Exploring The Island

 

     The Island’s vast array of hiking trails allows outdoor enthusiasts to explore the scenic vistas of these wonderful forests nestled on Vancouver Island. The Vancouver Island section of the Trans Canada Trail is approximately 200 km and passes through the Cowichan Valley where the Kinsol Trestle stands.  The Kinsol Trestle is a refurbished railway trestle converted into part of the Trans Canada Trail. It is one of eight trestles along the trail route and by far the largest and most spectacular. It is one of the tallest free-standing and most spectacular timber rail trestle structures in the world. At 614 feet in length and standing 145 feet above the Koksilah River, this trestle is a great example of community support and sustainable redevelopment.  The more adventurous nature explorers can set out on week-or-longer treks along four historic, famously rugged coastal routes: The Juan de Fuca and West Coast trails west of Victoria, and the Cape Scott and North Coast trails at the Island’s remote and wild northern tip.

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     There is one trek not to be missed in Strathcona Provincial Park features Della Falls, the highest falls in Canada (444 meters/1456 ft.); they are spectacular and a must-see destination. It is a 15-km hike to the base of the falls with another hike of nearly 3 km to a viewpoint on the Love Lake-Mount Septimus Trail. The trailhead is accessed by boat, kayak, or canoe from one end of Grand Central Lake requiring a 33 km trip, to the other end of the lake.