserve is on the left. Park on the roadside and walk in. Easy walk. Description: The Honeymoon Bay Wild Flower Reserve, visited by people from across Canada each spring, is noted for its unique and spectacular density of the rare pink fawn lily. The 6.07 hectare (l5 acres) reserve, owned by Western Forest Industries, is assured the protection in perpetuity of the largest known concentration of pink fawn lilies (Erythronium revolutum) in B.C. It prefers alluvial sites in moderately open woodland with a mild, moist climate. Two dozen species of other wild flowers are also represented there.

The Trans Canada Trail Trans Canada Trail Regional Park follows the abandoned Canadian National Railway (CNR) right-of-way from Sooke Lake Road (at the south end of Shawnigan Lake) to the Holt Creek trestle in the Glenora area. It continues through to the Town of Lake Cowichan along the same ROW but under the jurisdiction of BC Parks. The trail will eventually connect with the Galloping Goose Trail in the Capital regional District and create a continuous national trail system from mile “0” at Douglas and Dallas Roads in Victoria to St John’s Newfoundland, with a branch going up through the Yukon, a distance of approximately 17,400 kilometres.

Transfer Beach Located just off the Trans Canada Highway in Ladysmith, Transfer Beach is a perfect spot for swimming (gravelly beach), beachcombing & picnicing. There is a huge adventure playground to keep the kids amused while you enjoy the beautiful view, beach and lawns. With a new Millennium Outdoor Amphitheatre, Transfer Beach Park is the home to exciting ongoing community events.

West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park A delightful park on the western shore of Shawnigan Lake. This popular summer recreation area offers a wealth of outdoor activities, including fishing, boating and water-skiing - it's a wonderful place for a family picnic. The lake contains Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout, Kokanee and Small-mouth Bass. The surrounding area provides great cycling and mountain biking terrain. Shawnigan Lake is an excellent paddling lake and the warm water is perfect for swimming. Memory Island Provincial Park is located on the southern half of Shawnigan Lake. It only requires a short 1-km paddle to reach this tranquil little park. Come ashore to picnic, stretch your legs and do a little laid-back bird-watching. Park facilities include pit toilets and picnic tables. Boat launches and boat rentals are available in the vicinity of the Shawnigan Lake village.

Yellow Point Park More information to come on this park in Yellowpoint

   

TO DO IN JULY

> Khowutzun Pow Wow

> Cowichan Bay Artwalk

> Duncan Summer Festival

> Farmer's Market

> Market in the Square

> Go To Events Calendar

 

	PHOTO GALLERY

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