Strathcona Park

Please be advised that there is no camping permitted in any day-use area within Strathcona Park, including the Crest Creek Crags and Crest Lake day-use areas. Anyone contravening this regulation is committing an offence and is subject to eviction and/or charges under the park, conservancy, and recreation area regulation.

There are designated backcountry sites located at Bedwell Lake trail, Elk River trail, Della Falls trail, and the Forbidden Plateau core area. (Lake Helen Mackenzie, Kwai Lake, and Circlet Lake campsites are accessed primarily from the Paradise Meadows trailhead).

Camping fees and registration

Camping fees are applicable in the following backcountry sites only: Bedwell Lakes/Cream Lake trail, Elk River trail, and the Forbidden Plateau core area. These maps show the areas where fees will be collected:

• Bedwell trail area [PDF] 
• Elk River trail area [PDF] 
• Forbidden Plateau area [PDF] 
• $10 per adult (16+) per night
• $5 per youth (6–15) per night

The BC Parks backcountry permit registration service allows you to purchase a backcountry camping permit before leaving home. Although this does not reserve a campsite, it provides the convenience of prepaying for your trip and not having to carry cash. We encourage all visitors to register online so we can reduce the need to collect fees in the field.

If sites are all full, you will be directed to approved overflow sites, or refunded through the park operator should you choose not to camp.

Camping rules and facilities

• Pit toilets and food caches are located at most of these camping locations. 
• Fires are not permitted at the Forbidden Plateau core area, nor anywhere in the backcountry area of this park. 
• Campers must use designated camping sites in these areas. 
• Free-standing tents are recommended as many locations have tent pads and pegging your tent may not be an option. 
• If the designated area is full and unable to hike to the next designated site, check with the park operator. If no operator available, you are allowed to camp in a non-designated site for one night only while practicing Leave No Trace ethics. As well, you are still required to pay the backcountry fee if in the core areas.

Wilderness camping and marine-accessible camping are available in other areas of the park.

See dates of operation for more information about camping seasons for various locations.

Strathcona Park lodge and outdoor education centre, located 5km east of the park entrance at Buttle Lake, offers outdoor education and wilderness skills training and accommodation.

Croteau Lake backcountry group site includes a newly constructed state-of-the-art yurt facility for day-use. It is available only to camping groups with a reservation for use of the new group site. Reservations can be made via the BC Parks reservation system.

There are three group campsites in the park:

• Driftwood Bay group site, located on Buttle Lake, offers exclusive group camping with wheelchair-accessible pit toilets and a covered picnic shelter with wood stove. This site is available by reservation only.
• Croteau Lake backcountry group site (hike in only, no vehicle access) offers 12 tent pads and a day-use yurt facility. This site is available by reservation only. 
  • Croteau Lake brochure [PDF]
• Karst Creek group site, located near the south end of Buttle Lake (near Ralph River campground), offers exclusive group camping with picnic tables, fire pits, wheelchair-accessible pit toilets, and direct access to the lake shore. The site is also immediately adjacent to a public boat launch. This site is available by reservation only. Note: campers should be self-sustaining. There is no drinking water (well) on site at this time. Well water can be obtained from Ralph River campground, located approximately 3km south.

There are designated marine walk-in camping opportunities at five marine campsites on Buttle Lake and Upper Campbell Lake.

Overnight fees apply from June 15 to September 30. 

Self-registration fee stations are located at boat launches (Buttle and Karst) and day-use areas (Karst, Lupin and Auger Point), or visitors can pre-pay using the BC Parks backcountry permit registration service. All marine sites have tents pads and tables.

Please be advised that there is no camping permitted in any day-use area within Strathcona Park, including the Crest Creek Crags and Crest Lake day-use areas. Anyone contravening this regulation is committing an offence and is subject to eviction and charges under the park, conservancy, and recreation area regulation.

Buttle Lake campground offers 85 vehicle accessible campsites set in a second-growth Douglas fir forest. Buttle Lake has a developed sandy beach. Some sites are located right on the lakeshore. Campsite reservations are accepted. The campsites at Buttle Lake are by reservation only. If campsites are not reserved they may be used as first come, first served on a nightly basis. There is no overflow camping available.

Ralph River campground, located 35km south of Buttle Lake along the Buttle Lake (Western Mines road) offers 75 vehicle accessible campsites set amongst towering old-growth Douglas fir. The campsites at Ralph River are by reservation only. If campsites are not reserved they may be used as first come, first served on a nightly basis. There is no overflow camping available. 
 

Wilderness camping is allowed in some areas of the park including the Della Falls trail where there are designated wilderness sites. There are no fees for these areas and few or no facilities are provided. 

Random camping is not permitted within 1km of main roads or in designated fee collection areas.

Winter camping opportunities exist throughout the park. Backcountry camping is permitted year-round; no fee is charged during the winter. Please camp near toilet facilities where possible and follow Leave No Trace camping ethics. Fires are not allowed in the backcountry areas of this park so bring a portable stove for cooking.

Paradise Meadows Barrier-Free Centennial Trail [PDF] is an easily accessible sub-alpine trail which is suitable for everyone.

Strathcona Park TrailRider wheelchair program

BC Parks, in partnership with The Strathcona Wilderness Institute, now offers a Strathcona Park TrailRider program [PDF], based out of the Strathcona Park wilderness centre at Paradise Meadows trailhead (adjacent to Mount Washington’s nordic lodge). The one wheel unit, best described as a cross between a rickshaw and wheelchair, now makes it possible for everyone (seniors, disabled, or others with mobility restrictions) to access the spectacular backcountry of Strathcona Park’s Forbidden Plateau area.

Additional accessibility information

Wheelchair-accessible facilities are available at the Driftwood Bay group site, Buttle Lake campground (pit toilets only), Elk Portal entrance (pit toilets only). The Crest Creek day-use area offers wheelchair-accessible picnic tables and a pit toilet. The new Paradise Meadows trailhead at Mt Washington now offers a wheelchair-accessible trail that is suitable for most types of wheelchairs and battery powered scooters.

More accessibility information is available for these areas of the park:

• Buttle Lake
• Driftwood Bay group site
• Elk Portal
• Elk viewing area
• Ladyfalls trail
• Ralph River

There are a wide range of picnic and day-use opportunities throughout this park. Picnic and day-use facilities are available at Elk Portal, Buttle Lake boat launch, Lupin Falls, Auger Point, Karst Creek, Lady Falls and Crest Lake. Please refer to online maps for more details on locations. Paradise Meadows is a popular day-use area although no picnic tables are available. This area offers a variety of trails suitable for day hikes.

Drinking water hand pumps are located at the Buttle Lake, Ralph River and Driftwood Bay campgrounds. In the backcountry, drinking water comes from a variety of sources. Boiling, treating or filtering surface water prior to consumption is recommended.

Drinking water system reports

• Drinking water system report 2019: Buttle Lake campground [PDF] 
• Drinking water system report 2019: Driftwood Bay group site [PDF] 
• Drinking water system report 2019: Ralph River campground [PDF] 
• Drinking water system report 2019: park service yard [PDF] 

Due to new regulations, fires are now only permitted in Strathcona Park where facilities (a steel fire ring) are provided for campfires. 

No open fires are allowed in any of the backcountry areas.

In the areas where fires are allowed, (steel campfire rings are provided at each campsite in the Buttle Lake and Ralph River campgrounds), we encourage visitors to conserve the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using stoves instead. Firewood can be purchased from the park operator at the Buttle Lake and Ralph River campgrounds. Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary.

To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil. You can conserve firewood and air quality by keeping your campfire small. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented. Be prepared to bring a portable stove for cooking.

The Strathcona Wilderness Institute (SWI) in partnership with BC Parks, provides a park information service during the summer months. SWI operates information huts both at the Paradise Meadows trailhead and parking lot (adjacent to the Mount Washington alpine resort, raven lodge) and at the Buttle Lake, old park headquarters site (east side of lake, just south of the Highway 28, Gold River intersection). Visit SWI website for information about the programs they offer and annual operating hours.

Visitors to Strathcona have numerous hiking trails to enjoy, ranging from 20-minute ambles to arduous, multi-day hikes, and mountaineering adventures. School groups planning to hike in Strathcona Park are asked to register with the Vancouver Island Region. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.

• Buttle Lake area trails
• Forbidden Plateau area trails
• Mt. Albert Edward route
• Nature walks and short trails
• Other hiking trails

Current trail conditions

Please be advised that most trails are snow covered from late October or November until at least June, and for higher elevation trails, often until mid July. For those exploring the park during the snow cover season, you should be well equipped for changing conditions and check avalanche reports prior to heading out.

• Strathcona area trail report [PDF] (September 21, 2022) (available seasonally from May through October)
• Paradise Meadows parking restrictions for the winter season [PDF] (December 10, 2019)
• Paradise Meadows barrier free centennial trail [PDF] an easily accessible sub-alpine trail which is suitable for everyone.

Good swimming is available in Buttle Lake, near the Buttle Lake and Driftwood Bay campgrounds. Buoys mark the designated swimming areas. Although the water is cold, swimming is permitted in all the lakes in the backcountry except for Kwai Lake. There are no lifeguards on duty.

Canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding are popular on Buttle and Upper Campbell Lakes. Buttle Lake is subject to strong afternoon winds that may be very hazardous to small craft. Canoeists, and paddle boarders should exercise caution at all times. There are paddle sport services available during the summer months, view the park operator’s website for information and rates.

Kayaking is popular on Buttle and Upper Campbell Lakes. Buttle Lake is subject to strong afternoon winds that may be very hazardous to small craft. Kayakers should exercise caution at all times. There are paddle sport services available during the summer months, view the park operator’s website for information and rates.

Angling can be rewarding on Buttle Lake and on the other lakes and waterways in and near the park. Cutthroat and rainbow trout are the primary catch.

• Fly fishing is allowed in all tributaries, but fishing of all kinds is closed in Thelwood Creek.
• The Elk River is open to catch and release fly fishing, only.

All anglers should check the current regulations issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada prior to fishing for other restrictions. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.

The Strathcona wilderness institute, the non-profit society who manages the Strathcona Park wilderness centre, has a great program lined up for the summer including; nature walks, talks, and hikes, including several new themes. The wilderness centre building is located at the Paradise Meadows trailhead in Strathcona Park, adjacent to Mt. Washington’s raven lodge, the nordic ski lodge. The centre provides visitor information, maps, books, refreshments, and more.

Check the calendar on the Strathcona wilderness institute website for the most up-to-date schedule. The centre is staffed entirely by volunteers for the Strathcona wilderness institute.

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has a fun, hands on, learn to fish program that teaches basic angling skills to youth under 16 years old. Check back to this page or ask the park operator for information.

Strathcona Park offers unlimited opportunities for nature appreciation and wildlife viewing. These range from developed facilities to pristine backcountry experiences. Observation platforms to view various waterfalls can be found at Lupin Falls, Lady Falls, Karst Creek, and both lower and upper Myra Falls.

In the backcountry, adventurous visitors can see beautiful Della Falls, whose drop of 440 metres over three cascades makes it one of the highest waterfalls in Canada. Opportunities to see wildlife exist throughout the park. Visitors may see black bears, Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer, cougars, Trumpeter swans, Bald eagles, whiskeyjacks, squirrels, tree frogs, and white tailed Ptarmigan, to name just a few of the species inhabiting this wilderness park.

• Reintroducing Vancouver Island marmots to Strathcona Park [PDF] 

Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash and under control at all times and are not allowed in the beach areas at Buttle Lake and Driftwood Bay. Dogs must be on a leash at all times in the Forbidden Plateau core area (Paradise Meadows). During the winter season, dogs must be on a leash and are not allowed on the groomed Nordic Ski Trails. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.

Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.

Some mountain bike opportunities exist on the west side of the park through Gold River in the vicinity of Kunlin Lake. Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.

Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Strathcona Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.

Crest Creek Crags offers more than 150 climbing routes for various skill levels. Please ensure you and your climbing partner have the skills, equipment, and experience to climb safely. Crest Creek Crags is accessed via Hwy 28 from Campbell River, approximately 11km east of Gold River.

Hunting is only permitted in the McBride Creek and Megin-Talbot areas of Strathcona Park for specific species in season. Hunters must have valid licences and tags. Please refer to the current hunting guide for regulations.

Backcountry skiing and boarding exist in the park. Developed ski facilities can be found at Mount Washington Alpine Resort, adjacent to the park. Mount Washington often boasts one of the highest snowfalls of any ski resort in North America. Ski rentals are available from Mount Washington or from various commercial outlets in the Comox Valley and Campbell River.

Cross-country skiing is a popular activity in Paradise Meadows during the winter. More than half of the Nordic trails set by Mount Washington are within Strathcona Park. Ski rentals are available from Mount Washington or from various commercial outlets in the Comox Valley and Campbell River.

Snowshoeing is popular in Paradise Meadows during the winter. Mount Washington sets some snowshoes trails for beginners and more adventurous visitors can snowshoe at any point in the park. Rentals are available from Mount Washington or from various commercial outlets in the Comox Valley and Campbell River.

Snowmobiles are not permitted in Strathcona Park [PDF] . Opportunities for snowmobiling are available at Mount Washington alpine resort.