One of the most spectacular places on earth, Vancouver Island is a wonderland of dense rainforests, rugged mountain trails, breathtaking coastlines, and natural beauty unlike anywhere else. In Wild Places: Vancouver Island, experienced outdoorsman and bestselling author John Kimantas invites you to experience this scenic paradise for yourself, providing up—to—date information on how to access and navigate some of the island's most stunning regions.
Wild Places: Vancouver Island anticipates the needs of hikers, fishers, climbers, mountain bikers, campers, kayakers, and explorers of many backgrounds and interests. With detailed maps and full—colour photographs, this is a book that will lead you wherever you want to go, even if you don't yet know where that is yourself. Whether you're going for an afternoon walk or journeying off the beaten path, John will enrich your experience with historic and practical information, including internet resources and GPS waypoints that will ensure you have the most dependable data for your trip.
From hidden lakes to hilltop vistas, with every captivating twist and turn in—between, Vancouver Island truly is an explorer's paradise. Discover its pristine beauty for yourself with this essential guide.
John Kimantas has been a British Columbia—based journalist for almost 20 years. He is the author of The Wild Coast, BC Coastal Rescreation Kayaking & Small Boat Atlas and The Essential Vancouver Island Outdoor Recreation Guide. He lives on Vancouver Island.
The Vancouver Island terrain is one of the toughest anywhere. The ground will be uneven rock. Thin cover will hide all manner of evils — thick moss over footfalls, rotting wood branches that will break when stepped on, and mercilessly barbed undergrowth. Never for a moment believe you can just muscle through. The worst mistake is to leave a trail to head through a clear forest area, then when the clearing runs out think you can just turn back. It sounds so easy to do — until that route you followed isn't visible from the opposite direction...
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 Victoria-Saanich
1. Beacon Hill Park
2. Gorge Waterway
3. Oak Bay Islands Ecological Reserve
4. Mount Douglas Park
5. Lochside Trail
6. Island View Regional Park
7. Sidney Spit
8. Ocean strolls
9. Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
10. Butchart Gardens
11. Gowlland Tod Provincial Park
12. Fisgard Lighthouse
Chapter 2 Sooke to Duncan
1. Witty's Lagoon
2. Galloping Goose Regional Trail
3. East Sooke Regional Park
4. Whiffen Spit
5. French Beach Provincial Park
6. Sooke Potholes
7. Sea to Sea Regional Park Reserve
8. Goldstream Provincial Park
9. Cowichan Valley Trail
10. Koksilah River Provincial Park
11. Kinsol Trestle
12. Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation Area
Chapter 3 Juan de Fuca-Cowichan Lake
1. China Beach Provincial Park
2. Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
3. Botanical Beach
4. Kludahk Trail
5. Port Renfrew
6. Avatar Grove
7. Pacific Marine Road Route
8. Walbran Valley and West Walbran Trail
9. Carmanah Valley
10. Nitinat Lake
11. Nitinat River Provincial Park
12. Cowichan Lake
13. West Coast Trail
14. Keeha Bay Trail
15. Bamfield
Chapter 4 Nanaimo-Cowichan Valley
1. Cowichan River
2. Mount Tzuhalem
3. Maple Mountain
4. Mount Maxwell (Saltspring Island)
5. Holland Creek Park
6. Nanaimo River
7. Pirates Cove Provincial Marine Park
8. Nanaimo
9. Newcastle Island
10. Nanoose Notch
11. Rathtrevor Provincial Park
Chapter 5 Gateway to the Pacific Rim
1. Horne Lake Caves
2. Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park
3. MacMillan (Cathedral Grove) Provincial Park
4. Mount Arrowsmith
5. Port Alberni and the Alberni Valley
6. Sproat Lake
7. Nahmint Lake
8. Della Falls
9. Clayoquot Plateau
10. Kennedy Lake
11. Ucluelet
12. Broken Group Islands
13. Long Beach Unit, Pacific Rim National Park
14. Tofino
15. South Clayoquot Sound
Chapter 6 Comox Valley
1. Denman and Hornby Islands
2. Comox
3. Comox Lake
4. Forbidden Plateau
5. Mount Washinton Ski Area
6. Paradise Meadows
7. Comox Glacier
8. Campbell River
9. Elk Falls Provincial Parkr
10. Lower Campbell Lake
11. Sayward Forest Canoe Route
12. Ripple Rock Trail
13. Mount Menzies Lookout Trail
14. Rock Bay
Chapter 7 Strathcona-Nookta
1. Buttle Lake
2. Bedwell Lakes Trail
3. Phillips Ridge
4. Elk River Trail
5. Gold River
6. Gold Muchalat Provincial Park
7. Tree to Sea Drive
8. Tahsis
9. Nootka Sound
10. Yuquot
11. The Nootka Trail
12. Hesquiat Peninsula Trail
13. Hot Springs Cove
14. North Clayoquot Sound and the Megin-Talbot addition
Chapter 8 Adam and Eve
1. Sayward
2. White River Valley
3. Schoen Lake Provincial Park
4. Lower Adam Valley
5. Tsitika River
6. Robson Bight Ecological Reserve
7. Telegraph Cove
8. Alert Bay
9. Broughton Archipelago
10. Sointula and Malcolm Island
11. Port McNeill
12. Nimpkish Lake
13. Woss Lake
Chapter 9 Brooks/Interlake
1. Little Huson Caves
2. Zeballos
3. Artlish River
4. Fair Harbour
5. Kyuquot Sound
6. Tahsish-Kwois Provincial Park
7. Merry Widow Mountain Trail
8. Marble River
9. Alice Lake Loop Tour
10. Victoria Lake
11. Port Alice
12. Gooding Cove
13. Side Bay
Chapter 10 North Vancouver Island
1. Port Hardy
2. Fort Rupert
3. Cape Scott Marine Trail
(North Island Circle Route)
4. God?s Pocket Provincial Park
5. Georgie Lake
6. Coal Harbour
7. Quatsino
8. Quatsino Provincial Park
9. Winter Harbour
10. Holberg
11. Raft Cove Provincial Park
12. Cape Scott Provincial Park
13. North Coast Trail
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