You can be in subalpine meadow less than an hour from Courtenay. The main access to the Forbidden Plateau side of Strathcona Provincial Park is the Paradise Meadows trailhead at Mount Washington. From Highway 19, follow signs to the ski resort via exit 130, the Strathcona Parkway, for 20 kilometres, then turn left onto the Nordic Lodge road for 1.5 kilometres to the Paradise Meadows parking lot.
Strathcona, designated in 1911, is the oldest park in British Columbia, a mountain wilderness of more than 250,000 hectares. Two developed corners — Buttle Lake, reached from Campbell River on Highway 28, and Forbidden Plateau, reached from the Comox Valley via Paradise Meadows — are the places BC Parks points day visitors. The rest of the park is largely undeveloped.
Boardwalk, snow and a short walk
BC Parks publishes a Paradise Meadows barrier-free centennial trail guide, describing an easily accessible sub-alpine trail suitable for everyone. In winter, cross-country skiing is a popular activity in Paradise Meadows; BC Parks says more than half of the Nordic trails set by Mount Washington are within the park. Snowshoeing is popular here as well. Most trails in Strathcona are snow-covered from late October or November until at least June, and often until mid-July at higher elevations. Check avalanche reports if you are heading into the snow, and look at the seasonal parking restrictions for Paradise Meadows.
The Strathcona Park wilderness centre, run by the non-profit Strathcona Wilderness Institute, is at the Paradise Meadows trailhead, adjacent to Mount Washington’s Raven Lodge, the Nordic ski lodge. The centre is staffed by volunteers and provides visitor information, maps, books and refreshments. Pets must be on a leash at all times in the Forbidden Plateau core area, including Paradise Meadows. In winter, dogs are not allowed on the groomed Nordic ski trails. E-bikes are not allowed on trails in the park.
Check the BC Parks park page for trail conditions, winter parking notes and advisories before you go.
Good to know
- Reach Paradise Meadows from Highway 19, exit 130, then 20 kilometres up the Strathcona Parkway and 1.5 kilometres on the Nordic Lodge road.
- A barrier-free centennial trail offers an accessible subalpine walk from the trailhead.
- Most trails are snow-covered from late fall until at least June. Dogs must be leashed, and are not allowed on groomed Nordic trails in winter.
- Fires are permitted only in authorized steel fire rings. Snowmobiles are prohibited in the park.
Photo: Fyre Mael, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
