Lake Helen Mackenzie and Battleship Lake Loop Hike is a nice moderate difficulty loop for beginners who want to experience alpine hiking. This heavy traffic trail is extended for 8.5 km (5.2 miles) and is surrounded by amazing scenery and splendid nature. Hikers who choose this trail for adventure can gain an elevation of 301 m (987.5 ft). The elevation gain is quite gradual, enabling all skill levels to hike around this extraordinary trail. Besides hiking, Lake Helen Mackenzie and Battleship Lake Loop Hike is the proper choice for bird watching, nature trips, walking, and wildflower watching. You can plan family time with well-kept facilities available. Dogs are also allowed but keep them on a leash.
The Lake Helen Mackenzie and Battleship Lake Loop Hike is placed north of Lake Helen Mackenzie and Helen Mackenzie Lake Campground in the Forbidden Plateau area, part of Strathcona Provincial Park. The trail is accessible all year round and is enriched with large trees and marvellous logging roads. The trailhead start and ending point are the Raven Lodge's parking lot on Nordic Drive. Alpine forest and sub-alpine meadows, yellow cedar, amabilis fir, and mountain hemlock, and raised wooden walkways are some of the most renowned features of this hiking trail. There are numerous sub-alpine glades and small ponds. Moreover, Mt. Elma and Mt Brooks are extended over the sides of the lake.
The destination to start hiking the Lake Helen Mackenzie and Battleship Lake Loop Hike trail is Raven Lodge, Mount Washington Alpine Resort.
From Nanaimo:
Getting to Raven Lodge from Nanaimo is via BC-19 N. It is 135 km (83.8 miles) and takes about an hour and a half.
Head west on Fitzwilliam St toward Wesley St and go on for 800 m (2887 ft). Continue onto Third St and after 1.9 km (1.18 miles), choose Jingle Pot Rd. After 650 m (2132.5 ft), turn right onto BC-19 N (signs for Campbell R) and drive 112 km (69.5 miles). Turn left onto Strathcona Pkwy (signs for Strathcona Parkway) and go on for 17.3 km (10.7 miles). Turn left onto Nordic Dr. Destination will be on the left, and after 2.5 km (1.5 miles), you will reach Raven Lodge, Mount Washington Alpine Resort.
From Victoria:
Raven Lodge is about 245 km (152.2 miles) away from Victoria. The whole route is about two hours and 45 minutes from Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N and BC-19 N.
Take Government St to Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N for 1.2 km (0.7 miles). Follow Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N and BC-19 N to Strathcona Pkwy and drive 224 km (139.1 miles). Continue on Strathcona Pkwy. Drive to Nordic Dr, and after 19.8 km (12.3 miles), you will reach Raven Lodge, Mount Washington Alpine Resort.