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Attention
Visitors - Important Notice!
As of April 17, 2008:
- Bedwell Lakes road access - Road work was completed in October 2007 and access was restored to the trailhead. Please be advised that new events or heavy snow accumulations could restrict winter access.
- Trail/Backcountry Conditions - While backcountry trails are open during the winter season, the detailed trail report will be discontinued until late spring 2008.
- All trails are OPEN but winter
conditions exist. Most trails are buried under snow.
Extreme caution is advised and only those experienced
in winter navigation and survival skills, including
avalanche training, should consider exploring the
remote areas. For Nordic Ski trail conditions in
the Paradise Meadows area, please refer to the Mount
Washington Alpine resort website. The detailed trail
report will be discontinued until late spring 2008. Please
note conditions on the following three trails:
:
- For
Upper Myra: Use caution on bridge and boardwalk
crossings.
- For
Karst Creek: Use caution on trail to upper waterfall.
Some loose rock and debris on trail. Please note
bridge is out and no through trail (seasonal
dry creek bed now has water flowing in it and
can't be crossed).
- Elk
River - recent storm activity has impacted trail.
Overflowing streams and debris flows have damaged
and covered some trail sections. BC Parks will
be addressing these trail problems in 2008.
- Buttle Lake and Campbell River Water System Levels
and Updates
- School
groups planning to hike in Strathcona Park are
asked to register with the Vancouver Island Regional
office. Click
here to register.
- Campfire
Regulations: Visitors are reminded that
fires are not permitted anywhere or at anytime
(all seasons) within Strathcona Park except in
an authorized BC Parks steel fire ring. This regulation
is in effect at all times of the year. No open
fires are allowed in any backcountry areas.
- Paradise
Meadows Parking Restrictions -
NOTE - winter
parking restrictions are now in effect for visitors wishing to park their vehicles overnight. The Raven Lodge will open on December 6th. Please phone (250) 334-5764 to make arrangements prior to opening or after business hours. This is a seasonal policy change due to snow removal/storage conflicts. The parking restrictions will be removed again in the spring..
Park
Info:
Strathcona Provincial Park, designated in
1911, is the oldest provincial park in British Columbia.
Located almost in the centre of Vancouver Island, Strathcona
park is a rugged mountain wilderness comprising more
than 250,000 hectares. Mountain peaks - some perpetually
mantled with snow - dominate the park. Lakes and alpine tarns
dot a landscape laced with rivers, creeks and streams. Summer
in Strathcona is usually pleasantly warm, while winters are
fairly mild except for the higher levels, where heavy snowfalls
are the norm. From November through March, snowfalls can
be expected on the mountain slopes and alpine plateaus. Snow
remains all year on the mountain peaks and may linger into
July even at moderate elevations. Summer evenings, as elsewhere
in the coastal regions of BC, can be cool and rain can be
expected at any time of the year.
Two areas - Buttle Lake and vicinity and
Forbidden Plateau – offer
a variety of visitor-oriented developments. The rest of the
park is largely undeveloped and appeals primarily to people
seeking wilderness surroundings. To see and enjoy much of
the scenic splendor requires hiking or backpacking into the
alpine regions.
Buttle Lake, named for Commander John Buttle
who explored the area in the 1860s, is the major body of
water in the
park. It and many other lakes and waterways in the park
can provide good fishing in season for Cutthroat, Rainbow
and
Dolly Varden trout. Della Falls, whose drop of 440 meters
over three cascades makes it one of the highest waterfalls
in Canada, is located in the southern section of the park.
And the highest point on Vancouver Island, the Golden Hinde
(elevation 2,200 meters), stands almost in the centre of
Strathcona to the west of Buttle Lake.
Three roadless tracts within Strathcona Provincial Park--Big
Den, Central Strathcona and Comox Glacier--have been designated
as nature conservancy areas. Each tract contains outstanding
examples of scenery and natural history that remain uninfluenced
by human activity. The three areas, totaling 122,500 hectares,
are dedicated to the preservation of the undisturbed natural
environment.
While the high mountain peaks and deep shaded
valleys of Strathcona Park are dramatic, it is easy to
forget that beneath
your feet lays a history stretching back 380 million years.
It is a history of violent volcanic eruptions on ancient
seafloors and quiet interludes when gardens of sea lilies
waved in gentle ocean currents. It is a history of rocks
torn and folded by the extraordinary forces that can move
continents, and of mountain ranges sculpted by the immensely
thick ice sheets, which only vanished a few thousand years
ago. No matter how long your visit, or whatever your interest,
a knowledge of the geology of Strathcona Park will enhance
your enjoyment of this spectacularly beautiful area. Visit
this website for more information about the geology
of Strathcona Park.
Strathcona Park benefits from excellent adjoining commercial
facilities such as the Strathcona Park Lodge and Outdoor
Education Centre, which offers outdoor education and wilderness
skills training. The nearby communities of Campbell River,
the Comox Valley, Gold River, Tofino and Port Alberni offer
a full range of visitor services. Mount Washington Alpine
Resort, located adjacent to the park, offers extensive
alpine and nordic skiing opportunities, as well as a variety
of
winter and summer recreation facilities.
The Megin-Talbot addition in Strathcona Provincial Park
was identified for protection in the Clayoquot Sound Land-Use
Decision in
1995.
Park
Size: 245,849
hectares
Special
Notes:
- Internal combustion engines are prohibited in the
backcountry areas of Strathcona Park.
- Snowmobiles
are NOT permitted (pdf document) in Strathcona Park.
Management
Planning:
Management
Planning Information
Strathcona
Public Park Advisory Committee (SPPAC)
Location:
Strathcona
Park is located
on central Vancouver Island near the communities of Campbell
River and the Comox Valley, which are the primary access
points to the park. Day users of Strathcona will be interested
in two areas: Buttle Lake and the hiking opportunities
afforded by Forbidden Plateau.
Buttle
Lake: The main access to Strathcona Park is via Highway
28, which connects with Gold River on the west
coast of Vancouver
Island. Follow Hwy 19 north past Courtenay to Campbell
River, then follow Hwy 28 west for 48 km. Hwy 28 passes
through
the northern section of the park and provides access to
Buttle Lake. Gas and services are not available between
Campbell
River and Gold River.
Forbidden
Plateau: The main access route to Forbidden Plateau from
Courtenay and Campbell
River is via the Paradise Meadows
Trailhead at Mount Washington. From Highway 19 follow
signs to Mount Washington Ski Resort via exit #130 (the
Strathcona
Parkway) for 20 km. Turn left onto the Nordic Lodge road
for 1.5 km to the Paradise Meadows parking lot.
Map/Brochure:
Any maps listed are for
information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be
used for navigation.
- Location
Map
- Park
Map - updated March 2006 (498 kb pdf)
- Park
Brochure (103 kb pdf)
- Park
Brochure Map - updated March 2006 (459
kb pdf)
- Brochure
- Buttle Lake & Ralph River Campground (95 kb pdf)
- Brochure
Map - Buttle Lake & Ralph River Campground (91 kb
pdf)
- Brochure
- Megin/Talbot Addition (737 kb pdf)
- Backcountry Fee
Collecting Area Maps - (shows
areas where fees will be collected)
- National
Topographic Series maps (Scale 1:50,000), sheets 92F/5,
F/6, F/11, F/12, F/13 and K/4 cover the park area. These
maps should be available at most map retailers in BC
Nature & Culture:
History - Strathcona
Park, designated in 1911, is the oldest provincial
park in British Columbia. In the valleys and lower
regions of Strathcona are forest stands that were already
old when Captain James Cook of Britain’s Royal
Navy landed at Nootka Sound in 1778, on the west coast
of Vancouver Island a few kilometers from what is now
the western boundary of the park.
Strathcona
Park was named for Donald Alexander Smith, First Baron
Strathcona and Mount Royal, a Canadian pioneer and
one of the principals in the construction of the Canadian
Pacific Railway. On November 7, 1885 Lord Strathcona
drove the last iron spike into the twin ribbons of
steel that united Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific
at Craigellachie in BC’s Selkirk Mountains.
Conservation -
Western red cedar, Douglas fir, grand fir, amabilis fir
and western hemlock cover much of the
park’s valleys and lower mountain slopes; this gives way to
sub-alpine fir, mountain hemlock and creeping juniper in the sub-alpine
areas. Throughout the summer months the park offers a spectacular
floral display in various areas from sea level to above 1,800 meters
elevation. Found at varying heights are varieties of heather, lupine,
monkey flowers and violets as well as Indian paintbrush, phlox and
moss campion.
Wildlife - Vancouver
Island’s separation from mainland British Columbia
by Johnstone and Georgia Straits means that many mammal
species common to other parts of the province are not
found on the Island. Species such as the Roosevelt elk,
the currently-endangered Vancouver Island marmot, the
Vancouver Island wolf, and the coastal black-tailed deer
are different from their mainland relatives. The park
has a large deer population and a significant number
of Roosevelt elk while wolves and cougars, though present,
are seldom seen. Resident birds include the chestnut-backed
chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, winter wren and kinglet,
as well as the gray jay, Steller’s jay and band-tailed
pigeon. The park also supports numerous blue grouse,
ruffled grouse and a limited number of unique Vancouver
Island white-tailed ptarmigan.
Visitor
Safety:
- The rugged
wilderness areas, glaciers, snowfields and mountains of
Strathcona Park require that visitors who
wish to venture off maintained trails and away from developed
areas be entirely self-sufficient, properly equipped and
experienced. Anyone contemplating an extended or overnight
hike should inform a responsible person or agency of their
intention. This information should include estimated departure
and return times and precise location of intended hike.
- Visitors
to the backcountry during the winter should be aware
that avalanche, thin ice and other winter hazards can exist
anywhere. Visitors should not venture into terrain they
are
not prepared for.
Visitor
Safety Information (park
safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)
Reservations:For
parks that accept reservations,
all vehicle accessible campsites (with the exception of
group sites) must be reserved through Discover
Camping.
Campsite
Reservations:
Campsite
reservations
are accepted and first-come, first-served sites are also available.
Group
Camp/Picnic Reservations:
Group campsite
and/or group picnic site reservations are accepted at
this park.
Explore
Parks: Fees, park listings, what
you should know before you go and other useful links.
Contact
Information: For
information on the Buttle Lake campground, Ralph
River campground, group campground and marine area
only:
R.L.C. Enterprize Ltd.
E-mail address: office@rlcenterprize.com
Phone: (250) 474-1336
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Buttle
Lake campground offers 85 vehicle accessible campsites
set in a second-growth Douglas fir forest. Buttle
Lake has a developed sandy beach; some sites are
located right on the lakeshore. Campsite
reservations are accepted and first-come, first-served
sites are also available.
Ralph
River Campground, located 35 km south of Buttle
Lake along the Buttle Lake (Western Mines Road)
offers 75 vehicle accessible campsites set amongst
towering old-growth Douglas fir. The campsites at
Ralph River are available on a first-come, first-served
basis - reservations are not accepted.
Vehicle
Accessible Camping Fee: $15.00 per party / night
BC
Senior's Rate (Shoulder Season only):
$7.50 per senior's couple/night
Campground Hours
of Operation - All dates are subject
to change without notice |
Opening
and Closing Campground Dates: (campground
is accessible but may not offer full services
such as water, security, etc.)
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| -
Buttle Lake campground |
April
1 - October 31 |
| -
Ralph River campground |
April
1 - October 31
(no camping from November
1 to March 31 - gates closed;
from April 1 - April 30 winter fee with limited
services) |
| Campground
Dates with Full Services and Fees: |
|
| -
Buttle Lake campground |
May
1 - September 30 |
| -
Ralph River campground |
May
1 - September 30 |
| Campground
Reservable Dates: |
|
| -
Buttle Lake campground only |
May
15 - September 8 |
| Total
Number of Vehicle Accessible Campsites: |
Buttle
Lake = 85
Ralph River = 85 |
| Number
of Reservable Campsites, if applicable:
(all remaining sites are first-come, first-served) |
Buttle
Lake only = 35 |
| Note: The above information is for the campground only. Park users can still walk into the park if conditions such as weather permit. Check the "Attention Visitor Notice" above for park alerts. |
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There
are designated backcountry sites located at Bedwell
Lake trail, Elk River trail, Della Falls trail and
the Forbidden Plateau core area. (Lake Helen Mackenzie,
Kwai Lake and Circlet Lake campsites are accessed
primarily from the Paradise Meadows trailhead).
Backcountry
Camping Fee: $5.00 per person / night, for all persons 13 years of age or older
Backcountry
Fee Collecting Area Maps - (shows
areas where fees will be collected)
Pit
toilets and food caches are located at most
of these
camping locations. Fires are not permitted at the
Forbidden Plateau core area, nor anywhere in
the backcountry area of this park. A backcountry
fee is charged; self registration vaults are
located
at
trailheads. Campers must use designated camping
sites in these areas. Free-standing tents are recommended
as many locations have tent pads and pegging
your
tent may not be an option. If the designated area is full and unable to hike to the next designated site, check with the park operator.. If no operator available, you are allowed to camp in a non-designated site for one night only while practicing Leave No Trace Ethics. As well, you are still required to pay the backcountry fee if in the core areas.
Wilderness
camping is allowed in other areas of the park. There
is no fee; no facilities are provided. Random camping
is not permitted within 1 km of main roads or in
designated fee collection areas.
There
are designated marine/backcountry camping opportunities
at 5 marine campsites on Buttle Lake and Upper Campbell
Lake. Overnight fees apply from June 15 to September
30. Self registration fee stations are located at
boat launches (Buttle/Karst) and day-use areas (Karst/Lupin/Auger
Point). All marine sites have tents pads and tables.
Winter
camping opportunities exist throughout the park.
Backcountry camping is permitted year round;
no
fee is charged during the winter. Please camp near
toilet facilities where possible and follow Leave
No Trace camping ethics. Fires are not allowed
in the backcountry areas of this park; bring
a portable stove for cooking.
Hours
of Operation - All dates are subject
to change without notice |
Opening
and Closing Backcountry Dates: (campground
is accessible but may not offer full services
such as water, security, etc.)
|
Year
round for Buttle Lake Marine, Elk River, Forbidden
Plateau, Bedwell and Baby Bedwell |
| Backcountry
Dates with Full Services and Fees: |
June
15 - September 30 |
| Backcountry
Reservable Dates: |
Not
applicable |
| Total
Number of Walk-in Campsites: |
Buttle
Lake Marine = 20
Elk River = wilderness sites
Forbidden = 44 walk-in
Bedwell = 12
Baby Bedwell = 9 |
| Number
of Reservable Campsites, if applicable:
(all remaining sites are first-come, first-served) |
Not
applicable |
| Note:
The Park is open year round unless
inaccessible due to weather conditions, especially
during the off-season. If the park or campground
are closed for other reasons, information is
noted in the Attention Visitor Notice at the
top of this page. |
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There
is one group campsite on Buttle Lake, called the
Driftwood Bay group site. Located next to the lake,
this site offers exclusive group camping with wheelchair
accessible pit toilets and a covered picnic shelter
with wood stove. This site is available by reservation
only. Click here
for reservation information.
Group
Camping Fee: $15.00 per party / night
Youth
Group
Camping Fee: $50.00 per group / night
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There
are a wide range of picnic/day-use opportunities
throughout this park. Picnic/day-use facilities
are available at Elk Portal, Buttle Lake boat launch,
Lupin Falls, Auger Point, Karst Creek, Lady Falls
and Crest Lake. Please refer to online maps for
more details on locations. Paradise Meadows is a
popular day-use area although no picnic tables are
available. This area offers a variety of trails
suitable for day hikes.
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Wheelchair accessible facilities are available at
the Driftwood Bay group site, Buttle Lake campground
(pit toilets only), Elk Portal entrance (pit toilets
only). The Crest Creek day-use area offers wheelchair
accessible picnic tables and a pit toilet.The new Paradise Meadows trailhead at Mt Washington now offers a wheelchair accessible trail that is suitable for most types of wheelchairs and battery powered scooters.
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Drinking water hand pumps are located at the Buttle
Lake, Ralph River and Driftwood Bay campgrounds. In
the backcountry, drinking water comes from a variety
of sources. Boiling, treating or filtering surface
water prior to consumption is recommended.
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Pit
toilets are located at designated camping, day-use sites and trailheads
throughout Strathcona Park. |
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No
showers.
|
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No sani-station/dump facilities. The nearest facilities
are located in Campbell River, Courtenay and Gold River.
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Due
to new regulations, fires are now only permitted
in Strathcona Park where facilities (a steel fire
ring) are provided for campfires. No open
fires are allowed in any of the backcountry areas.
In
the areas where fires are allowed,
(steel campfire rings are provided
at each campsite in the Buttle Lake and Ralph River
campgrounds), we encourage visitors to
conserve
the environment by minimizing the use of fire and
using stoves instead. Firewood can be purchased
from the
Park Facility Operator at the Buttle Lake and Ralph
River campgrounds. Fees for firewood are set
locally
and may vary. To preserve vegetation and ground
cover, please don't gather firewood from the
area
around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this
is a ticketable offence under the Park Act).
Dead
wood is an important habitat element for many plants
and animals and it adds organic matter to the
soil.
You can conserve firewood and air quality by keeping
your campfire small. Limited burning hours or
campfire
bans may be implemented. Be prepared to bring a
portable stove for cooking.
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There are no electrical hook-ups in this park. |
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There
are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at
this park.
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Visitors
to Strathcona have numerous hiking trails to enjoy,
ranging from 20-minute ambles to arduous, multi-day
hikes and mountaineering adventures. Click on the
following links for more information on the Buttle
Lake hiking trails, Forbidden
Plateau Area hiking trails, nature
walks and short trails and other
hiking trails.
Trail
Conditions - Trail Report available seasonally from mid June through October
School
groups planning to hike in Strathcona Park are asked
to register with the Vancouver Island Region. Click
here to register.
For your own safety and the preservation of the
park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails.
Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil
structure.
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An adventure playground is located at the Buttle Lake
campground.
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Good
swimming is available in Buttle Lake, near the Buttle
Lake and Driftwood Bay campgrounds. Buoys mark the
designated swimming areas. Although the water is
cold, swimming is permitted in all the lakes in
the backcountry except for Kwai Lake. There are
no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.
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Canoeing and kayaking is popular on Buttle and Upper
Campbell Lakes. Buttle Lake is subject to strong afternoon
winds that may be very hazardous to small craft. Canoeists
and kayakers should exercise caution at all times.
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Two boat-launching ramps are located on Buttle Lake
at the Buttle Lake boat launch and the Karst Creek
boat launch. Boaters should exercise extreme caution
at all times because the lake is a reservoir and submerged
stumps may be encountered, particularly close to shore.
Boaters must keep clear of swimming areas.
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Angling
can be rewarding on Buttle Lake and on the other
lakes and waterways in and near the park. Cutthroat
and Rainbow trout are the primary catch. Tributaries
to Buttle Lake are closed to angling. The Elk River
is open to catch and release fly fishing only. All
anglers should check the current regulations issued
by Fisheries and Oceans Canada prior to fishing for
other restrictions. Anyone fishing or angling in
British Columbia must have an appropriate
licence.
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Some
mountain bike opportunities exist on the west side
of the park through Gold River in the vicinity
of Kunlin Lake. Bicycles
must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory
in British Columbia.
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Horseback riding is allowed in the Kunlin area north
of the Ucona River only
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Pets/domestic
animals must be on a leash and under control at all times and are not allowed
in the beach areas at Buttle Lake and Driftwood Bay. Dogs must be on a leash at all times
in the Forbidden Plateau core area (Paradise Meadows). During the winter season, dogs must be on a leash as well and in addition, are not allowed on the groomed Nordic Ski Trails. You are responsible for
their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.
Backcountry areas are not
suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for
problems with bears.
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Strathcona
Provincial Park offers unlimited opportunities for nature appreciation
and wildlife viewing. These range from developed facilities to pristine
backcountry experiences. Observation platforms to view various waterfalls
can be found at Lupin Falls, Lady Falls, Karst Creek and both Lower and
Upper Myra Falls.
In the backcountry, adventurous visitors can see beautiful Della Falls,
whose drop of 440 metres over three cascades makes it one of the highest
waterfalls in Canada.
Opportunities to see wildlife exist throughout the park. Visitors may see
black bears, Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer, cougars, Trumpeter swans,
Bald eagles, whiskeyjacks, squirrels, tree frogs and white tailed Ptarmigan,
to name just a few of the species inhabiting this wilderness park.
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Backcountry skiing and boarding
exist in the park. Developed ski facilities can
be found at Mount
Washington Alpine Resort, adjacent
to the park. Mount Washington often boasts one of
the highest snowfalls of any ski resort in North
America. Ski rentals are available from Mount Washington
or from various commercial outlets in the Comox
Valley and Campbell River.
Cross-country skiing is a popular
activity in Paradise Meadows during the winter.
More than half of the Nordic trails set by Mount
Washington are within Strathcona Park. Ski rentals
are available from Mount Washington or from various
commercial outlets in the Comox Valley and Campbell
River.
Snowshoeing is popular in Paradise
Meadows during the winter. Mount Washington sets
some snowshoes trails for beginners; more adventurous
visitors can snowshoe at any point in the park.
Rentals are available from Mount Washington or from
various commercial outlets in the Comox Valley and
Campbell River.
Snowmobiles
are NOT permitted (pdf document) in Strathcona
Park. Opportunities for snowmobiling are
available at Mount Washington Alpine Resort.
|
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No
SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities. |
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Windsurfing
opportunities exist on Buttle Lake. |
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Waterskiing
opportunities exist on Buttle Lake. |
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Hunting
is only permitted in the McBride Creek and Megin-Talbot areas of Strathcona
Park for specific species in season. Hunters must have valid licences
and tags. Please refer to the current Hunting
and Trapping Regulations and Synopsis publication for closures
and regulations. |
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Crest
Creek Crags offers more than 150 climbing routes for various skill
levels. Please ensure you and your climbing partner have the skills,
equipment and experience to climb safely. Crest Creek Crags is accessed
via Hwy 28 from Campbell River; approximately 11 km east of Gold River. |
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No
spelunking or caving opportunities. |
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Strathcona
Park Lodge and Outdoor Education Centre, located 5 km east of the
park entrance at Buttle Lake, offers outdoor education and wilderness
skills
training and accommodation.
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