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.
Roosevelt Elk
With a population of over 3000 on Vancouver Island, this is one of only two places worldwide that has a pure gene pool of Roosevelt Elk. Primarily on the north end of the island, they can be found as far south as the Cowichan Valley and west to Port Renfrew. The largest of the elk family, the bulls can weight as much as 500 kgs and can live up to 15 years. They have antlers which regrow each year, their first year they grow a spike, their second year and third years they grow larger, but after the 3rd year the antlers tend to stay the same size just growing in weight and girth. Aside from humans, the only predator that the Elk have is the Vancouver Island Wolf and they are more likely to take on deer and other smaller animals for ease, even cougars generally avoid elk.