Victoria, British Columbia: Goldstream Provincial Park's Annual Salmon Run and Eagle Extravaganza

Goldstream Provincial Park lies on traditional fishing grounds of local First Nations just 20 minutes north of downtown Victoria, British Columbia. Every autumn, visitors to this old-growth temperate rain forest will witness an amazing spectacle of nature as the spawning salmon make their annual return to the Goldstream River.

From late October through December of each year, Chum, Coho and Chinook salmon journey up Finlayson Arm in the Pacific Ocean into Goldstream, the place where they hatched four years earlier. As of mid-November 2006, 9,000 Chum, 30 Coho and 10 Chinook salmon had spawned in the Goldstream River. While the spawning numbers are normally in the 25,000 to 40,000 range, these numbers higher than last year when only 5,500 Chum came into the river.

Three to four years previously, these same salmon were born here before traveling to the sea to grow and mature. While return to spawn and die in their ancestral spawning beds, the cycle doesn't end there. Starting in December, Goldstream's Eagle Extravaganza begins when over 250 bald eagles and other birds of prey move into Goldstream Provincial Park until February to feast on the salmon.

Currently, The Goldstream River estuary is closed to the public including all boaters. This closure has resulted in a resurgence of wildlife using the estuary throughout the year. For example, rarely seen bald eagles now abound during the salmon run and nest during the summer.

The Freedom King Visitor Centre, nestled at the mouth of the river overlooking the Goldstream estuary, offers weekend activities at the Centre such as Gyotaku (Japanese fish printing), salmon slide shows, videos and interpretive programs. Also, visitors are welcome to join their weekday school programs. The Discover Camping campground reservation service is closed for the season, and will re-open on April 1, 2007. Reservations are required to use one of the park's 159 campsites. Hiking trails in the park take visitors from the valley floor to the top of Mt. Finlayson and picnic areas round out the visitor amenities.