Rivers and waterfalls, train trestles and forest hikes, this park has it all.  If you are visiting for a day, or a week, Goldstream Provincial Park is the doorway to island adventures. Only 16 km from Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, this  is the perfect family camping spot for both locals who just want a few days of forest bathing, and those from farther away who are looking for both a camping experience and the opportunity to see the wonderful attractions in Victoria.

The campground is a typical Provincial Park campground, lovely sites nestled in a forest setting along a lovely river. Flush toilets, showers, a playground, and even a bike park for the kids, there is plenty to keep all the family members happy.

Goldstream Provincial Park has about 16 km of hiking trails.  A hike in the campground takes you to beautiful waterfalls, but don’t stop at that hike!  Check out some of the other hikes.  Some start at the campground, some at the day use area.  These vary from a short walk, to hikes of several hours.  Click here to see all the trails!

Goldstream Provincial Park Trail Map

The river is not a great place for small children to play around.  There is a dropoff from the trail to the water, and the river is a bit too fast and deep.   If you are looking for a freshwater place to swim, Thetis Lake is not too far, and has a lovely beach, along with more great hikes.

Please stick to the trails. People that have strayed off, or were unprepared for the more difficult trails have been keeping our search and rescue teams very busy in both parks, Goldstream and Thetis Lake.

I live about 10 minutes away from Goldstream Provincial Park, and it is one of my go-to places when I need an adventure but don’t have time for a getaway.  My favourite trail is the 3.5km Gold Mine Trail, which leads to the old gold mine, as well as the beautiful E&N Railway trestle.

Another hike I enjoy in the summer is the hike to Niagara Creek Falls.  The waterfalls are beautiful, with a deep pool at the bottom, but what attracts me most is the “Hanging Valley” on the cliffs surrounding the waterfalls.  The cavelike structures are glacial leftovers, and the hanging vegetation gives the area a surreal quality.

The railway lines, trestles and tunnels are all private property, and accessing these are trespassing. Please stay within the park boundaries.

The park is in a large dense forest, with old-growth Douglas Firs and red cedars, and is home to many animals and birds.  Black bears, cougars and deer, numerous small animals like raccoons, minks, beavers, otters and Gray and Douglas squirrels share this area. Salmon, trout and steelhead are found in the park’s streams, and migratory and resident birds such as hummingbirds, Bald eagles, turkey vultures, ducks and gulls feed at this stream, particularly in November, when thousands upon thousands of salmon return to Goldstream to lay their eggs and die.

BC Hydro has a great way to teach about the amazing salmon life cycle.  If you have kids, download here (free), grab a dice, and take the game with you!

Salmon Lifecycle Game

A large day use area with several picnic tables and a couple of fire pits line the river, along with a picnic shelter that houses running cold water, a woodburning stove, and flush toilets. There is no swimming at the day use area, but there are spots in the river by the campground where people can take a dip.  This is a very sensitive part of the river.  Splashing dogs and children will disturb the small salmon fry, who actually die of fright when disturbed in this manner. Browse our , with a variety of options to suit every taste and budget, available to buy online.

A short wheelchair accessible path from the day use area leads to the Nature House, and its many exhibits about the importance to the First Nations from the past, and the current cultural importance, about the incredible salmon run that happens in November, the flora and fauna, and the history of the settlers.  The building sits at the edge of the estuary, where Goldstream River meets the Pacific Ocean.  There are webcams focussing on eagle nests, and a telescope to look out at the estuary. It really is a must-see.  They even sell coffee and packaged snacks in their small gift shop area.

A word of caution here, the day use area and the campground are separated by a very busy highway, and there is no pedestrian crossing.  There is plenty of parking at the day use area.

Goldstream Provincial Park is a great home base when visiting Victoria.  This article will give you a starting point of some of the great things to see and do in the area.   https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/victoria-cdn-bc-bcvc.htm

Find out about kid-friendly Victoria in this blog:

https://2traveldads.com/victoria-with-kids-things-to-do/

Click here to go to https://648bcparks.ca/my-bucket-list-parks-i-have-visited/ for more blogs about BC Provincial Parks!

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