Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park is on beautiful Salt Spring Island, the largest of the Gulf Islands, and one of the easiest to access.  Ferries go direct to Salt Spring from the Vancouver Ferry Terminal at Tsawassen, and Vancouver Island Ferry Terminal at Schwarz Bay.

The creation of  this day-use only park is a testament to the power of the people united for a common goal. I will explain.

The First Nations have fished and foraged Burgoyne Bay and the surrounding lands for thousands of years. That changed when settlers James Maxwell and John Lunney bought the land and cleared it for a cattle ranch. This land was sold several times, eventually to a German Prince for logging purposes in 1962.

While the Prince was alive, sustainable logging was practiced, but when he died in 1999, Texada Logging Co. gained full control over the land.  They were poised to clear-cut the entire area, when a loud cry of outrage was heard, and the island residents banded together to build a public campaign against the logging company.  This campaign resulted in the sale of the land to a coalition of federal, provincial and local governments and several environmental groups in order to preserve this ecologically important area.

Not only is Burgoyne Bay estuary the only undeveloped salmon-bearing stream left on Salt Spring Island, it is also home to several ecosystems and species at risk, like the red-listed Peregrine Falcon, the blue listed Northern Red-legged frog, the Great Blue Heron and the Northern Pygmy Owl. (Blue list are species of special concern and red listed are species that are endangered or threatened.)

In 2004, this area was made a provincial park.  However, it wasn’t until 2015, when the management plan was completed that trails and paths were laid out and it became a popular area for tourists, hiking and walking clubs, and the local residents.

I have only hiked the short trail to Daffodil Point, one of the many kilometres of trails in this park.  It was a cool but sunny spring day in February (Spring comes very early in the Gulf Islands).  I parked in the small parking lot and followed the narrow trail to Daffodil Point, passing stands of Garry Oak, coastal Douglas Firs, and old-growth Douglas Firs.  In May this small point sticking out into the bay is covered with a carpet of yellow daffodils.  I was too early for this show, and only saw a few shoots starting to peak through the dirt.

Be sure to save time to enjoy the beautiful view of Vancouver Island across the strait.

Other trails in the park are longer and more challenging, leading to nearby Mt. Maxwell Provincial Park and through ecological reserves, as well as walking routes through the old homestead. Here is a map of the trails in Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/burgoyne_bay/burgoyne-bay-trail-map.pdf?v=1574108556296.

There are several private campgrounds on Salt Spring, but the only provincial campground is at Ruckle Provincial Park.  Reservations can be made at https://discovercamping.ca/.

If you visit Salt Spring Island, a hike in Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park will be one of the highlights.  History, nature and culture all rolled into one beautiful park.

For ferry schedules from Vancouver Island https://www.bcferries.com/schedules/southern/sssb-current.php

For ferry schedules from Vancouver https://www.bcferries.com/schedules/southern/vade-current.php

Click here to go to https://648bcparks.ca/my-bucket-list-parks-i-have-visited/(opens in a new tab) for more adventures