Goldstream Provincial Park holds a special place in the hearts of Victoria residents. Everyone who grew up here has memories of class field trips to watch the salmon spawn, and later on it was camping trips, challenging hikes and nature walks.
The park was given to BC by the Greater Victoria Water Board in 1958, Goldstream is a beautiful park with over 450 hectares of forest, waterfalls, mountains and rivers. It’s the classic west coast wilderness experience, which attracts visitors from around the world. The best part is, Goldstream is just a 10-minute drive from downtown Langford and 20 minutes from downtown Victoria.
How to Get to Goldstream Park
The main route to access Goldstream Park is by taking the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) north from downtown Victoria. From Victoria, stay on the highway the entire 16km as you travel northwest to Goldstream. Be aware there are 3 separate entrances, depending on whether you’re accessing the main campground, the group sites, or the day-use area.
If you’re coming to camp, visitors must use Amy Road via Westshore Parkway to access the campgrounds. The Westshore Parkway intersection is found south of the old Sooke Lake Road intersection – the first traffic light after the Spencer Road intersection. To access the day area, just stay on the highway until you reach Finlayson Arm Road (right turn). The group sites are also accessed off the highway, opposite the now closed Sooke Lake Road intersection.
Things to Do at Goldstream Park
There’s so much to do at Goldstream Park, whether you have young children, dogs or both. From intense exercise opportunities to rugged west coast nature and scenic surroundings, Goldstream is an unmissable experience.
Camping
The campsites are a huge draw at Goldstream Park, particularly during the warmer months. You can camp year-round, but water, firewood and the sanitation station won’t be available. Sites are all vehicle accessible and cost $35 per party or $13 per party in the winter.
There are also 2 large group sites at Goldstream complete with picnic shelters, woodstoves, electricity, water, and a huge grass area surrounded by forest. Designed for large group gatherings and parties, the base rate for these sites is $120 plus $5 per adult and $1 per child under 15. Kids under 6 camp for free.
Wildlife Viewing
The diversity of flora and fauna in the park is part of the reason why Goldstream is so special to Victoria residents. The park is home to 600-year-old Douglas-fir and western red cedar trees plus stands of Garry oak and arbutus, which are found exclusively here on the island and southern coastline. Much of the parkland that contains trees, wildflowers and rare plants is protected.
Being a west coast forest, the park is home for a wide range of animal species. Black bears, cougars, deer, raccoons, minks, beavers, otters, squirrels and bald eagles reside in Goldstream.
But perhaps the star of the show is the salmon spawning grounds of the Goldstream River, which turns into a flurry of activity from late October to late December when the chum, coho and Chinook salmon enter the river from the Pacific Ocean. The majority of the salmon were born in the park years earlier. They travel out to sea to live and grow before returning to their ancestral lands to lay eggs and rest in peace. It’s a beautiful way to experience the circle of life.
Educational Programs
The interpretive programs available at Goldstream – especially during the warmer months, are one of the big draws for the park. The Goldstream Nature House stays busy with school children on class trips, plus locals and tourists are welcome to drop in to learn about the west coast wilderness.
The Nature House, known as the Freeman King Visitor Centre, offers several programs for kids. There’s ‘Junior Explorers’ for grades K-3, ‘Wildlife Detectives’ for grades 4-7, and ‘Eco-Stewards’ for grades 7-12. The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC also hosts a hands-on Learn to Fish program for kids under 16.
Exercise with a View
Goldstream Park is an extremely popular destination among Victoria and Langford residents for hiking, trail running, biking and even swimming. The waterfalls are one of the main attractions. Niagara Falls is 47 metres tall, then there’s Goldstream Falls –a more popular waterfall with a small swimming area.
There is an extensive network of trails for hikers seeking all ranges of difficulty. There are nice and easy trails that take just 5-15 minutes to walk, several hour hikes with tricky terrain, and everything in between. The Upper Goldstream area is home to several 1 hour+ intermediate hikes, including Goldmine trail, Arbutus trail and Prospectors trail. The easier hikes are found in the Lower Goldstream area.
Mount Finlayson is arguably the park’s biggest draw. People flock to Mt. Finlayson on weekends to experience some of the best hiking on the south Island. The 1 hour+ hike is a roughly 4km round trip that covers 410m of elevation, providing spectacular views of the ocean, vast forests, and surrounding communities. Parts of the trail are quite steep, while others will have you traversing across loose rock paths or alongside rocky outcrops. Expect to use both your hands and feet for this climb, and be out of breath in no time.
Whether you’re visiting for the day or camping for the weekend, Goldstream Provincial Park offers an unforgettable experience of Vancouver Island’s wild west coast beauty—just minutes from the city.
New to Victoria or unfamiliar with the area? Explore the neighbourhood of Goldstream and the greater municipality of Langford.
