Vancouver Island BC Backroad Mapbook

Known for its beautiful landscapes, abundant wildlife and laid-back atmosphere, Vancouver Island is just a short ferry ride away from the bustling Lower Mainland but often feels like an entirely different world. Though the city of Victoria in the south of the Island offers every modern convenience (and plenty of colonial charm), as you move north and west along the Island the cities get smaller and further apart, the trees get bigger and your opportunities for outdoor adventure grow exponentially. From surfing and whale-watching in Tofino to viewing some of the world’s largest trees in Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island’s natural treasures have to be seen to be believed. Get away from it all on a multi-day hike along the West Coast Trail, reel in the catch of a lifetime in Campbell River, the “Salmon Capital of the World,” or explore the many charming Gulf Islands – Vancouver Island is yours to discover.

The 8th edition of our Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook features extensive updates and upgrades from our last publication. These include the addition of private land, fish species, higher resolution for wildlife management units, enhanced and updated resource roads, cartographic symbol updates, multi-use trail and fish stocking charts and four new maps at 1:150,000 base scale, as well as an inset map of the Sayward Canoe Route. As usual, we have also expanded and refined our written Adventure listings to get you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible for your adventure of choice.

Backroad Adventures
From giant trees and scenic waterfalls to historic lighthouses and roadside attractions, the newest edition of our Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook has close to 90 updated attractions to check out while travelling along the Island's highways, backroads, and city roads. Whether you are interested in hiking to the location of an ancient tree, soaking in natural hot springs, or exploring a tunnel of caves, Vancouver Island has an adventure for everyone!

Fishing Adventures
Vancouver Island is famous for its fishing, which includes world-famous salmon, steelhead and trout fisheries, along with fantastic cutthroat and rainbow trout, dolly varden, kokanee and smallmouth bass fishing. In the new edition of the mapbook, you will find over 450 listings for the best river, lake, and ocean fishing spots on the Island, as well as expanded fish species noted on the maps, and updated stocking information for the 75+ stocked lakes that are listed.

Hunting Adventures
Vancouver Island offers plenty of hunting opportunities, most notably for black-tailed deer, black bear and elk. In the latest edition of our Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook, you will find detailed listings for all 15 of the Island's WMUs (Wildlife Management Units) as well as information on the main game species found in each WMU including black bear, deer, cougar, elk, mountain goat, geese, ducks and grouse. Hunting tips are included for each main game species.

Paddling Adventures
From exhilarating whitewater river routes to whale watching among the many bays and coves of the ocean, we have compiled over 85 detailed listings of the best and most scenic lake, river, and ocean paddling routes for all skill levels. The new edition of the Vancouver Island mapbook includes over 3,500 kilometres of paddling and sea-kayaking routes along with put-in and take-out locations, difficulty ratings, and a variety of backcountry campsite locations.

Park Adventures
Vancouver Island is home to some of the world's most stunning parks, including the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and Strathcona Provincial Park. In the latest edition of our Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook, you will find over 150 updated listings with detailed descriptions of Provincial, National, and Regional Parks along with notable amenities, easy-to-read activity symbols, camping or day-use information, park access and more.

Rec Site Adventures
With over 100 detailed descriptions of recreation sites across the Island, the Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook is the ultimate guide to remote and rustic campsites and day use areas. From semi-open grassy sites that are perfect for large groups to secluded, walk-in or boat-in only sites, we cover the best camping on the Island and include directions, access, fees, and nearby trails or activities.

Trail Adventures
Whether you are planning a multi-day trek along the West Coast Trail or a scenic day hike, the new Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook edition is packed with over 320 trail listings covering over 7,000 kilometres of multi-use trails. The listings have been updated to include Epic Hikes and bigger park trail charts, along with over 215 kilometres of clearly designated Trans Canada Trail routing. We tell you everything you need to know including trail difficulty, access, distance, elevation gain and highlights.

ATV Adventures
As you explore Vancouver Island's sprawling network of logging roads and ATV trails, enjoy unparalleled views of the Georgia Strait and Coast Mountains. The latest edition of the Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook features many more routes on the north part of the Island, along with all the popular riding areas in the south. We now feature over 30 of the best ATV-OHV riding areas on the Island, along with maps that have been updated to include over 2,500 kilometres of ATV-friendly trails. New to this edition, we feature 9 new Overland touring routes.

Snowmobile Adventures
With elevations as high as 2,000 metres (6,560 feet), the Island offers many months of great snowmobiling. While there are not many designated snowmobiling areas, there are countless logging roads and mountain ranges that provide good riding. We feature hundreds of kilometres of snowmobile trails, as well as detailed descriptions of the best routes. In addition, this section also lists several Backcountry Huts to help plan multi-day winter adventures or to use as warming huts.

Wildlife Adventures
While Vancouver Island is most famous for its orca whale population, there are plenty of other species of both aquatic and land animals to view - from seals and otters to black bears, deer, and various songbirds. Whether looking for a salmon spawning area or a remote wildlife hotspot, the new edition of the Vancouver Island mapbook details over 115 unique wildlife viewing areas and includes species of wildlife in each area, best season to view the wildlife, directions, and more!

Winter Adventures
In the winter months once the snow begins to fall, most of the multi-use trails and abandoned logging roads on Vancouver Island double as cross-country ski or snowshoe trails. Strathcona Park also provides great snowshoeing and backcountry skiing, and Mount Washington Resort provides world class downhill skiing and snowboarding. In the new edition of the Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook, you will find 25 of the best areas to explore during the winter months.

Bonus Adventure Sections
Brand new to the 10th Edition of the Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook, we feature 29 Beaches, 9 Rock Climbing areas, and 11 Surfing hot spots. No matter where your Vancouver Island adventure takes you, we have you covered with some of the best places to relax in the sun, get some exercise, or catch a wave.