helliwell provincial park

Loved the views....eagles.....& cliffs....amazing pictures to be taken here! The walk is not too long but so beautiful!

No trip to Hornby Island can be complete without a walk through Helliwell Provincial Park. John Helliwell donated the land for this park because he thought it was just too spectacular for the public not to have access to it. A well-maintained and relatively easy trail of ~5 km takes you through a diverse and spectacular landscape. If you go to the right, after you walk through a forest of firs and ferns, you come out to a grassy meadow and bluffs where you can look out across the water to Vancouver Island. The trail continues alongside forests of arbutus and Gerry oak trees (keep your eyes peeled for birds -we saw a bald eagle), down to the water with more fantastic views, then you enter the forest again to get back to the parking lot. Dogs are allowed on leashes (wouldn't want them dashing over a cliff!), no bikes or horses.

Loved the tranquility and friendliness of the "islanders". The accomodations were very good at Ford's cove and the staff excellent . It was a great place to stay and enjoy the beautiful scenery,water and waqlk the trails.

Helliwell is a really nice, easy 5 km loop walk around the water edge. Anyone can do it. We saw sea lions, birds, beautiful landscape. Would also be a great running trail.

Seals, if you're lucky. Lots of exploring at low tide. Great hiking, and some geocaches if you are into those. We liked it!

Great easy hike through both old growth forests and then along the bluffs looking out over the ocean. Bring a camera to capture the great sandstone caves and unique grasslands along the bluffs, edged by Arbutus and Gerry oak.

We took a hike of about 1.5 hours along the coastline. The weather was beautiful. There were so many things so see along the walk. There are cliffs to look out from and beaches to enjoy. The rock formations are great. Be sure to take your camera. There are benches along the route and a couple of outhouses.

If you make it to Hornby Island this hike is a must do.There is a nice mix of beautiful ocean views and old growth forest. It's an easy hike, suitable for all ages, and the trails are clearly marked. Make sure to bring some water, and a camera.

Cool hike through the forest trees and grasses, cutting along the coastline. There are a number of areas where you are asked to keep to the trail to protect the plant life along it. Very quiet when we were there. despite being a gorgeous day during Hornby Islands peak season, we probably only saw a dozen people as we walked along the trails.

Just make sure you take the walk to the cliffs and sit down and admire the views! Do not know where all the grasses came from but it was very unique in my adventures.

This is a beautiful scenic hike on a reasonable trail. Please keep to the trail as many plant areas are protected. We saw many native plants in early June. The views from the bluff are amazing and you might see a variety of sea life and eagles from here. There are a few fun spots on this hike and an adventurous person might want to change the I love sign to suit themselves. Someone has dressed up a snag along the way. The forest area has some huge trees to enjoy. This is a very diverse hike. If you are with younger children, hold their hands along the bluff. A must visit on any trip to Hornby.

This is a must hike. The coastline is unique in its geology and amazing vistas. A nice way to spend a quiet morning.

The walk is a good one. If you're with small children, they might become tired when they get to the bluffs. Certain strollers will also have issues as the ground at the bluffs is fairly rocky (both sandstone and loose rock)The views are well worth it though and you can see a variety of wildlife too. We've seen eagles, seals, sea lions, a variety of sea-going birds (shore birds, water fowls etc) as well as smaller song birds and birds such as flickers. There are rocky beaches on the east side (facing Texada Island) where you can relax or explore the small tidal pools.Also if you have time, you can check out Whaling Station bay which is just before the entrance way to Helliwell (before the car park)

Such a peaceful park with amazing views. Very diverse from the cliffs with breathtaking views over the ocean, to the spectacular tidal pools full of sea life, and the majestic trees.

Some beautiful places to photograph here. Beautiful meadows, forests, craggy cliffs and ocean. This park has it all.