Comox Valley -44 Sites - Google Drive


1		Vancouver Island Nature Viewing Region
2		Comox Valley Area
3		Oyster River Nature Park and Woodhus Slough, Oyster River

4
5	Cedar Waxwing: Bill Heybroek drawing	Seablush meadow: Terry Thormin photo	Chocolate lily: Krista Kaptein photo
6		Spherical Panorama
7		Photo Gallery
8		Bordered by the Oyster River on one side and farm fields on the other, Oyster River Nature Park is full of natural wonders. A broad trail winds through a second growth forest of Douglas-fir, grand fir, western hemlock and bigleaf maple. A side channel, which can be crossed on a wooden footbridge, is evidence of the old riverbed. Along the riverbank, there are several giant black cottonwood trees, and a profusion of pink and white fawn lilies in the spring. Common Mergansers can be seen flying over the river, and looking out to the estuary there are large flocks of gulls and usually a few Bald Eagles. A small pond, ringed with cattails, provides habitat for Pacific Tree Frogs and Rough-skinned Newts. The river supports many fish species, including Coho, Pink, Chum and Chinook salmon. Hikers often continue beyond the park to complete the walk known as the “Pub to Pub” past Woodhus Slough. The hike from the former Fisherman’s Pub at the south goes to the location of the former Salmon Point Pub (burned down in 2019) to the north. Though quite flat, the trail has lots of roots and a few stairs.
9		Comox Valley Naturalists Society
10		Site Map
11	Geographical Description	Floodplain of Oyster River; Seashore from mouth of Oyster River north to Salmon Point. Woodhus Slough is a former saltwater marsh.
12	Area/ Trail Length	Oyster River Nature Park (south end): 5 ha. , longest trail .6 km. Jack Hames Trail to Salmon Point (Pub-to-Pub Trail): 2.4 km one-way. Oyster River Trails Park (north end): 5 ha.
13	Habitat	Riparian 2nd growth forest; sandy beach meadow; sand & cobble beach; marsh; seasonally flooded farm fields adjacent.
14	Highlights	Large cottonwood trees; pink & white fawn lilies, seablush; dragonflies in marsh; waterbirds.
15	Best Season	Spring for flowers, summer for dragonflies, year-round for woods.
16	Main Access	East end of Regent Rd, Oyster River.
20	Secondary Accesses
21	Cautions	Trails can be wet & may flood in winter; forest trails may be unsafe during strong winds. Trail to Salmon Point is partly on private property - respect all signage. Trails may close due to flooding.
22	Jurisdiction	Oyster River Nature Park: Strathcona Regional District Park (Area D) Pub-to-Pub Trail crosses private property: limited public access allowed. Oyster River Trails Park: Strathcona Regional District Park (Area D) Intertidal zone: Provincial MOE; Fish & fish habitat: Federal DFO.
23	Birds	Harlequin Duck, Common Loon, Pacific Loon, Western Grebe, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Pintail, Mallard, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Murre,Glaucous-winged Gull, Mew Gull, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Northwestern Crow, Cedar Waxwing, Rufous Hummingbird, Varied Thrush, American Robin, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Rock Pigeon, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Pacific Wren, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Spotted Towhee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Dark-eyed Junco.
24		Bird List
25	Mammals
26	Reptiles
27	Amphibians
28	Fish	Chinook, coho, chum, pink salmon; cutthroat trout.
29	Intertidal Life
30	Insects
31	Other Species	Banana slug.
32	Trees	Large Sitka spruce, large black cottonwood, Douglas-fir, grand fir, western hemlock, bigleaf maple, red alder, redcedar, occasional arbutus.
33	Shrubs	Salmonberry, thimbleberry, red huckleberry, oceanspray, Oregon grape, Nootka rose, red elderberry, snowberry.
34	Flowering Plants	Pink & white fawn lilies, trillium, slender toothwort, Pacific bleeding heart, chocolate lily, Hooker's fairybells, tall fringecup, miner's lettuce, Siberian miner's lettuce, false lily-of-the-valley, stream violet, twistedstalk, pathfinder, skunk cabbage, little buttercup, ribwort plantain, gold star, big-leaved sandwort, seabeach sandwort , sea blush, death camas, Indian consumption plant.
35	Ferns, Lichens, Mosses	Ferns: lady fern, spiny wood fern, sword fern. Lichens: Ramelina sp., sunburst lichens (Xanthoria sp.), lungwort (Lobaria pulmonaria),dust lichens (Lipraria sp.)
36	Other Species	Scouring rush.
37	Invasive/ Non- native species	Invasive species: Wall-lettuce, holly, Scotch broom, periwinkle, Himalayan blackberry. Black slug. Introduced species: laurel tree.
38		Plant List
39	Mushrooms
40	Geology	The Oyster River bed is known for flowerstone (porphyry) - feldspar crystals in dark matrix.
41	Regulations	Dogs on leash, no motorized vehicles, no smoking, no camping, no fires. Park closed 11 p.m.- 5 a.m. Horses & bikes permitted.
42	Facilities	Parking area; Pit toilets; Interpretive signs; occasional picnic tables & benches. Dog bags at Salmon Point trailhead.
43	Other Features	Two Regional District well sites & water pumping station. Bridge over side channel of Oyster River. Water level markers in marsh. Memorial plaque at marsh.
44	Other Connections
45	History	Prior to 2005 most of the Woodhus Slough area and trail was owned by the University of BC Research Dairy Farm. UBC sold the dairy farm and associated lands to a local farmer in 2005. The farm lands have undergone several changes since that time. The Strathcona Regional District owns small areas of park at both ends of the trail ie. Oyster River Nature Park and the first part of the trail from Salmon Point. There is also a strip of Crown Land adjacent to the shore. In 2012 a Conservation Covenant was established on parts of the Oyster River floodplain including the Woodhus Slough area. The public has been given permission to use the trail through private property.
46	FMI	Strathcona Regional District Parks
48		Oyster River Enhancement Society
50		Comox Tide Tables
51		eBird Hotspot
52		© 2011-2023 Comox Valley Naturalists Society