Beacon Hill Park sits between the neighbourhoods of Fairfield and James Bay
Category: Bird Watching
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Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse
Fort Rodd Hill and the Fisguard Lighthouse are some of Greater Victoria’s older historical sites.
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Goldstream Park
About Goldstream Provincial Park
Open year round, Goldstream Park is just 30 minutes drive from Victoria, BC. Given to the province of British Columbia by the Greater Victoria Water Board in 1958, this area of southern Vancouver Island is located on traditional fishing grounds of the local First Nations. Old mining shafts and tunnels remain froma mid-19th century goldrush, hence where the name Goldstream originated.
Located a short walk from the day-use parking lot, at the salt marsh, the Freeman King Visitor Centre offers displays and programs through all seasons. These displays feature the natural and human history of Goldstream Park. Also featured in the park are wooded campsites and a swimming area at the campground near the gatehouse. Hiking is largely an activity promoted in this park, as there are some 16 kilometers of hiking trails. For more advanced hikers, Mt. Finalyson is a good hour hike to the summit, one of the highest points in Greater Victoria.
Easy-going nature trails lead their way through the park, where 600 year old Douglas fir and western redcedar trees grow in the lowland areas and Garry oak and arbutus trees grow on the dry slopes of Mt. Finalyson. Wildlife viewing is a highlight of Goldstream park, where you can spot migrational birds, and watch the famed salmon spawning.
Salmon Spawning
Goldstream River is known as one of the major salmon bearing rivers on Vancouver Island, and attracts many visitors in autumn to watch the annual chum salmon spawning run. Three to four years before, these same salmon were born in the Goldstream River, then swam to sea to mature. Their return to spawn and die in their ancestral spawning beds is fascinating and the Visitor Centre offers special programs to allow visitors to learn and appreciate such an event. Learn more about Pacific Salmon.
Camping in Goldstream Park
Open from June to mid-September, 173 wooded and relatively private campsites are a short walk from the Goldstream River. A swimming site is also available near the campground, but please note, no lifeguards are on duty at BC Provincial Parks. Camping sites are booked on a first-come first-serve basis, but reservations are accepted. For reservations call toll free 1-800-689-9025 or visit Discover Camping
Public Access Points
Goldstream Park is accessible from the Island Highway (TransCanada Hwy #1), which it borders on both sides, the highway cutting through the park. The camp sites are on the south west side of the highway and the day-use parking and visitors information center is located on the north east side.
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East Sooke Park
East Sooke Park Sign at Pike Road Access Hiking and Exploring
East Sooke Regional Park covers over 3500 acres of East Sooke, on southern Vancouver Island. The park is bordered on one side by the waters of the Juan de Fuca Strait.
Enjoy natural and protected coastal landscape. East Sooke Park features 50 kilometers of trails, which weave through second-growth BC forests to the rocky shores of west coast beaches.
Wildlife Observation
Observe wildlife in its natural habitat.
Three Public Access Points
Aylard Farm is popular with picnickers and those looking for easy excursions. A five minute walk though open fields leads to a pocket beach where you can discover inter-tidal life, or watch River Otters scurrying across the sand. Trails head inland to hilltop views, or along the rugged Coast Trail.
Anderson Cove, on the Sooke Basin, is the starting point for hikers heading to Babbington Hill and Mount Macguire. On these hilltops, Bald Eagles and Red-tailed Hawks join you for sweeping views of the Olympic Peninsula.
Pike Road is the most westerly access to the park, and to the Coast Trail. An old logging road winds through forest to meadow and beach. Here, at low tide, the beach is home to the most interesting sea creatures.
