Strathcona-Westmin Provincial Park

Strathcona-Westmin Provincial Park is a protected area in the Strathcona Regional District that covers more than 3,000 hectares of mountainous terrain. The landscape features steep slopes, dense temperate rainforest, deep lakes, and cascading waterfalls concentrated around the southern shores of Buttle Lake.

The area was separated from a larger protected reserve by British Columbia Parks in 1987 to permit mining activities within its boundaries. This division reflected a significant shift in how the province balanced conservation with resource extraction.

The land holds deep connections to Indigenous peoples who inhabited the region before the establishment of mining and logging industries.

Multiple trails traverse the park at varying difficulty levels and pass through different environments from forest to alpine zones. Visitors should prepare for changing weather conditions and bring warm, waterproof clothing, especially during wetter seasons.

Beneath the park's surface, the Myra Falls Operation runs an underground mine extracting multiple metals including copper and zinc. This coexistence of mining and protected landscape makes the park an unusual example of dual-use land management.