The Cowichan Valley Trail will take you from Duncan through Lake Cowichan and down past the Kinsol Trestle following former CN and E&N railway lines. With many access points and 8 trestles, it's a beautiful trail to walk, jog or bike. From the Island Spirit Team, we hope you enjoy your time in the Cowichan Valley.
All the Island Spirit Legacy Caches are within a 2 steps of the trail, unless otherwise noted. There is no need to bushwack or trample the vegetation.
Dipper
The Dipper is the only true aquatic songbird in North America. These little birds catch all of their food underwater in swiftly flowing streams. Dippers will swim down and walk along the bottom, feeding on insects and their larvae and even making a meal of fish eggs. The name Dipper however comes from how they search for food. When looking for prey they will repeatedly ‘dip’ their heads under water often up to 60 times per minute. Evolution has provided these little birds with a low metabolism, a thick coat of feathers and an extra oxygen carrying capacity in it’s blood. In late summer the Dipper will molt its wing feathers and tail feathers all at once, this leaves the little bird flightless.