Vancouver Island

Parks and nature on Vancouver Island

Nature & Hiking

Vancouver Island’s diverse landscape features the 47-meter Goldstream Niagara Falls and the multi-tiered cascades of Myra Falls in Strathcona Provincial Park. Hikers can summit Mount Albert Edward, the island's sixth-highest peak, or walk across the historic Kinsol Trestle, one of the world's tallest free-standing timber rail bridges. Coastal options include the manicured landscapes of Beacon Hill Park and the rugged shoreline at Holland Point Park. The list also includes unique geological sites like the man-made Hole-in-the-Wall and the suspension bridge at Elk Falls.

Nature & Hiking — Map

Another Believer / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Beacon Hill Park

Beacon Hill Park is a 75 ha park located along the shore of Juan de Fuca Strait in Victoria, British Columbia.

Corey Doughty / CC-BY-SA

B

Hole-in-the-Wall

A large circular opening blasted through a shale wall in the 1960s to accommodate a water pipeline. Located near Port Alberni, it now features a waterfall flowing into a crystal-clear pool.

Eminoro / CC BY-SA 3.0

C

Fisherman's Wharf Park

A green space adjacent to Victoria’s inner harbour. It features a rain garden designed to filter runoff and provides pedestrian access to the floating docks and houseboats of Fisherman's Wharf.

User HighInBC on en.wikipedia / pd

D

Thunderbird Park

Thunderbird Park is a park in Victoria, British Columbia next to the Royal British Columbia Museum.

Penny / cc-by-4.0

E

Goldstream Niagara Falls

Located within Goldstream Provincial Park, this thin waterfall drops 47 meters down a rock face. It is accessible via a short trail near the park's tunnel under the Malahat Highway.

Jim Ghoshdastidar / cc-by-sa-4.0

F

Holland Point Park

A coastal park in Victoria offering views of the Olympic Mountains across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It features paved walkways, open grassy areas, and access to the pebble beach below the cliffs.

G

Kinsol Trestle Trail Recreation Site

Home to one of the tallest free-standing timber rail trestle structures in the world. Spanning 187 meters across the Koksilah River, the bridge is a key feature of the Cowichan Valley Trail.

Aiden Relkoff / CC BY-SA 4.0

H

Mount Albert Edward

The sixth-highest peak on Vancouver Island, located in Strathcona Provincial Park. The summit reaches 2,093 meters and offers 360-degree views of the Forbidden Plateau and the surrounding mountain ranges.

I

Elk Falls

A 25-meter waterfall located in Elk Falls Provincial Park near Campbell River. The site features a suspension bridge and multiple cantilevered viewing platforms overlooking the falls and the canyon.

J

Myra Falls

A series of tiered waterfalls located at the southern end of Buttle Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park. The falls cascade over limestone bedrock into emerald-colored pools.

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