Here’s our list of the best hikes in Strathcona, so far:
I spent over 3 weeks hiking Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island June – October 2020.
Fantastic.
The real experts on this park are Mike Blake and his team at MB Guiding.
If you are looking to organized a guide trip — climbing the Golden Hinde, for example — go with MB Guiding.
If you’ve never been to Strathcona before, easiest access is via the Paradise Meadows trailhead out of Courtney / Comox which gives easy access to the Forbidden Plateau.
Well signed, well organized, well maintained, there are loops of increasing difficulty depending on your time and the weather.
One loop is wheelchair accessible, for example.
There are trails ideal for kids, as well.
Three campsites on the Forbidden plateau are first-come, first-served. Great value at CAD $10 / person / night.
If you want to tent, I’d recommend you head for the furtherest campsite – Circlet Lake.
From there are fantastic day hikes to Moat Lake, Castlecrag and/or Mt Albert Edward.
There are even better trails in Strathcona in the more remote section of the park around Buttle Lake. That’s where you find the main car campgrounds.
My favourite was Cream Lake via the Bedwell Lakes trails.
Nearly as good for me was Elk River with a tough side trip up to Elk Pass.
There are many, many more great hikes, of course, well documented in the best hiking guidebook – Exploring Strathcona Park by Stone.
I’ll return to do more.
