British Columbia: Parks, Mountain Landscapes and Wine

At the heart of Vancouver Island lies Strathcona Provincial Park, British Columbia’s oldest provincial park and a rugged mountain wilderness. In the province’s east-central region, the Cariboo Mountains are home to Wells Gray Park, which encompasses old-growth rainforest, lush alpine meadows and numerous waterfalls. These two parks alone show just how varied the landscapes of British Columbia can be.

Landscapes and Trails in the Provincial Parks

The provincial parks as a whole also offer a variety of natural scenery, from sandy beaches to impressive forests. The landscape of Golden Ears Park is an excellent example of British Columbia’s coastal hemlock forest. It has an extensive network of hiking and horseback riding trails. Across the province, BC Parks manages campgrounds, day-use areas and thousands of kilometres of hiking trails.

Wells Gray Park brings together a different combination of scenery: rainforest, alpine meadows and waterfalls. If you prefer to plan around specific activities, British Columbia offers both trails through mountain landscapes and opportunities on the water. Swimming, windsurfing, water skiing, canoeing, boating and fishing are popular at Alouette Lake. The provincial parks also offer opportunities to paddle along calm rivers.

Hiking and Winter Experiences

The hiking trails in Glacier National Park range from short walks on the valley floor to steep, challenging ascents. One trail in the park is suitable for both beginners and experienced hikers. The available hikes therefore vary considerably in length and difficulty. In winter, Strathcona Provincial Park offers additional activities: opportunities for backcountry skiing and snowboarding, cross-country ski trails and snowshoe trails.

Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park is also a popular destination for backcountry ski touring. Average annual snowfall there is 14 metres. Another highlight is the 26-kilometre Meadows in the Sky Parkway: in summer, it provides access to viewpoints, subalpine meadows, short hiking trails, hikes to alpine lakes and remote campgrounds. This road route connects several ways to enjoy the outdoors, from stopping at a viewpoint to setting out on a longer hike.

At Gwaii Haanas, how to get there is a key part of planning: the protected area is on the southern half of Haida Gwaii, off the north coast of British Columbia. There are no roads there; Gwaii Haanas is accessible only by boat or floatplane. Keep this important requirement in mind when planning your visit.

History and Wine Regions

History is also part of the travel experience in several places. Rogers Pass National Historic Site commemorates Major A. B. Rogers’ surveying expeditions to find a route through the Columbia Mountains, intended to complete the Canadian Pacific Railway. Fort Langley is on the Fraser River, six kilometres north of the Trans-Canada Highway 1 in Langley Township. You can explore Fort Langley National Historic Site with an audio tour through buildings from the fur-trading era.

For a different kind of outing, explore the wine regions: British Columbia has nine wine regions, stretching from coastal rainforests to inland mountain ranges, with glacier-carved valleys in between. Many wineries offer Indigenous-led tours, sabrage classes, dinners with winemakers and outdoor film screenings. These experiences go beyond wine tasting.

Planning these highlights in advance can help you find a destination and hotel that fit your own itinerary.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Bulkley-Nechako, Sunshine Coast, Comox-Strathcona, Cowichan Valley, Northern Rockies, Okanagan-Similkameen, North Okanagan, Cariboo, Alberni-Clayoquot, Columbia-Shuswap, Thompson-Nicola, East Kootenay, Central Okanagan, Skeena-Queen Charlotte, Fraser-Fort George, Metro Vancouver, Nanaimo, Capital Regional District, Fraser Valley, Powell River, Central Kootenay, Central Coast, Mount Waddington, Kootenay Boundary, Kitimat-Stikine, Peace River, Squamish-Lillooet, Comox Valley, Stikine Region, Kleena Kleene, Strathcona, Telkwa, Wasa, Hanceville, Fraser Lake, Sparwood and Elkford.

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