Canada Archives - Pacific Northwest Explorer

Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

by Alan K. Lee

British Columbia’s Gulf Islands are located between the southeastern coast of Vancouver Island and the the Canadian mainland. The largest, most populated, and most accessible of the Gulf Islands is Salt Spring Island. Ganges, on Salt Spring, is the commercial and cultural heart of the Southern Gulf Islands. It is the largest (and really the only) town in the Gulf Islands.

The Gulf Islands Guide has a description of each island and good information on events and accommodations in the Islands. Other useful websites include Gulf Islands Tourism, and Salt Spring Island.org.

Almost all visitors to Salt Spring Island arrive via one of the B.C. ferries that serve the island. Ferries travel from the Tsawwassen terminal south of Vancouver to Long Harbor, near Ganges, and from Schwartz Bay north of Victoria to Fulford Harbor on the southern end of Salt Spring. There is also a ferry from Crofton, on Vancouver Island, to Vesuvius on the northwest shore of Salt Spring. Check the B.C. Ferries website for schedules and rates. If you’re traveling from Tsawwassen, book a reservation well in advance during the summer. Ferries from Schwartz Bay and Crofton are first come, first served, but run frequently.

There are no commercial flights to Salt Spring Island. There are float plane companies that will take you to the islands, though. And the Victoria airport is only a few miles from the Schwartz Bay ferry terminal, so flying to Victoria and renting a car is a good option if driving is not feasible.

If you or one of your fellow travelers is an experienced boater or sailor, you can charter a sailboat or power boat and explore the islands by sea. Full-service marinas are located at Sidney on Vancouver Island, and in Ganges. Experience is essential and charter companies require proof of competence, and it is fairly expensive. But if you have the necessary qualifications and can afford it, this is an excellent way to explore the Islands. We have done this, and I can personally recommend it.

There are a wide variety of accommodations available on Salt Spring, from full-service resorts and hotels to traditional B&Bs to single rooms available through Airbnb. One place that I can personally recommend is Spindrift Oceanfront Cottages near the Long Harbor ferry terminal. Spindrift is located at the end of a peninsula in Ganges Harbor in a park-like setting. It has a variety of cottages and two sand beaches perfect for launching kayaks. If you’re a kayaker, this is a perfect jumping off point. Ganges Harbor and its numerous islands are well worth exploring. Prevost Island, a short paddle to the southeast of Ganges Harbor is also worth a visit. A portion of Prevost is set aside as part of the Gulf Islands National Park.

The Ganges area has several restaurants and cafes that I can recommend. For a good breakfast in a unique setting, try the Tree House Cafe in downtown Ganges. Another good place to start your day is Salt Spring Coffee-Ganges Cafe. Salt Spring Inn offers a fine dining experience, also in downtown Ganges. Salt Spring Wild Cider House, just west of Ganges, offers gourmet farm-to-table dinners at a reasonable price. Moby’s Pub, a local hangout, has an upscale pub food menu and a good selection of craft beers. And, if you want a true local experience, you will probably not see another tourist in the well-named The Local Pub, near the marina in Ganges.

Getting around the island is easiest if you have a car, but there is a bus system that will get you around if you don’t. And there is a unique Car Stop system, sort of an organized hitchhiking system. Look for the Car Stop signs and stick out your thumb. Someone will stop to give you a ride. Drivers can be selective about who they pick up, and of course hitchhikers can be equally selective about whose car they get into. But it’s generally safe, and it’s free. It also a unique way to get to know some of the locals.

There are many places worth exploring on Salt Spring, including four Provincial Parks. Mount Maxwell Provincial Park on the west side of the island provides spectacular views of Mount Bruce to the south and west across Saanich Inlet to Vancouver Island. You can drive to the summit, but when we were last there (summer 2024) the last mile or so of the road required a high-clearance vehicle with four wheel drive. There are also hiking and mountain bike trails for the more adventurous.

Ruckle Provincial Park on the southeast coast of the island has hiking trails that take you along the shore of Swanson Channel, as well as a campground with eight RV sites (no hookups) and 78 walk in tent sites. There are also good hiking trails at Mt. Erskine Provincial Park, just west of Ganges. And Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park is located at the base of Mount Maxwell on Saanich Inlet.

Other places on the island worth visiting include St. Mary’s Lake and the small community of Vesuvius. There are also a number of beaches that have public access on the north end of the island.

Salt Spring has an active arts community, with numerous galleries and studios in Ganges and scattered across the island. Many of the studios are open to visitors in the summer. A Farmer’s Market is held in Ganges every Saturday during the summer, where you can sample artisanal cheeses and locally grown produce. Arts, crafts, and home and garden products are also available.

If you are a cheese lover, you’ll want to visit Salt Spring Island Cheese. Their farm is located on Reynolds Road, just off of the road leading to Ruckle Park. There you can not only sample and purchase their artisanal cheeses, but also see the whole cheese making operation. You can also find their cheeses at the Farmer’s Market in Ganges and in many grocery stores in B.C. and as far away as Toronto. If you are a wine lover, stop at Salt Spring Vineyards and Tasting Room, and Garry Oaks Estate Winery, both located south of Ganges on Fulford-Ganges Road.

Southey Point with the Secretary Islands in the distance

Salt Spring Island is just a short jaunt from Victoria and can be visited as a day-trip if you’re exploring Victoria, but you can also spend a week on the island without running out of things to see and do. And you can use Salt Spring as a base to explore the other Gulf Islands. My wife and I have visited Salt Spring Island many times over the years, and on each visit we have discovered new places to see and new things to do. I’m sure our most recent visit will not be our last.

Posted January 31, 2025

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Johnston Canyon Hike, Banff National Park, Canada

by Alan K. Lee

Johnston Canyon Trail

Where: Banff National Park, Canada

Type: Out and back

Distance: 3.4 miles (5.5 km) round trip to Upper Falls, 7.5 miles (12 km) round trip to the Ink Pots

Elevation gain: Approx. 330 feet (100 meters) to Upper Falls, 1970 feet (600 meters) to the Ink Pots

Difficulty: Easy to Upper Falls, Moderate (for distance and elevation gain) to the Ink Pots

Map: All Trails

Overview:

The Johnston Canyon Trail is one of the best hikes you’ll find anywhere in the Canadian Rockies. Johnston Creek cascades through a narrow gorge with many small waterfalls and two larger ones. Parts of the canyon are so narrow that the creek fills the canyon floor from wall to wall. Here you’re hiking directly above the creek on a catwalk bolted to the side of the gorge. Sure, it’s very, very popular and can be incredibly crowded, but it’s an incredible hike, not to be missed. Just go early in the morning or in the evening.

Getting there:

From the town of Banff, take the Trans Canada Hwy west for 3.4 miles (5.5 km) to the exit for the Bow Valley Parkway. Proceed on the parkway for another 11.0 miles (17.7 km) to the trailhead parking lot on the right. (Note that for the past three years the east end of the parkway from Hwy 1 to Johnston Canyon has been closed to vehicles – but open to bicycles – from May 1 to June 25 and for the month of September. During those periods vehicles must travel from Banff to Castle Junction on Hwy 1, then backtrack east on the parkway to Johnston Canyon. This has been a pilot program and these closures may or may not continue beyond 2024.

You can also get to Johnston Canyon directly from Banff via the Roam Route 9 bus. Check the website for schedules. There is also a hop-on-hop-off bus from Banff that stops at Moraine Lake and Lake Louise in addition to Johnston Canyon.

Trailhead:

The main trailhead parking area has approximately 120 spaces, but it fills up early. There is now a second parking area on the opposite side of the parkway, but that likely also fills up early and you may see cars parked along the parkway on both sides. There are restrooms with flush toilets at the trailhead and water is available. There is also a small café at the trailhead. There is no fee to park or hike. Dogs are allowed on leash. Strollers are not recommended on the trail, but the trail is easy enough for kids of all ages.

The hike:

The trail is an easy hike, with relatively little elevation gain. In 0.7 mile (1.2 km) you come to the100-foot (30-meter) Lower Falls. Here you can walk through a short tunnel that emerges just feet from the falling water. Just be prepared to get wet.

The trail continues for another 0.9 mile (1.4 km) to the bottom of Upper Falls. There the trail branches, with a side trail going to a viewpoint near the base of the falls and the main trail climbing 130 feet (40 meters) to the top of the falls. We turned around at that point, but the trail continues another 2.5 miles (4.0 km) beyond Upper Falls to the Ink Pots, a group of beautiful spring fed ponds in a mountain meadow.

Check the Banff Travel website for a much more detailed description of the hike.

Other area attractions and activities:

There are too many other attractions in Banff National Park and the surrounding area to list them all, but here are links to some of the best –

The town of Banff

The town of Canmore

Kootenay National Park

Posted July 31, 2024

All photos ©Alan K. Lee

Banff National Park

by Alan K. Lee

Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies is flat out gorgeous, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. My wife and I made our first visit a couple of decades ago and loved it. But it took us twenty years to get back. We finally made it back to Banff in August 2019 as part of a long road trip from our home in the Portland, Oregon area.

It was a long drive. It’s more than 700 miles from Portland to Banff by the shortest route, even farther by the route we took. We took our time, though, and stopped in a number of places in southern British Columbia on the way. (Banff is a long ways from pretty much everywhere. If you don’t want to make the long drive, another option is to fly to Calgary and rent a car. Banff is less than a two hour drive west of Calgary.)

Besides being incredibly scenic, Banff is also significant in that it is part of one of the largest protected areas in North America. The park borders three other Canadian national parks, Kootenay, Yoho, and Jasper. The four national parks in turn border more than half a dozen provincial parks and protected areas. Altogether, the contiguous protected area totals more than 12,000 square miles (31,500 square kilometers). That’s almost four times the size of Yellowstone National Park, for comparison.

Historic North West Mounted Police Barracks, Canmore

On our 2019 trip, we rented a house in Canmore, just outside the park, since it was more affordable than staying in the park itself. Canmore turned out to be a pretty interesting place in its own right. It has a compact and very walkable downtown area with plenty of cafes and restaurants, brew pubs (try Canmore Brewing), interesting art galleries (don’t miss the Jeff Walker Gallery), and some interesting historical sites. There’s also a nice walking trail along Policeman’s Creek. And Canmore is only about a five minute drive from the southern entrance to Banff National Park.

The town of Banff, although crowded and touristy, is charming enough to warrant at least a few hours of your time. The Banff Springs Hotel is also worth a visit, even if you’re not staying there. If you’re a hiker, try the Tunnel Mountain Trail. We didn’t hike all the way to the top, but still got some great views of the town and the surrounding mountains, and a good workout.

One of the best hikes you’ll find anywhere is the Johnston Canyon Trail, about 15 miles north of the town of Banff. Here Johnston Creek cascades through a narrow gorge with many small waterfalls and two larger ones.

Another must see destination in Banff National Park is Moraine Lake. The turquoise blue water and soaring peaks surrounding the lake make it one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It’s an easy walk up to a stunning viewpoint from the parking lot, and there is a trail along the shoreline that gives you more incredible views of this beautiful lake and the high peaks above it. You can also rent a canoe there and get out on the water for more spectacular views. And again, go early. Parking at the lake is limited and traffic on the road to the lake may be restricted if the parking lot is full.

You can avoid the parking hassles and the crowds, at least in the morning or evening, by booking a room at the Moraine Lake Lodge. It’s expensive, but if you can afford it, it might be worth it.

Lake Louise is justifiably famous, but fame brings people. Lots of people. There’s a lot more parking here than at Moraine Lake, but even though we were there early, we still had to park in one of the lower lots and walk up to the lake. And honestly, Moraine Lake is even prettier and less crowded. But if you’ve never been there, seeing Lake Louise is worth fighting the crowds. Rent a canoe and get out on the water, or take a hike along the shore to get away from the crowds. And, like the Banff Springs Hotel, Chateau Lake Louise is a destination in itself.

The portion of Banff National Park north of Lake Louise has a lot of attractions that many visitors never see. This part of the park was new to me. On our first trip we were among the many that didn’t venture north of Lake Louise. On this trip we did, though. Our journey took us on into Jasper National Park on the Icefields Parkway.

Drive a few miles north from Lake Louise on the Trans Canada Highway, turn onto the Icefields Parkway, and you’re in a different world. The crowds thin out and the country becomes wilder, more open, and more removed from civilization.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to really explore that part of the park. We made a quick stop at Hector Lake viewpoint, only a few miles from Lake Louise, and stopped for a little longer at Bow Lake before motoring on into Jasper National Park. (Click here to go to our post on Jasper.)

There’s much more to Banff than I have described here, of course. It’s a big park, and you could easily spend a couple of weeks there without running out of things to do, longer if you also visit some of the surrounding parks. But it’s worth the effort to get there at least once in your life, even if you can only spend a few days there.

“B’Air of Importance” by Shannon Ford, Banff Springs Hotel

Originally posted December 26, 2022. Most recently updated July 31, 2024.

Butchart Gardens

by Alan K. Lee

Butchart Gardens, located on the Saanich Peninsula of Vancouver Island about twelve miles north of Victoria, draws visitors from around the world. The Gardens brochure is printed in 22 languages! Butchart Gardens is a National Historic Site of Canada and was designated a World Heritage Site in 2004.

Jeanette (Jenny) Butchart created the gardens in the early 20th century. Her husband, Robert, owned a cement manufacturing business. He was drawn to Vancouver Island because of its abundant limestone deposits, a key ingredient in Portland cement. Near the turn of the 20th century he purchased the site of what is now Butchart Gardens and began mining limestone and manufacturing cement. In 1904 the Butcharts built their estate on land adjacent to the quarry. Shortly thereafter, Jenny Butchart hired Isaburo Kishida to design and build the Japanese Garden at the estate.

When the limestone deposit was exhausted and the quarry closed in 1909, Jenny Butchart set about transforming the quarry into the Sunken Garden, which was completed in 1921. Five years later she replaced the estate’s tennis courts with the Italian Garden. In 1929 the Rose Garden, designed by Butler Sturtevant, was created where the kitchen vegetable garden had been. The Mediterranean Garden was added later, completing the five gardens present today. All told, Butchart Gardens covers 55 acres, and include some 900 varieties of plants in the five gardens.

Ownership of the Butchart Gardens remains in the family. In 1939 the Butcharts gave the Gardens to their grandson, Ian Ross, on his 21st birthday. After World War II, Ross set about turning them into the internationally renowned attraction they are today, and he ran the Gardens for more than fifty years. The Gardens are currently owned and managed by Ross’s daughter, Robin-Lee Clarke.

Numerous improvements and additions to the Gardens have been made over the years. In 1953 Ian Ross added lighting to illuminate the Gardens at night, and in 1964 the Ross Fountain was installed in the lower reservoir in the Sunken Garden. The two large totem poles next to the Fireworks Lawn were erected in 2004. In 2009 Robin-Lee Clarke added the Children’s Pavillion and the Rose Carousel.

Two full service restaurants at the Gardens, the Dining Room and the Blue Poppy Restaurant, give visitors a choice of indoor dining options. A Coffee Shop, Gellateria, and, during the summer, Annabelle’s Cafe, located in the Children’s Pavillion, add to the dining options. And on summer Saturday’s you can purchase gourmet picnic baskets in the Italian Garden. Beer and wine are available as well.

Nightly concerts, held at the Gardens in July and August, give visitors another way to experience the Gardens. And during that same period, Saturday evenings feature a fireworks display after the concert. Many people are drawn to the Gardens in the fall, especially to the Japanese Garden, for the fall foliage. During the month of December the gardens are illuminated for their Magic of Christmas celebration. Spring brings an abundance of flowers. The Gardens have something to offer almost year around, and they are much less crowded in the off season. Ticket prices vary by season. Check the Butchart Gardens website for more information.

There have been a few reviews that have called the Gardens overpriced and under-whelming, but that’s definitely a minority opinion. And I’m siding with the majority here. Butchart Gardens may not be my favorite garden, but in my opinion the Gardens reputation and World Heritage Site designation are well deserved. And the Gardens are so beautiful that the cost of admission and the crowds shouldn’t dissuade anyone from visiting. If you have never been to Butchart Gardens, they should be on your bucket list, if they aren’t already. And now is as good a time as any to start planning a trip to Victoria and Butchart Gardens.

Originally posted September 4, 2018

Most recently updated April 18, 2024