5 Hikes You Cannot Miss On Vancouver Island
British Colombia is known for its amazing trails and hikes. When visiting BC's largest island, Vancouver Island, there are a few hikes you definitely cannot miss out on. Spread all around the island, there is so much to see and so many beautiful spots to hike at. Making it hard to consolidate them in 1 list. This is just an overview of some of the more known trails, which are still beautiful and 100% worth visiting when you are on the island.
Paradise Meadows - Battleship Lake
Distance: 8.5KM | Elevation: 301M | Time: 3 hours
The biggest mountain on Vancouver Island is Mount Washington. In the winter times, it is the perfect place to go skiing, but during the summer months, Strathcona Park is a hikers paradise. The hikes in this area are quite short and most beginners can do this hike without any problems. There are multiple trails to choose from. One of the prettiest hikes is that to Battleship Lake and Helen Mackenzie Lake.
Wild Pacific Trail
Distance: 2.6KM | Time: 45 min - 1 hour
Let’s hop on over to the west coast of Vancouver Island. This side of the island is a lot more wild and less people live on this side of the island. The larger towns are Tofino and Ucluelet, and that is also where this next trail is located. The Wild Pacific Trail is the perfect spot to watch the big waves during storm season. Remaining on the track is very important as waves can unexpectedly hit and wipe you out. The short loop (Lighthouse Loop) starts downtown Ucluelet and is fairly easy. There are also some longer loops which are also worth doing if you have the time.
Elk Falls
Distance: 1.8KM | Elevation: 28M | Time: 30 min
If you love waterfalls, this hike is for you. Located right outside of Campbell River it is easy to get to and there is plenty of parking. During the summer months it can get a bit busy, so make sure to head over first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds. This loop is also really short, so it is perfect for little kids or if you are just short on time. If you want to explore a bit more of this area there are a few larger trails which give you some different viewpoints of the waterfall.
Kinsol Trestle
Distance: 3.4KM | Elevation: 104M | Time: 1.5 hours
This 44m high bridge gives you spectacular views of the Koksilah River just north of Shawnigan Lake. It is a fairly easy hike and maintained well. Kinsol Trestle is one of 8 trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail. It is the largest one and also the most spectacular one. The engineering job is quite impressive even to modern day standards. This hike is also accessible for wheelchairs.
Cathedral Grove
Distance: ~2.5KM | Time: 45 min - 1 hour
Centred right in the middle of Vancouver Island you can find some of the largest trees on the island. Walking around this place feels like a different planet, with moss covered trees that stand 70+ meters tall. There is quite limited parking, and since it is located right off the main street it might be a bit difficult to find a place to park at busy times. Avoid the crowds by going on a weekday, and early in the morning. The park is split over both sides of the highway. It really does not take that much time to do both sides and I recommend going to see both.
