Cathedral Provincial Park may mark the northern end of the Cascade Range, but as might be expected, these grand mountains go out with a bang, not a whimper. In places you will encounter flora, fauna, and terrain typical of the drier transition landforms that lie between the Washington Cascades and the interior plateaus of British Columbia. But the bulk of the park features forests, stony pinnacles, meadows, lakes, and plenty of wildlife.

The park is mostly wilderness; development is limited to a core area consisting of a privately owned lodge, a park cabin, a bone-jarring dirt road that labours up to the area, three campgrounds, and several delightful trails. Be aware that you cannot drive into the park on your won. Vehicles must be left in the secure parking lot at the base camp, from which you can hike into the park or pay to get a ride. It is hard, all-day hike so most people opt for the lodge’s shuttle service.

You can grasp the essence of Cathedral Provincial Park by exploring the Cathedral Lakes Area, which is made up of six different lakes in the centre of the park: Quiniscoe, Ladyslipper, Scout, Pyramid, Glacier, and Lake of the Woods.