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Vancouver Island Nature Viewing Region
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Comox Valley Area
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Seal Bay Forest and Nature Park, Comox
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MacGillivray's Warbler:
Bill Heybroek drawing		Melda's Marsh: Krista Kaptein photoRough-skinned Newt: Krista Kaptein photo
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Spherical Panorama
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 Photo Gallery
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In ancient times the K’ómoks Band called Seal Bay Park Forest & Nature Park Xwee Xwby Luq or “place of serenity and beauty.” On the seaside of the 652-hectare regional park, trails offer several paths through the forest and along fern-filled ravines, to bluffs with a cobblestone beach below, which offers fine views of the Strait of Georgia and BC mainland. Seals and sea lions can often be seen in the distance sunning themselves on rocks or, occasionally at low tide, on patches of sandy beach. Bald Eagles, loons and gulls are almost always present. The inland portion of the park contains designated hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails. The forest is largely composed of second growth Douglas-fir with small components of Sitka spruce, shore pine and western white pine, as well as a unique Vancouver Island subspecies of trembling aspen. Vestiges of old logging practices can be observed in some of the massive old cedar stumps. The inland section of the park also contains several freshwater swamps. Some trails are wheelchair accessible.
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Comox Valley Naturalists Society
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Site Map
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Geographical DescriptionLarge contiguous piece of second growth forest on the Strait of Georgia, with ravines, seasonal waterfall and an escarpment face down to the waterfront.
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Area/ Trail LengthSeal Bay Forest: 500 ha. on west side of Bates Rd.
Seal Bay Nature Park: 152 ha includes Melda’s Marsh & east side of Bates Rd; 1.1 km shoreline.
Wide range of trails: 2 km wheelchair accessible loop; approx. 30 km. of trails total; steep trails down to beach.
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HabitatOlder 2nd growth forest; riparian along ravine; freshwater marshes; rocky beach.
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HighlightsLarge tract of older 2nd growth forest; variety of habitats; vancouveriana trembling Aspen, sedge & crabapple wetland unique to Vancouver Island.
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Best SeasonWinter for waterbirds; Year-round for woods; Summer at low tide.
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Main Access2100 Bates Rd.
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Secondary AccessesNorth end of Mitchell Rd; east end of Grieve Rd; east end of Fitzell Rd; east end of Clark Rd; east end of Hardy Rd; south end of Loxley Rd; south end of Seacliff Rd; west end of Seabank Rd; Lois Jane Pl; south end of Langlois Rd.; end of Huband Rd.; end of Barbara Rd. Greenway.
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CautionsTrails can be wet in winter & wash out occasionally; forest trails may be unsafe during strong winds.
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JurisdictionNature Park: Comox Valley Regional District Park (Area B).
Forest: Crown land with license of occupation to CVRD for parks purposes.
Intertidal zone: Provincial MOE;
Fish & fish habitat: Federal DFO.
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BirdsBald Eagle & nest; Mallard, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Purple Finch, Spotted Towhee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Raven, Pacific Wren, Brown Creeper, Orange-crowned Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Western Tanager, Bewick’s Wren, Marsh Wren, Red-winged Blackbird, Rufous Hummingbird.
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Bird List
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MammalsSea lions, seals, Red Squirrel, Beaver. Pine Marten, Black Bear, and Roosevelt Elk have been seen in the Park.
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Reptiles
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AmphibiansPacific tree frog, rough-skinned newt.
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Fish
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Other speciesBanana slug, millipede, terrestrial snail.
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Insects
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TreesVancouveriana trembling Aspen grove; Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, western redcedar, shore pine, western white pine, western hemlock, grand fir, red alder, bitter cherry, cascara, bigleaf maple, black cottonwood, Pacific crab apple, willow sp., Pacific yew. One Garry oak near Clark Rd. entrance.
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ShrubsRed huckleberry, red-osier dogwood, salmonberry, hardhack, Oregon grape, salal, oceanspray, black twinberry, twinflower.
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Flowering PlantsSkunk cabbage, pathfinder, vanilla leaf, little buttercup, false lily-of-the-valley, Lyall’s anemone, water hemlock, yellow pond lily.
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Ferns, Lichens, MossesBracken fern, sword fern, licorice fern, deer fern, lady fern.
Step moss, Oregon lanky moss, Plagiomnium moss (Plagiomnium ciliare) .
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Other Species
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Invasive/Non-native speciesInvasive plants: holly, Scotch broom, yellow archangel.
Non-native species: Black slug.
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Plant List
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MushroomsFalse morel, polyspore sp.
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GeologyThe land runs in a series of parallel north-south ridges and depressions with corresponding vegetation.
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RegulationsDogs to be leashed from April 1 to June 30 in Forest & to be leashed at all times in Nature Park (marsh trail & east side trails). Horses allowed on marked trails. Bicycles allowed on marked trails. No motorized vehicles.
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FacilitiesParking lot at 2100 Bates Road, roadside parking at other accesses; Bike rack; Pit toilets; Benches; Trail signs; Viewing platforms at marsh.
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Other FeaturesMemorial features for Melda Buchanan, Jim Egan, Russ Coupland and Don Apps; trail named for Don Apps; Water tower at Mitchell Rd; Control dam at Melda's Marsh.
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Other Connections
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FMIComox Valley Regional District Parks
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Seal Bay Park Trail Map pdf
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Comox District Mountaineering Club
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Comox Valley Regional District Beach Accesses
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Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas
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Ecological Inventory of Melda's Marsh 2012
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Flora and Fauna of Seal Bay Park & Forest:1980-81
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Seal Bay Forest: Environmental Importance and History of Establishment
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Hiking Trails 3: Northern Vancouver Island
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Tide Tables
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eBird Hotspot