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Vancouver Island Parks ...National, Provincial and Marine.
Vancouver Island Parks number over 132 which for an Island only 80K by 500k (50 miles by 300 miles), is amazing, and provides the tourist with bounless opportunities for discovery.
Vancouver Island Parks--National, Provincial and Marine Parks--are a combination of ecological reserves, interpretive centres and recreation centres and the activities are endless. Walking, climbing, diving, kayaking, caving, surfing, wind surfing, sailing, fishing and of course camping, can be added to bird watching, wild life discoveries and plain old scenery watching...with a camera of course. Mountains, beaches, lakes, sea-shore and even islands are to choose from. The choice is mind boggling.
Have a look at this short, one minute and forty-five second video of Strathcona Park and Buttle Lake...turn on the sound.
Vancouver Island Parks break down to this:
North Vancouver Island...23 Parks North Central Vancouver Island...36 Parks Central Island...11 Parks Pacific Rim (West Coast)...22 Parks The Cowachan Region...13 Parks Southern Vancouver Island...10 Parks The Gulf Islands...17 Parks
With 132 Vancouver Island Parks to choose from, the best way to check each one out, [for some are Marine and some have campsites, and some are bookable and others not], is to go to the following Tourism B.C. Website and do some "hunting": Click to get Parks Information
Vancouver Island Provincial Parks
Vancouver Island Parks cover the diverse landscape of this unique island. From snow-capped peaks to still mountain streams, the parks offer an unforgettable experience. Each pristine vision that awaits you is more spectacular than the last. Whether you desire an adventure while reaching your travel destination or a more laid back approach, the parks are your ticket to lasting vacation memories. Here are four of our favorite examples:
Cape Scott Provincial Park
Cape Scott is top on the explorers to do list of Vancouver Island Parks. To reach Cape Scott from Victoria, you take Hwy 19 north, along the length of the island. Forty miles west of Cape Scott, you’ll find Port Hardy, with regular scheduled air and bus routes. Entrance into Cape Scott is accessible only by foot. The Winter Harbor settlement, located southwest of Cape Scott, offers RV campsites, fuel, and a general store.
June through September are the suggested best times for camping in Vancouver Island Provincial Parks. A 30 mile trail meanders through ancient forests, along-side dead telegraph lines, to white sands off the coast of the Cape Scott Lighthouse. Traces of the Danish pioneers who attempted to settle here from 1897 to 1907 can be seen on the hike...and don't forget your Topographical map, compass and wilderness spirit.
Reservations aren’t accepted at Cape Scott. All campsites are on a first-come, first served basis. Familiarize yourself with what a pit toilet is. High winds and heavy rains are common year round.
Vancouver Island is actually the peak of a sunken mountain range, separated from Canada by several straits, and the largest island on North America’s Pacific Coast. You can’t throw a rock without coming in contact with a Vancouver Island Provincial Parks. The Straits people or ‘First Nation’ inhabited the coast of Vancouver Island long before the European arrival.
Newcastle Island Provincial Park
Vancouver Island’s second largest city, Nanaimo, is located 31 miles from downtown Victoria. It is a short ferry trip from Nanaimo to Newcastle Island, part of the First Nations Traditional Territory. Shell middens and burial sites are some of the archaeological evidence left behind by the First Nations peoples. Their history on Vancouver Island spans many thousands of years. The First Nation island legends explain the rock formations along the shoreline as "people turned to stone".
Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park
A local couple from Nanaimo discovered the Horne Lake Caverns in 1963. The Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park is located on the Oceanside Region of Vancouver Island. This Vancouver Island Provincial Parks attraction is open year round, rain or shine. There are caves to explore, and trout to be caught in the crystal clear water. You can choose to sleep out under the stars in a primitive camp setting or a modern RV set up.
French Beach Provincial Park
Vancouver Island Parks are the perfect prescription for a much deserved break. French Beach sitting on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, is a perfect example. Stroll miles of secluded, white sandy beaches; sail aboard a whale watching expedition or take a ride on a float plane safari. Think of all the snapshots you will take home of cascading waterfalls, flying geese, killer whales, sea lions, and grizzly bears poaching salmon. James French, the world traveler, whom French Beach was named for, loved this land and made it his home. From the panoramic sunrise beyond Mount St. Patrick to the twilight sunset at Miracle Beach, it is no small wonder.
Now you can have a look at the Pacific Rim National Park, on the West Coast at Ucleulet/Tofino...one minute twenty-eight seconds...impressive eh?
Check out the pristine wilderness of Strathcona Provincial Park below--->
...and check out all the information on Camping on Vancouver Island including a free, make it yourself, calendar (the Provincial Parks of B.C. site) and access to the Provincial Parks online reservation service--->
