Lake Cowichan

The gateway to Cowichan Lake — Vancouver Island's largest lake and a paradise for fishing, camping, and summer adventure.

Lake Cowichan is a small town at the eastern end of Cowichan Lake, the largest lake on Vancouver Island and one of the finest recreational lakes in BC. The town serves as the gateway to the lake and the surrounding wilderness, with a warm, community-minded character and a strong outdoor recreation culture. Cowichan Lake is exceptional for fishing. The lake holds large populations of rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and smallmouth bass, and the Cowichan River — which flows east from the lake through the Cowichan Valley — is one of the finest fly fishing rivers in BC, with a legendary run of summer steelhead that draws anglers from around the world. The river is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, recognized for its ecological significance. The lake itself is a summer paradise. The warm, clear water is ideal for swimming, boating, waterskiing, and paddling, and the surrounding forests provide excellent hiking and mountain biking. The Gordon Bay Provincial Park on the south shore of the lake is one of the most popular campgrounds on Vancouver Island, with a beautiful sandy beach and excellent facilities. The Cowichan Lake area has a rich forestry heritage, and the surrounding forests — a mix of Douglas fir, western red cedar, and hemlock — are among the most productive in BC. The Lake Cowichan Visitor Centre provides information on the area's history, ecology, and recreation opportunities.