Lake Cowichan

Lake Cowichan (Nitinaht: ʕaʔk̓ʷaq c̓uubaʕsaʔtx̣) (pop. 3,325) is a town located near the eastern end of Cowichan Lake and, by highway, is a little over one hour northwest of Victoria, British Columbia. The town of Lake Cowichan was incorporated in 1944 and serves as the focal point of the Cowichan Lake Area, home to the indigenous c̓uubaʕsaʔtx̣ people. The Cowichan River flows through the middle of the town. The Cowichan River is designated as a Heritage River, and is also a popular location for tubing.

Lake Cowichan is at the western end of the Trans Canada Trail, which is the longest trail network in the world, at over 28 000 kilometres. Youbou, with a population of about 1 400 people; Honeymoon Bay, with a population of about 450 people, and Mesachie Lake, with a population of about 200 people, are nearby communities.

Lake Cowichan is today best known for its summer tourism industry, with the lake, river and surrounding mountains providing ample outdoor recreational opportunities, with some of its primary natural attractions being nearby Cowichan River Provincial Park, popular for hiking and fly fishing, and Gordon Bay Provincial Park, popular for camping, kayaking, paddleboarding and swimming. The town is also known for its rich cultural history, with Japanese, Punjabi and Scandinavian loggers pioneering the area's vibrant forestry sector. Lake Cowichan is also the location of the first community twinning program between Canada and Japan, with the district of Ohtaki, part of Date City, Hokkaido, being its sister city.