Hiking

The easiest big view in the region is Elk Falls in Elk Falls Provincial Park, on the edge of town off Highway 28. An easy walk of about 800 m takes you to the suspension bridge and the north and south viewpoints over the canyon. Deer Falls is in the same park.

The Canyon View Trail is a 4.6 km loop along the Campbell River that most people walk in 1 to 1.5 hours. Start from the Quinsam Campground area off Highway 28 or the BC Hydro parking area at John Hart. The park has about 6 km of trails in all.

For a forest walk inside the city, the trails of the Beaver Lodge Lands are on the west side of town.

The Ripple Rock Trail starts at the Nymphe Cove Recreation Site, about 16 km north of town on Highway 19. It runs about 4 km each way (8 km return) through forest to a bluff above Seymour Narrows, where Ripple Rock was blasted in 1958. Allow 2.5 to 3.5 hours.

Further north on Highway 19, the Trout Creek and Mohun Creek falls trailhead leads to two smaller waterfalls. Check access and conditions before you go.

Highway 28 runs west from town into Strathcona Provincial Park, the oldest provincial park in BC. Short waterfall trails start right off the highway and the Westmin road along Buttle Lake.

• Lady Falls: about 900 m.
• Lupin Falls: about 800 m.
• Lower Myra Falls: about 1 km.
• Upper Myra Falls: about 3 km, with about 100 m of climbing.
• Karst Creek Trail: about 2 km. BC Parks reported it closed for rockfall in 2026, so check before you go.

• Elk River Trail: about 11 km each way (22 km return) to Landslide Lake, with 500 to 800 m of climbing.
• Crest Mountain: a steep climb of about 1,250 m. Snow lingers above about 1,300 m into early summer.
• Bedwell Trail to Bedwell Lake: 6 to 7 km each way, about 600 m of climbing.
• Della Falls: a 16 km trail that can only be reached by water. Cross Great Central Lake by boat (about 45 to 55 minutes by powerboat) or canoe. Plan this one as an overnight trip.

These are mountain routes. Weather changes fast, snow can stay into July at higher elevations, and there is no cell coverage on most of them. Read the BC Parks trail report before you leave.

Paradise Meadows Trail starts near the Raven Lodge at Mount Washington. The Centennial Loop is a 2.2 km barrier-free boardwalk and gravel trail, and the full meadows loop is about 4.2 km. From here, longer trails lead deeper into Strathcona Park's Forbidden Plateau.

Quadra Island has a connected trail network a short drive from the Quathiaski Cove ferry.

• Chinese Mountains Trail: about a 4.2 km loop over the North and South peaks, with a spur up Beeches Mountain.
• Morte Lake Trail: about 40 minutes to the lake, and about three hours to circle it and return.
• Newton Lake Trail: off Granite Bay Road in the north of the island, a gradual climb past a smaller lake to Newton Lake. It connects to the Small Inlet portage trail.

For an easy walk, Rebecca Spit near Heriot Bay has flat paths along the shore.

On Cortes Island, the Easter Bluffs trail near Mansons Landing climbs to a view over Desolation Sound, and Red Granite Point is a shoreline walk. Trail details on Cortes change often, so check locally before you go.

A short drive south brings you to the Comox Valley's river walks.

• Nymph Falls Nature Park in Courtenay: a 2.6 km loop to the Puntledge River cascades.
• Trent Falls near Cumberland: about 2.1 km out and back to a 9 m waterfall and pool.
• Brown's River Falls, also called the Medicine Bowls: a series of cascades in the forest.

Black bears and cougars live throughout the region. Make noise on the trail, carry bear spray where you can reach it, and keep dogs on a leash. Leashes are required in BC Parks.

Leave a trip plan with someone (AdventureSmart has a free form), carry the ten essentials, and check the BC Parks advisories for closures before any Strathcona trip. Cell coverage drops out quickly west of town.