Park Highlights
The highlights of Goldstream Provincial Park are the vast bio-diversity of plants and animals in a rain forest setting. Throughout the park you can find a lush forest containing moss covered Garry Oak, Arbutus, Maple and old-growth Douglas fir trees, some up to 600 years old.

Goldstream River
Goldstream River is the site of major salmon runs throughout the year from late October through to December. Every year you can watch this phenomenon along the spawning channel in the Day Use area. Plus you can visit the Freeman King Visitor Centre for more information on the yearly salmon spawn including an Underwater Salmon Cam.

Bird Watching
With the annual salmon spawn a by-product is a large amount of bald eagles that visit the park following the salmon run. Other birds found in Goldstream Provincial Park that you can also enjoy viewing include robins, hummingbirds, sea gulls, woodpeckers and numerous song birds. You will find a great bald eagle habitat display at the Visitor Centre.

Camping Facilities
Goldstream Provincial Park features a large campground with 141 sites including some walk-in and group sites. The campsites are set in a large grove of Douglas Fir trees, some 300 feet tall bordering the Goldstream River in the south, the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway to the west.

Niagara Falls
Through-out the whole of Goldstream Provincial Park you can find various trails along the Goldstream River, Finlayson Arm estuary, 419 metre (1,375 feet) high Mount Finlayson and up to Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls at 47.5 metres (156 feet) high is nearly the same height as its namesake in Ontario. The trails are well-marked with posted maps located at different trail intersections.

• Trail Map (pdf) - BC Ministry of Environment

Arbutus Ridge Trail
One favourite walk is the Arbutus Ridge Trail combined with the Gold Mine Trail that will lead you through a grove of Arbutus Trees to an abandoned gold mine cave and the 1910 built E&N Railway Niagara Creek Trestle, eventually reaching Niagara Falls. The trail is low-impact, quite kid-friendly and very scenic, traversing small meadows, lush forests and views of Mount Finlayson.

Mount Finlayson
There is a steep and rugged hike to the top of Mount Finlayson starting at the Day Use parking lot. If you are going to walk this trail, make sure you take certain precautions before attempting to do so. Dress for the weather, wear suitable walking shoes, don't walk alone and allow yourself reasonable time to hike to the top, enjoy the view, then return in daylight.

Goldstream Falls
One place that is really popular to visit is Goldstream Falls. You can get to the falls by either walking up the 30-minute, one-way Upper Goldstream Trail starting at the Gate House or by taking a short trail in from near the pit toilet by campsite # 60.

Swimming Holes
There are a couple of small swimming holes on the Goldstream River located in the park. One is at Goldstream River Falls where there is a small pebble beach the other is downstream from the bridge near the Gate House. Just a reminder there are no lifeguards present and the rocks can be very slippery at times.

Mount Wells Regional Park
Areas to explore nearby to Goldstream Provincial Park include Mount Wells Regional Park. This park features a brisk hike to the top of 352 metre (1,155 feet) Mount Wells for panoramic views of the Juan de Fuca Strait and the Sooke Hills. To get there you take Humpback Road which is near the campsite entrance for 2 km (1.3 mile) past Irwin Road to the trailhead.

• Mount Wells Regional Park

Ma Miller's
If you're an adult there is a small pub called Ma Miller's located in the historic Goldstream Inn built in 1864. Ma Miller's is across from the park gates at the corner of Humpback Road and Sooke Lake Road. Ma Miller's features a pub, liquor store, live blues music on Saturday nights and a Sunday brunch.

Camping Supplies
There is a small store called Streamside Grocery across from Ma Miller's Pub. The store offers camping supplies, video rentals and some canned goods. There is also a small take-out pizza called Cappelli's Pizza next door to Streamside Grocery. Then if you want to treat the kids to an ice-cream cone, Ice Cream Mountain is located across Hwy1 at Sooke Lake Road.

Propane or Gasoline
If you need propane when camping at Goldstream Provincial Park there is a Shell gas station located 1 km (.6 mile) south-east towards Victoria at the traffic light at Spencer Road. Here you can also find a Subway for fast food and, if you need some ready cash, there is a Scotiabank instant teller.

R.L.C. Enterprize Ltd.
The staff at Goldstream Park are very accommodating, friendly and quite helpful. The park is managed by R.L.C. Enterprize Ltd., a company who happen to run other provincial parks on South Vancouver Island. You can e-mail R.L.C. at office@rlcenterprize.com for more information or view VIsland web site.

• VIsland Camping

Reservations are Recommended
Goldstream Provincial Park, because of its closeness to Victoria, can tend to be booked up especially during the summer peak season. If you decide you would like to stay here, reservations are recommended and can be made through the Discover Camping's web site.

• Goldstream Provincial Park
• Discover Camping
  

Upper Goldstream Trail

Old Growth Douglas Fir Trees

Woodpecker's Delight

Campground Site

E&N Railway Niagara Creek Trestle

Mount Finlayson

Goldstream River Swimming Hole

Abandoned Gold Mine Cave