More than a Vancouver Island map, the Vancouver Island BC - Victoria & Gulf Islands Backroad Mapbook is your guide to the gems that fall off of BC’s southern coast. Most adventurers begin their journey to the islands courtesy of the BC ferries. Departing the mainland, a majestic world unfolds along the Strait of Georgia, from the smattering of islands including Gabriola Island, North and South Pender Islands and Saltspring Island, to the 32,134 km² Vancouver Island, a world unto its own and home to the province’s capital city of Victoria, BC.
_x000D_Vancouver Island rises from the Pacific Ocean like a lush kingdom straight out of a storybook. Replete with rainforests, mountains, lakes and, of course, beaches, the Island teems with life. From the artisanal culture of Victoria, BC with a quiet appreciation for the city’s heritage sites, to the wild and wet coasts alive with natural phenomena like winter storms, to snow-capped peaks and deep, warm lakes, Vancouver Island keeps those ferries full of curious adventurers year-round. There is no shortage of things to do on the Island, and your Vancouver Island BC - Victoria & Gulf Islands Backroad Mapbook has everything you need to find your way.
_x000D_Features
_x000D_- _x000D_
- Topographic Maps: In your durable, heavy-duty, spiral-bound 21.5 cm x 28 cm (8.5" x 11") Vancouver Island mapbook, you will find 59 detailed topographic maps spanning the region, complete with labeled recreation sites, amenities, highways, backcountry roads, trails and other points-of-interest. Not only are these maps user-friendly, but they boast a level of cartographic sophistication unparalleled even by government resources – making them the maps of choice for search-and-rescue. _x000D_
- Service Directory: In addition to our maps, we list Vancouver Island accommodations, services, tours, and amenities, including information on the top Vancouver Island outfitters and whale-watching tours. _x000D_
- Adventures: Our detailed adventure section is one of the features that makes your Backroad Mapbook so much more than a map of Vancouver Island. In addition to comprehensive listings with map coordinates, you’ll find a trip planning section for making notes on your desired adventures! _x000D_
- Index: A handy index makes the Vancouver Island - Victoria & Gulf Islands Backroad Mapbook a leading BC map in terms of functionality as well as quality. You’ll find page numbers and map coordinates for each activity and location, plus important numbers, distance charts and an advertiser list for easy referencing. _x000D_
Specs
_x000D_- _x000D_
- Pages: 21cm x 27.5cm (8.5" x 11") _x000D_
- Dimensions: 184 _x000D_
- Map Scale: 51 maps @ 1:150,000, 6 maps @ 1:300,000 _x000D_
- Regional Cities/Parks: Campbell River, Courtenay, Duncan, Gulf Islands, Gold River, Lake Cowichan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni, Port Hardy, Qualicum Beach, Tofino, Ucluelet, Victoria & more! _x000D_
Adventures
_x000D_- _x000D_
- Backroad Adventures: You will find a guide to unique Island destinations, like caves, hot springs, waterfalls and some of the biggest trees in British Columbia, such as Cathedral Grove, a stand of massive Douglas fir trees that tower over MacMillan Provincial Park. For the less outdoorsy, find city excursions through beautiful Victoria, BC. _x000D_
- Fishing Adventures:Vancouver Island is famous for its fishing, including all types of salmon (most notably sockeye salmon), steelhead, cutthroat and rainbow trout, dollies, kokanee and smallmouth bass. We list every fishing lake, river, stream and hot spot, like Port Renfrew, with links to important information, such as BC fishing regulations. _x000D_
- Hunting Adventures: The island boasts some decent BC hunting, most notably deer hunting. Find a WMU (wildlife management unit) map, and tips on the best places to hunt for black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk (the largest in North America!) and black bear. _x000D_
- Paddling Adventures: BC ferries aren’t the only way of touring the waters around Vancouver Island. For those active folks looking for things to do, we guide you through some of the world’s best ocean paddling along the Island’s west coast, canoe and kayak routes along rivers and lakes, and the enchanting journeys through the bays around Quadra Island, Hornby Island, Pender Island, Gabriola Island and more. _x000D_
- Park Adventures:Vancouver Island is home to some of the best BC provincial parks. We list them all, covering the impressive provincial park system with labeled recreational activities such as those found in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (which boasts Long Beach, the West Coast Trail, and the Broken Islands) and the world-renowned Strathcona Provincial Park. _x000D_
- Rec Site Adventures: Your guide to remote and rustic sites for wild getaways. We cover those rec sites off-the-grid from provincial park campsites, listing sites across and around Vancouver Island from Alice Lake to Victoria Lake. _x000D_
- Trail Adventures: You could spend a lifetime trekking through the landscapes of Vancouver Island. From the world-famous West Coast Trail, to the Galloping Goose Trail, to every last pathway through forests and mountains from Nanaimo and Ucluelet and beyond, we prepare you for your Island trail adventures. _x000D_
- ATV Adventures:Roll along Vancouver Island and catch unparalleled views of the Georgia Strait. With a full listing of ATV trails, we guide you through the logging roads and little side roads that allow for endless four-wheeled cavorting. _x000D_
- Snowmobile Adventures: With elevations as high as 2,000 m (6562 ft), the Island offers months of great snowmobile riding. While there aren’t many formal designated areas, we list the thousands of kilometres of logging roads and remote forests and mountain ranges open for riding, as well as rental and tour companies in Campbell River, Port Alberni, Nanaimo and more. _x000D_
- Wildlife Adventures: Entirely surrounded by water, Vancouver Island is a dream for the aquatic wildlife enthusiast. We tell you where you can spot those magnificent orcas (or “killer whales”), as well as humpback and gray whales and dolphins – hint: you may even spot an orca or two on your ferry ride over! _x000D_
- Winter Adventures: The Island houses incredible snow packs on its high and central mountains, with the Mount Washington Ski Resort reporting up to or greater than 5 m (16 ft) of snow at times. We list all winter recreation opportunities available to the cold-weather adventurer. _x000D_