
Karst Creek Trail
Walk through the wilderness along Western Mine Road on this hiking trail built for all skill levels.
About Karst Creek Trail
Located within Strathcona Provincial Park, this short loop guides hikers through a rare geological environment. The path winds past deep sinkholes and exposed limestone bedrock heavily shaped by water over thousands of years.
The defining feature of Karst Creek Trail is the water itself. Hikers can watch the stream flow down the mountainside before it abruptly disappears into the porous rock, continuing its journey underground. Thick moss and ferns cover the damp forest floor beneath a canopy of large Douglas fir and western red cedar.
Access to the trailhead requires driving past Buttle Lake along Western Mine Road, about an hour from Campbell River. The route remains open at all hours, allowing early morning or late afternoon walks through the old-growth timber.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 2 km loop
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Elevation gain
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Trail type
- Loop
- Best season
- Spring to fall
- Trailhead
- Western Mines Road, Buttle Lake
Times are for an average hiker. Check trail and road conditions before you go · Source: BC Parks.
Find Karst Creek Trail
Getting there
- Mon–SunOpen 24 hours
Photos
Frequently asked
The trailhead sits along Western Mine Road in Strathcona Provincial Park. You will find it near the southern end of Buttle Lake.





