Goldstream Provincial Park is located in the city of Langford and is just a short drive from downtown Victoria. The park is a great place to visit on any day of the year, but you definitely want to try and catch the salmon run if you are in the area during the fall season.

Making their way from the Pacific Ocean, the salmon are a joy to watch as they swim up the Goldstream River. The majority of the fish you will see are chum salmon, one of the five species of Pacific salmon. As the salmon enter their breeding stream, they take on a very different appearance than they had in the ocean. Male salmon develop large, hooked jaws and sharper teeth, and both sexes change colouration.

If you watch quietly, you will be able to see the salmon swimming upstream and you may even catch the females making their nests, or “redds.” They do this by repeatedly lifting their tails from the rocky stream bottom, which removes some of the gravel and creates a trench that they then lay their eggs in. Nearby males fight one another for the chance to fertilize the eggs, after which the female covers them up again. The eggs grow over the winter and are prompted to hatch by the warm spring rains in March.

Though chum salmon are the most abundant species in the Goldstream River, you may catch a glimpse of coho salmon and Chinook salmon as well. Speckled cutthroat trout may also be among their ranks, coming to eat the salmon eggs. Small birds called dippers will likewise be around looking for eggs, and every year bald eagles congregate in large numbers to feast on the salmon after they have spawned.

To get the best view of the salmon, make sure to move slowly along the banks so as not to startle them. Salmon can also see bright colours, so try not to wear brightly coloured clothing. Don’t throw any rocks in the river and keep any dogs on a leash and out of the water as well. Sunglasses with polarizing lenses will cut down on glare and help you see what is going on in the water, while binoculars are great to have for bird watching.

In addition to the trails that run along the Goldstream River, the park is crisscrossed by a wide range of hiking trails for people of all abilities and skill levels. When you’re finished watching the salmon, take a relaxing stroll through the stands of Douglas fir and ancient red cedar, some of them 600 years old. There are also wildflowers, majestic waterfalls, and many other attractions that draw people to the area.

The salmon run at Goldstream Provincial Park provides an opportunity to witness one of the most abundant salmon runs in the province. It is great motivation to get outdoors in the cooler fall weather and learn a thing or two about the beautiful natural world around you.