The Cowichan Lake region is a beautiful and highly underrated area on southern Vancouver Island. Many of the Cowichan Lake hikes see surprisingly little traffic given how close they are to Victoria. A perfect example of a quiet yet absolutely stunning hike in the region is Christopher Rock, an awesome hike near the village of Youbou with panoramic views over the entire Cowichan Lake. Not only is this short and easy hike in the Cowichan Valley one of my favourites in the region, it’s one of my favourite hikes on Vancouver Island.
The hike up Christopher Rock starts at the west end of Youbou, and climbs steeply through pleasant forest, revealing amazing views at the top in as little as twenty minutes! If you’re spending time in the area, the Christopher Rock hike is one of the best things to do.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Christopher Rock hike near Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience.
Views across Cowichan Lake towards Bald Mountain
When hiking it’s generally important to avoid harmful practices such as disturbing plants or rock-stacking, or removing any natural object from flowers to rocks, as it’s important to leave the environment as natural as possible for the animals and for fellow hikers to enjoy in perpetuity. That said, I made sure to uproot and carry down some small scotch broom plants. As many flowers as there are, there are few enough that if we all took one, then there wouldn’t be any left. Take only photos, leave only footprints.
If you haven’t heard of Leave No Trace principles, they’re also really essential to read up on before heading anywhere into the outdoors in general. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like Christopher Rock as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Christopher Rock Round Trip Details
Distance: 2.2 KM / 1.4 MI
Elevation Gain: 240 M / 787 FT
Hiking Time: 1 HR
Hiking & Safety Tips
- Prepare for the possibility of wildlife encounters. There are almost no grizzly bears on Vancouver Island, but black bears are still common. Bear bells are proven to be an ineffective bear deterrent, and are even actively discouraged by Parks Canada. The best way to let bears know you’re around is simply to use your voice. Make sure to keep a respectful distance from wildlife and never feed the animals. It may seem kind but it doesn’t just kill wildlife and put people in danger, it’s also in many cases illegal.
- Research current trail conditions and make sure you are well-informed about the route before you leave, and assess if it is within your capability. Be aware of what time it gets dark and check the weather forecast. Make sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Every year as more and more people try hiking for the first time, the number of rescues goes up. Being prepared is the best defense.
- Pack everything you need for a successful hike, including enough water and energy-rich snacks. Remember to pack out everything you pack in though – don’t expect to find a convenient garbage can halfway up the trail. Bring appropriate layers (remember you’ll warm up once you start hiking) and sun protection. Hiking poles may be helpful but are not required. In addition to not leaving any garbage on the trail yourself, I highly recommend bringing a garbage bag and collecting any trash that you do see on the trail. You’re guaranteed to make the hike up Christopher Rock a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
How to Get to Christopher Rock Trailhead
The Christopher Rock hike is located at the very west end of Youbou on Cowichan Lake. The drive there is about 15 minutes from the town of Lake Cowichan, 35 minutes from Duncan, or an hour and a half from Victoria. Parking is in Arbutus Park, off the left side of the highway. If you drive all the way through Youbou and find yourself in the woods, you’ve gone too far. After parking in Arbutus Park, cross the road and begin walking up Cedar Drive for one of the best views of Cowichan Lake.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Hiking Christopher Rock
Walking up Cedar Drive across the street from Arbutus Park in Youbou.
After keeping along Cedar Drive for a few minutes, the trail is visible on the left.
Continue straight past this abandoned building.
Reaching an old road and the local water facilities. Turn left onto the road and keep following it as it curves left and goes straight until the Christopher Rock trail resumes.
The Christopher Rock trail resuming on the right.
The hike up Christopher Rock is steep but short.
Since initially building the trail the Cowichan Trail blazers have been hard at work improving the route up Christopher Rock. What was formerly a straight uphill grind is now being turned into (slightly) more gentle switchbacks.
An attempt has been made to cover up the old trail to allow the forest to regrow. Respect that and stay on the official switchbacking trail.
While the trail isn’t steep enough to justify a rope, the slippery fine dusty earth combined with the grade make a rope useful especially on the way down.
The main trail continues uphill while a right turn leads to a very short detour overlooking a seasonal waterfall. In summer there is nothing to see sadly.
Approaching the top of the Christopher Rock hike.
The trail gets a little scrambly as it climbs up the steep bare rock of the viewpoint. Views of Cowichan Lake really opening up from here.
The trail continues up and to the right to reach the viewpoint.
The viewpoint atop Christopher Rock. Here are the best views of the entire hike, and the best views of Cowichan Lake from any hike I’ve done yet.
It’s possible to continue a further ten minutes to Eric’s Bluff. The views from this next viewpoint aren’t quite as panoramic though.
Views from Eric’s Bluff.
Recommended Hiking Gear
Water is a must whenever I’m hiking, especially if the sun is going to be out. My favourite water filter I’ve used is the Katadyn BeFree 0.6L, which unlike other water filters I’ve used packs up really small and lightweight. For hikes where I know there won’t be any readily available water sources along the way, I make sure to bring my own. The Hydrapak Stow 1L bottle is my go-to, for the same reason that it’s made of a soft plastic that folds up and doesn’t take up any more extra space than necessary in my pack. Finally, Aquatabs are another great option for purifying water, with one tablet being suitable for one litre of water. I previously used the Grayl water filter while travelling internationally, and though I found its hard body more convenient for day to day use and easier to drink from, it has a little too much bulk for my fast-and-light style of hiking.
The secret to all my photos of gorgeous sunset and sunrise mountaintop views? A lot of hiking in the dark. And let me speak from personal experience when I say that the last thing that you want to happen when hiking is to be caught in the dark without a headlamp. I used the Black Diamond Spot 400 for years and it worked great – until I lost it on top of a mountain somewhere. The only downside to it was having to worry about the batteries dying, though there’s also a slightly more expensive version that has a rechargeable battery. Nowadays I’m using the Petzl Actik Core, which is a bit pricier than the more budget-friendly Black Diamond, but is also brighter, more comfortable (in my opinion), and has a hybrid power system that is rechargeable but can also take AAA batteries if needed.
You won’t see me using trekking poles on shorter hikes often – but on long hikes and backpacking trips, as well as certain scrambles, they are an absolute lifesaver. I’ve invested in a high quality ultra-lightweight pair of MSR DynaLock Ascent carbon poles which, while pricey, I don’t regret one bit. If you’re not entirely sure how much use you’re going to get out of a pair of trekking poles, the best budget-friendly option would be the Trekology Trek Z 2.0. Amazon does sell a lot of cheaper Made in China-style trekking poles for cheaper, but these usually are much much heavier and not worth buying.
All the best and most long-lasting cables and power banks I’ve ever owned have been Anker. I once had a phone cable from them that lasted me over three years of daily use! That’s why I keep an Anker PowerCore Essential 20K power bank on me. Like many people I use my phone for a lot of stuff when hiking (checking in with family, using online maps, taking photos, flying my drone) so I like to be prepared for that low battery warning by having a backup power source on me just in case.
The only socks I ever buy for myself are from Darn Tough, and I almost always make sure to wear them when hiking. After years of having no problems only wearing these comfortable and rugged socks for hikes, I accidentally wore a pair of no-name socks on a hike last year and ended up with blisters on both feet. Safe to say I’m back to sticking with the Darn Tough. And the best part? They have a lifetime guarantee, meaning that if they ever wear out you can send them back for a brand new pair. For hiking footwear I go between a pair of lightweight approach shoes for quick and dirty mountain ascents or anything involving scrambling and more heavy-duty boots for longer treks. I’ve worn a couple different versions of the lightweight but super durable Arc’teryx Konseal FL 2 approach shoes for a few years now and am very impressed with the durability. I also really like the thick toecap that keeps me protected every time I stumble into a root or large rock. For longer, tougher, or muddier treks I rely on my LOWA Camino EVO GTX, which I find insanely comfortable and made of very high quality.
I wear my Ar’teryx Gamma Lightweight Pants on every single hike I go on, and on many days when I’m not hiking. After several years of abuse they are still holding together extraordinarily well, with only a few small holes from where I’ve fallen down and some slight stains from being repeatedly coated with mud. They’re lightweight, breathable, and super comfortable. For lightweight and breathable hiking tops I’m a big fan of both the Patagonia Capilene Shirt and the MEC Core Shirt. My Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody shows up in a lot of my photos. It’s super lightweight and packable, and does a great job of cutting the wind while also being pretty breathable. I also have an Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Arc’teryx Beta LT that I pull out for cooler or wetter conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to hiking Christopher Rock near Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.