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Hiking trails & Routes

Canada

British Columbia

Area C (Puntledge/Black Creek)

Paradise Meadows – Helen Mackenzie Lake loop from Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Canada

British Columbia

Area C (Puntledge/Black Creek)

Paradise Meadows – Helen Mackenzie Lake loop from Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Moderate

4.8

(71)

419

hikers

Paradise Meadows – Helen Mackenzie Lake loop from Mount Washington Alpine Resort

02:28

8.48km

130m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: July 22, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Strathcona Provincial Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

1.22 km

Snow-covered forest in Strathcona Provincial Park

Highlight • Forest

Western red cedar, various fir species, and western hemlock cover large parts of Strathcona Provincial Park. In the subalpine areas, they give way to subalpine firs, mountain hemlocks, and junipers.
Source: bcparks.ca/strathcona-park/#about-this-park

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2.17 km

Paradise Meadows

Highlight • Trail

Paradise Meadows is part of the large Forbidden Plateau area at the foot of Mount Washington. The Paradise Meadows Loop Trail is approximately 4 km long and leads through subalpine …

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2.34 km

Unnamed Lake North of Helen Mackenzie Lake

Highlight • Lake

North of Helen Mackenzie Lake lies a small, beautiful lake nestled in a pine forest. The trail back to the Wilderness Centre runs past the lake to the east. On …

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3.35 km

Helen Mackenzie Lake

Highlight • Lake

On our hike from Battleship Lake to Helen Mackenzie Lake and later back to the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre, we cross the rushing mountain stream Piggott Creek several times. We're …

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3.63 km

Island in Helen Mackenzie Lake

Highlight • Lake

In Helen Mackenzie Lake, there is a small island near the shore, covered with subalpine firs. During our hike in May 2025, the lake and the island were completely covered in snow.

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3.70 km

Piggott Creek

Highlight • River

Piggott Creek drains parts of the Forbidden Plateau in Strathcona Provincial Park. This mountain stream originates from Helen Mackenzie Lake at approximately 1,150 m elevation. It flows north and empties …

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5.12 km

Battleship Lake

Lake

5.59 km

Canada Jay in Strathcona Provincial Park

Highlight • Forest

Canada Jays are frequently seen in Strathcona Provincial Park, particularly in the Paradise Meadows area. This park provides suitable habitat for these birds. They are known for their tendency to …

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7.72 km

View of the Snowy Mountains

Highlight • Viewpoint

8.48 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

6.22 km

2.22 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

6.22 km

2.22 km

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (1,170 m)

Lowest point (1,080 m)

Weather

Saturday 1 August

11°C

4°C

-- %

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Comments

August 24, 2024,DE) Paradise Meadows

Great circular trail at Mt. Washington. The trail is well laid out with lots of wooden walkways. A real recommendation 👍🏻

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June 12, 2023,Forbidden Plateau: Lake Mac Kenzie und Battleship Lake

A really beautiful Loop, amazing vews, trails through a mixture of sub-alpine meadows carpeted with pretty flowers and forests of yellow cedar, amabilis fir and mountain hemlock. In June you can find a lot of snow on the trails. Therefore hiking shoes are recommended and sticks are helpful.

May 12, 2025,🇨🇦 BC Vancouver Island - Forbidden Plateau, Strathcona Provincial Park

The weather is keeping as the forecast promised for today – bright sunshine until the evening hours. In the morning, we drive from our campsite in Courtenay up to the base of Mount Washington. We park the truck camper in the large parking lot at the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre – at an elevation of approximately 1,100 m. At 8:40 …

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