British Columbia Magazine

Great shot of two bald eagles fighting over the same prey.

📸: Daly Stock

BC's intertidal zones along the Juan de Fuca Strait support some of the most species-dense marine communities on the Pacific coast.

The purple and red sea urchins visible here are both native to BC waters, with purple urchins typically found in higher, wave-exposed zones and red urchins, the larger of the two, more common in deeper, calmer water. Both species are ecologically significant: left unchecked by predators like sea otters and sunflower sea stars, urchin populations can expand rapidly and graze kelp forests down to bare rock.

The giant green anemone at the bottom of the frame is one of the largest anemone species in the world, capable of reaching 30 centimetres in diameter.

Stunning shot, 📷 (via instagram)

Wildflower season is underway in BC. Blooms typically begin at lower alpine elevations in June before peaking in July and August, with higher elevations in the Interior and Rockies continuing into September. Mount Revelstoke National Park is one of the most reliable destinations, with the Meadows in the Sky Parkway putting visitors in the middle of alpine meadows where arctic lupine, Indian paintbrush, glacier lily, sitka valerian and mountain heather are common.

Glacier National Park in southeastern BC supports over 500 flowering plant species, with peak viewing from late July to mid-September. Manning Park's Heather and Skyline trails are among the most accessible options from the Lower Mainland. Many alpine species complete their entire life cycle in just a few weeks after snowmelt.

Where in BC are you catching wildflowers this summer?

🔗 bcmag.ca/the-return-of-the-mountain-wildflower-season

Cathedral Provincial Park has fully reopened, nearly three years after the Crater Creek wildfire burned through most of the 33,300-hectare wilderness area southwest of Keremeos in August 2023. The fire destroyed the Ashnola River bridge, damaged the main 16-kilometre service road, and wiped out two backcountry campgrounds.

Restoration work, funded largely through the federal Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program at an estimated total cost of $6.5 million, has included replacing the vehicle bridge, clearing hazard trees from all affected trails, and restoring key staging areas. Backcountry camping at Quiniscoe Lake is now available with reservations required through BC Parks from June 27 to September 12.

Have you been to Cathedral Park before?

🔗 bcmag.ca/cathedral-park-fully-reopens

BC has six ferry routes worth taking purely for the scenery. The Port Hardy to Prince Rupert Inside Passage is the standout, a 16.5-hour journey through sheltered coastal channels where humpback whales, orcas, sea lions and bald eagles are regular sightings, with long stretches where there are no roads, communities or visible development.

The Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route threads through Active Pass between Galiano and Mayne islands, while the Port Hardy to Bella Coola service stops at communities like Bella Bella, Ocean Falls and Shearwater that have no road access at all. Even the 40-minute Horseshoe Bay to Langdale crossing offers views of Howe Sound, North America's southernmost fjord. Full guide at the link in bio. Which BC ferry route is your favourite?

🔗 bcmag.ca/the-most-scenic-ferry-routes-in-british-columbia

The Green Heron is one of the smaller herons found in BC, and one of the more elusive. It is a breeding visitor to extreme southern BC from March through mid-November, favouring swamps, marshes, ponds and other shallow wetland habitats with dense tree and shrub cover. In BC, sightings occur largely at low elevations below 250 metres, typically along riparian edges of slow-moving rivers, streams and sloughs.

Green Herons hunt by standing motionless at the water's edge, waiting for small fish to approach before striking. They are also one of the rare bird species documented using tools, dropping small objects onto the water's surface to lure fish within striking range. Northern populations migrate south in September and October, wintering as far as Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador before returning in spring.

📷 V Schmidt Photography

A Port Moody pizzeria has been ranked the best in Canada by one of Italy's most respected culinary authorities. Pizzeria Spacca Napoli on St. Johns Street has received the "Tre Spicchi" designation from Gambero Rosso for the third consecutive year, making it the highest-ranked Canadian pizzeria in the guide.

Gambero Rosso, founded in Rome in 1986, is considered one of Italy's leading authorities on food and wine, and its Tre Spicchi rating is the highest recognition it awards to pizza establishments worldwide. Spacca Napoli was the first Canadian pizzeria to receive the designation when it earned it in 2024. The restaurant uses imported Italian ingredients, slow-fermented dough, and a wood-fired oven, with a team trained in the traditional Neapolitan style.

🔗 bcmag.ca/italian-food-guide-names-port-moody-restaurant-canadas-top-pizzeria