Cowichan Lake, British Columbia
Cowichan Lake is the second largest lake on Vancouver Island, is in the heart of the Insular Mountain range, Vancouver Island’s principal mountain range. The villages of Youbou, Caycuse, Honeymoon Bay, Mesachie Lake and the Lake Cowichan are located against the lakes shoreline. The Cowichan Lake region typically encounters warm, dry summers and moderate moist winter months.
Cowichan Lake becomes the Cowichan River, that provides all the water for the residential region around Duncan (a twenty minute drive away). The river is an important breeding river for salmon and is protected as a Heritage River.
If you’re going to the region, you might want to pay a visit to one of the many Cowichan Valley parks and take pleasure in swimming, windsurfing, fishing, enjoying water sports, golfing and hiking.
There are many stunning parks in the Cowichan Lake area, including:
Provincial Parks
• Carmanah-Walbran Park: A wilderness refuge, Carmanah-Walbran is home to several of the planet’s largest spruce trees, many older than 800 years and higher than ninety five metres. The provincial park is also home to ancient cedars which are thought to be well over 1,000 years old. This recreation area features a selection of backpacking trails and also wilderness camping.
• Cowichan River: This park offers the historical twenty kilometer long Cowichan River Footpath and a variety of day-use and picnic places. Drive-in camping is available.
• Gordon Bay: Along the coast line of Cowichan Lake, Gordon Bay Provincial Park provides great freshwater swimming, kayaking and birdwatching. Drive-in camping is available.
Town of Lake Cowichan’s Park system
Lake Cowichan, population 3000, is positioned at the eastern edge of Cowichan Lake next to the Cowichan River. Several of the communities parks consist of:
• Riverside Park: Take pleasure in floating docks for swimming, have a picnic at the picnic tables, seats and a playground. The river flows quite gradually past the swimming location and is fairly shallow.
• Trans Canada Trail: The Trans Canada Trail traverses through Lake Cowichan on its course between Nanaimo and Victoria. This particular section is relatively simple to bicycle as it runs along abandoned railway lines—the tracks have recently been taken out and the trestles converted to bridges.
Youbou Parks
Having 1,450 residents, the community of Youbou is the second largest neighborhood on Cowichan Lake. A few of Youbou’s parks are:
• Arbutus Park: This stunning lakeside park is situated at the west side of Youbou. Arbutus trees line a grassy picnic spot which inclines down to a sandy swimming area. There are changing rooms and a play ground.
• Price Park: Follow the strolling paths to secluded, natural beaches. Swordfern Creek, a spawning river for fish, runs through the park.
• Nantree Park: Nantree Park is on Cowichan Lake and enables straightforward access to water skiing, boating, fishing, and more.
Getting to the Lake
• From Highway 1, turn onto Highway 18 north of Duncan. After a twenty-minute drive you’ll arrive at Cowichan Lake.
Mail this post