100 Nature Hot Spots in British Columbia ― The Best Parks, Conservation Areas and Wild Places

An illustrated guide to British Columbia's most popular nature getaways and best-kept secrets.

The well-known slogan for Canada's westernmost province is "Super, Natural British Columbia," a fitting tribute to its legendary natural beauty. The entire province is richly blessed with lush rainforests, snow-capped mountains, rugged coastlines and unique wildlife.

100 Nature Hot Spots in British Columbia is a beautifully illustrated guidebook that explores this province's remarkable splendor and natural diversity. Each entry includes a descriptive destination profile, beautiful four-color photographs and at-a-glance information about special features and their locations.

The hot spots are divided into six chapters -- Vancouver Island and the Coast; Central British Columbia; Lower Mainland; Okanagan, Similkameen and the Surrounding Area; Kootenay Region; and Northern British Columbia. Here are just some of the destinations:

• Bowen Island
• Enderby Cliffs Provincial Park
• Garibaldi (Provincial) Park
• Hot Springs Cove
• Othello Tunnels
• Botanical Beach
• Haida Gwaii
• Top of the World Provincial Park
• Whistler Olympic Park
• Desolation Sound Marine Protected Area
• George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary
• Saturna Island
• Bear and Salmon Glaciers
• Bella Coola Valley

The locations have been carefully selected to appeal to a wide audience, from locals and visitors to families and outdoor enthusiasts. Anyone who is eager to discover new places in British Columbia to hike, photograph wildlife, camp and paddle, whether going on a day trip, a weekend getaway or an extended holiday will welcome this thorough guidebook.

British Columbia is an increasingly popular global destination, with over nine million visitors in 2016.

Lyndsay Fraser is the curator and content developer of environmental education programs and exhibits at Science World British Columbia in Vancouver. She is a writer and content advisor for K-12 student and teacher resources on British Columbia's natural history and environmental education.

Christina Smyth is a secondary school science teacher from Princeton, British Columbia. She has worked as an interpretive naturalist and outdoor educator and is published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology for her work with marine isopods.