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Attention
Visitors - Important Notice!
- There are no park alerts at this time.
Park
Info:
Massive trees, majestic waterfalls, a meandering river that meets the sea, flowers, birds and fascinating fish are but a few of the attractions that draw people to Goldstream Provincial Park, a mere 16 km from downtown Victoria on southern Vancouver Island.
It's a world that seems far removed from the urban adventures of British Columbia's capital city whether the visitor is a hiker seeking inspiration from this magnificent example of the great outdoors or a naturalist looking to add to their notebook. There's something new, different and exciting every month of the year at Goldstream Park.
Goldstream's numerous trails criss-cross through the dramatically different terrain of two distinct vegetation zones. The park is home to 600-year-old Douglas fir trees and western red cedar, mixed with western yew and hemlock, red alder, big leaf maple and black cottonwood. On the drier ridges visitors can find flowering dogwood, lodgepole pine and arbutus. The arbutus, with its thick leathery evergreen leaves, red-dish trunk and peeling bark, is Canada's only broad-leafed evergreen and is found exclusively on Vancouver Island and on the southwest coast of British Columbia. In the spring and early summer, Goldstream overflows with colourful wildflowers, including the shade-loving western trillium and the calypso, a delicate orchid of the mossy forest glades.
Trails range from easy, wheelchair accessible walks to strenuous hikes and track along creeks, through forested uplands and past abandoned gold diggings from the days of the Gold Rush. More adventurous hikers can climb to the top of one of the highest points in Greater Victoria - Mt Finlayson, a recent addition to the park in 1994. Another trail leads you to stunning Niagara Falls, which cascades 47.5 meters down a rock cliff into a crystal clear canyon pool below.
The park is also the site of an annual chum salmon spawning run, which draws thousands of salmon – and visitors - every year. Riverside trails and observation platforms provide extraordinary opportunities to view this natural phenomenon, which also attracts Bald eagles, who swoop down to devour the bodies of the spawned out salmon.
Park naturalists are available at the Freeman King Visitor Center, which offers interpretive programs and informative lectures about the area’s natural history for individuals and groups. The park also features a large picnic area with shelters, as well as vehicle accessible camping and group sites.
For your convenience during the summer season, this park has a small concession managed by the Park Facility Operator.
Park
Size:
477 hectares
Special
Notes:
- Each year, visitors can witness salmon spawning at Goldstream Provincial Park. The best time for viewing is late October through November. During this period, there is congestion on Hwy #1 while cars park and exit the day-use area. Please be cautious. Help prevent disruption of salmon spawning - keep pets on a leash and out of the water at all times.
- For school groups and special group programs, please contact the Goldstream Freeman King Visitor Centre @ (250) 478-9414 (phone/fax).
- West of the E & N Railway right-of-way is the Greater Victoria Water Supply Area - Access is prohibited.
Management
Planning:
Management
Planning Information
Location:
Goldstream Provincial Park is located 16 km northwest of Victoria on southern Vancouver Island on the Trans Canada Hwy (Hwy #1). There are separate entrances for the main campground, group campsite and day use area. Access to the campground is via Sooke Lake Road from Hwy #1 at the southern boundary of the park. The entrance to the day-use area is at the junction of Hwy #1 and Finlayson Arm Road. Nearby communities include: Victoria, Langford, Duncan, Colwood, Metchosin, Sooke
Special Features:
Goldstream Park is home to waterfalls, including Niagara Falls, which at 47.5 meters is almost at high as its famous namesake, and Goldstream Falls, a small waterfall located in the southwest corner of the park near the campground.
Goldstream is also part of the Nanaimo Lowlands Ecosection and the Coastal Douglas Fir Biogeoclimatic Zone. The park is home to small Garry oak meadows, arbutus, and Douglas fir trees – some more than 600 years old.
The park protects a number of red and blue listed species of flora and fauna, including rare wildflowers and plant species such as the Dense Spike Primrose and the Pacific Waterleaf. It also protects various reptiles and amphibians and plays major role in conserving the Goldstream River salmon run.
Map/Brochure:
Any maps listed are for
information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be
used for navigation.
Nature
& Culture:
- History - The area of
the park was given to the people of British Columbia by the Greater
Victoria Water Board in 1958. Additional lands were designated in
1994 and 1996 through the Commonwealth Nature Legacy and Crown Land
additions.
- Cultural
Heritage - Goldstream
is located on traditional fishing grounds of local First Nations.
Old
mining shafts and tunnels are all that remain of the gold rush
that Goldstream River experienced during the mid-19th century.
- Conservation - The
diversity of flora and fauna within the area makes Goldstream Provincial
Park a marvel
of nature. With two distinct vegetation zones, the park offers views
of 600-year-old Douglas-fir and western red cedar as well as stands
of Garry oak and arbutus, found exclusively on Vancouver Island and
the southwest coast of BC. Goldstream River, the site of an annual
Chum salmon spawning run, also adds to the park’s natural values. The park also protects various reptiles and amphibians and a number of red and blue listed species of flora and fauna, including rare wildflowers and plant species such as the Dense Spike Primrose and the Pacific Waterleaf.
- Wildlife - Goldstream Park is home to black bears, cougars and deer, as well as numerous small animals like raccoons, minks, beavers, otters and Gray and Douglas squirrels. 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 can be spotted throughout the park. From late October through December of each year, the Goldstream River is the scene of one of nature's spectacles as chum, coho and Chinook salmon enter the river via Finlayson Arm from the Pacific Ocean. Three to four years previously, these same salmon were born here before traveling to the sea to grow and mature. Their return to spawn and die in their ancestral spawning beds is fascinating. The Goldstream River estuary is closed to the public (including all boaters). This closure has resulted in a resurgence of wildlife using the estuary throughout the year. Due to the closure, once rarely seen Bald eagles now abound during the salmon run and nest during the summer - Eagle Extravaganza
- General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information
Visitor
Safety:
- Mt. Finlayson Trail Caution: This trail is steep and rugged; dress for the terrain and weather; stay on the marked trail; allow adequate time for return in daylight. The summit can be accessed from Finlayson Arm Road or the day-use area. Use caution when walking on Finlayson Arm Road.
Visitor Safety Information (park
safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)
Reservations:
For
parks that accept reservations,
all vehicle accessible campsites (with the exception of
group sites) must be reserved through Discover
Camping.
Campsite
Reservations:
Campsite
reservations
are accepted and first-come, first-served sites are also
available.
Group
Camp/Picnic Reservations:
Group campsite
and/or group picnic site reservations are accepted
at this park.
Explore
Parks: Fees, park listings, what
you should know before you go and other useful links.
R.L.C. Enterprize Ltd.
E-mail address: office@rlcenterprize.com
Phone: (250) 474-1336
Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.
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This park offers vehicle accessible campsites in a forest setting. Campsite reservations are accepted and first-come, first-served sites are also available. Goldstream Park is open year round, however facilities are limited. A fee is in place for winter camping.
Vehicle
Accessible Camping Fee: $24.00 per party /night
BC
Senior's Rate (Shoulder Season only):
$12.00 per senior's couple/night
Winter
Vehicle Accessible
Camping Fee: $10.00 per party / night
Hours of Operation - All dates are subject to change without notice |
Opening and Closing Campground Dates: (campground is accessible but may not offer full services such as water, security, etc.)
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Year round |
| Campground Dates with Full Services and Fees: |
March
14 - October 31
Winter fee from November 1 - March 13 with no water, no firewood, no
sani-station. |
| Campground Reservable Dates: |
May
9 - September 15 |
| Total Number of Vehicle Accessible Campsites: |
173 |
| Number of Reservable Campsites, if applicable: (all remaining sites are first-come, first-served) |
75 |
| Note: The above information is for the campground only. Park users can still walk into the park if conditions such as weather permit. Check the "Attention Visitor Notice" above for park alerts. |
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No
wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping.
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There are 2 group campsites at this park, with picnic shelters, woodstoves, electricity and water. Each group campsite has a large lawn area and they are surrounded by forest. These sites are reservable. Click here for reservation information.
Group
Camping Fee: $24.00 per party / night
Youth
Group
Camping Fee: $50.00 per group / night
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This park has a large day-use/picnic area with a picnic shelter, woodstove, flush toilets, fire rings and numerous picnic tables. Nature walks and trails of varying lengths starting at the day use area offer the opportunity to see some of the park's more notable features. The Freeman King Visitor Centre can be reached by a short trail from the day-use area parking lot. The centre is open daily year round. This is not a reservable facility.
Day-use
Area Vehicle Parking Fee:
$1.00 per vehicle / hour to a maximum of $3.00 per vehicle per/day. For information about yearly parking passes, or further information
about parking fees, click
here.
For reservable picnic facilities please contact the Park Facility Operator. Click here for reservation information.Group
Picnicking Fee: $50.00 per group
Firewood can be purchased from the Park Facility Operator or bring your own. 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.
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Some
facilities and hiking trails in the park are wheelchair
accessible.
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Cold water taps are located throughout the park in the campground and day use area. Taps are shut off during the off-season.
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Pit toilets are located throughout the park. Flush toilet buildings are located
in the day-use area and main campground. |
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Hot showers are available at Goldstream. They are located in the main campground area.
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A
sani-station/dump is available from March 15
to October 31. The facility is located in the
main campground. Please
note - in the event of freezing
temperatures during the winter season, the
sani-dump may be shut down temporarily. Sani-station
Use Fee: $2.00 per discharge
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While fires are allowed, we encourage visitors to conserve the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using stoves instead. Campfire rings are provided at each campsite, as well as communal rings in the day use area.
Firewood can be purchased from the Park Facility Operator. 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 and some parks may use communal fire rings. Be prepared to bring a portable stove for cooking.
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There are no electrical hook-ups in this park.
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An open air amphitheatre is located at the main campground, however there are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at this time. The Freeman King Visitor Centre offers programs, exhibits, a gift shop, coffee and snacks and interpretive programming throughout the year. The Visitor Centre can be reached by a short trail from the day-use area parking lot. Call (250) 478-9414.
Click
here to view a summer program schedule
for visitor programs being held in the amphitheatre
located in the campground.
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An extensive network of trails winds through Goldstream Provincial Park, totaling a distance of approximately 16 km. Trails start from both the day-use area and campground and range from easy walks, including short 5-15 minute walks along the river bank and through tall timber, to harder hikes. Some of the longer trails may take several hours to hike. For your own safety and preservation of the park, hike only on marked trails and obey posted signs. The ecosystems of this park are rare and fragile. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
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This
park does not have a playground.
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There is no designated swimming area at this park, however there are some sections of the Goldstream River near the campground that may be used for swimming. There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.
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There are no opportunities for canoeing or kayaking in this park. Please note that the head of Finlayson Arm and the Goldstream Estuary are closed to boaters and paddlers.
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This
park does not have a boat launch.
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Goldstream River and its tributaries have a very limited fishing season and are catch and release only at all times of the year.
Rockfish Conservation Areas occur within this park. Fishing activities are limited in Rockfish Conservation Areas. Before you go fishing please refer to the Rockfish Conservation Area descriptions available from Fisheries and Oceans Canada DFO. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.
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Bicycles are allowed on roadways and the paved trail from the day-use area to the Freeman King Visitor Centre. Bicycles are not permitted on park trails. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
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No
horseback riding.
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Pets/domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Due to the sensitive nature of the salmon spawning cycle, dogs must be kept out of the river.
Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or
other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential
for problems with bears.
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The scenery in Goldstream Park is spectacular wherever you go and there are endless opportunities for nature viewing at this park. A viewing platform located at the estuary near the Visitor Center provides visitors with great views of the eagle feeding frenzy in the winter. Trails throughout the park lead to various features and viewpoints, including old-growth Douglas firs more than 600 years old and the stunning Niagara Falls, which cascades 47.5 meters down a rock cliff into a crystal clear canyon pool below. Visitors also have ample opportunity to see spawning salmon, a variety of wildlife and, in the spring, colorful wildflowers, including the shade-loving western trillium and the calypso, a delicate orchid of the mossy forest glades. Spectacular panoramic views of the Strait of Georgia to the Strait of Juan de Fuca can be had from the summit of Mt. Finlayson, making it well worth the climb.
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No winter recreation opportunities.
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No SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities.
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No windsurfing opportunities.
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No waterskiing opportunities.
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No hunting in the park.
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No climbing or rock climbing opportunities.
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No spelunking or caving opportunities.
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No cabins, yurts or lodges for public use.
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