Hikes, Parks & Viewpoints on Mayne Island: A Local's Guide
Quick answer: The best hikes on Mayne Island are Mount Parke Regional Park for the island's highest viewpoint, the easy Bennett Bay to Campbell Point trail in Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, and Edith Point and St. John Point for forest and shoreline. Georgina Point Lighthouse and the Japanese Memorial Garden are short, easy stops.
Mayne is a small island, but it packs in a lot of good walking. You can climb to the island's high point in the morning, wander old forest by the sea after lunch, and watch the ferries slide through Active Pass before dinner. Most trails are short, so you can do two or three in a day without rushing. This guide covers the parks and lookouts we send friends to, with the practical details you need: how to get there, where to park, dog rules, and what to bring.
Who looks after Mayne's parks
Most of our trails are short, so slow down. The best part of a Mayne walk is usually the stop at the top or by the water.
Respect the land, its history and its neighbours
Mayne Island sits within the traditional territories of Coast Salish peoples, including W̱SÁNEĆ and Hul'qumi'num-speaking nations. Parks Canada manages Gulf Islands National Park Reserve together with a board of Coast Salish First Nations. Some places carry their own names, like ŦÁ,WEN at St. John Point. Leave shells, stones, bones and any cultural objects where you find them.
Much of the island is private land, and many trails run right next to homes. Stay on marked trails, obey posted boundaries, and do not park on the road where signs say not to. At Edith Point, a family still lives at the tip, so please be quiet and courteous.
Fire is our biggest worry in summer. The island is heavily forested and we rely on a volunteer fire department. Fires are banned year-round in the CRD parks and in the national park reserve, and outdoor burning is often banned island-wide in dry months. Never smoke on the trails. Check current restrictions with Mayne Island Fire Rescue and BC Wildfire Service before you light anything, even at your rental.
Finally, pack it in, pack it out. There is no garbage pickup in the parks, so carry out all your trash, including dog bags and orange peels, plus anything you find left behind by someone else. Cigarette butts don't belong on the trail and are a wildfire risk in dry grass. Stay on durable trails to protect wildflowers and Garry oak meadows, and give seals, sea lions and nesting birds plenty of space.
Mount Parke Regional Park
The island's high point and our favourite workout. This 49-hectare CRD regional park climbs through cedar, alder and arbutus to a ridge at about 255 metres, with views south over the Penders, Saturna and Salt Spring. Watch for ravens, bald eagles and turkey vultures riding the updrafts. In spring, blue-eyed Mary and other wildflowers bloom on the slopes.
- Getting there: From the Village Bay ferry, take Village Bay Road, turn right on Fernhill Road, then right on Montrose Road to the end. About 10 minutes by car.
- Trails: Rated moderate by the CRD. Local trail notes describe an easy 1.3 km Lowland Nature Trail and a 2.9 km circuit up the Halliday Ridge Trail and down the Old Gulch Trail. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the full loop. The network can be confusing the first time, so grab a map at the kiosk.
- Facilities: Parking lot, information kiosk and a toilet.
- Dogs: Under control or on a leash. Pick up after them.
- Rules: Open sunrise to sunset. No bikes, camping, open fires, smoking or alcohol.
CRD: Mount Parke Regional Park
St. John Point Regional Park
A 26-hectare waterfront park on the south shore, protected in 2017. Easy paths lead down to two quiet beaches, and a rougher trail follows the rocky bluffs. Coast Salish peoples know this place as ŦÁ,WEN, where coho salmon were fished. Before the Second World War, Japanese settlers farmed a small area near the entrance.
- Getting there: Village Bay Road, right on Fernhill Road, then right on Horton Bay Road.
- Parking: A small lot that holds about 7 vehicles. Roadside parking on Horton Bay Road is not allowed, because it blocks emergency access. If the lot is full, come back later.
- Dogs: On leash, and pack out what they leave.
- Rules: Open sunrise to sunset. Stay on marked trails. No bikes, camping, fires, smoking or alcohol.
CRD: St. John Point Regional Park
Bennett Bay and Campbell Point (Gulf Islands National Park Reserve)
This is Mayne's piece of the national park reserve, and one of the easiest good walks on the island. A wide, mostly flat trail runs out to Campbell Point through a patch of remnant old-growth forest, with views across to Georgeson Island. Bennett Bay itself is a popular sandy beach and a common kayak launch.
- Trail: Easy. Parks Canada lists 1.5 km to the point (about 15 minutes) or a 40-minute loop.
- Access: From Bennett Bay Road, on the east side of the island.
- Dogs: On leash at all times in the national park reserve.
- Fires: Not allowed anywhere in the park reserve, including beaches.
- Wildlife: Seals are common in summer and sea lions in winter. Give them room, and stay well back from seal pups. Landing on Georgeson Island and the nearby islets needs special permission from Parks Canada.
Parks Canada: Gulf Islands hiking trails
Georgina Point Lighthouse Heritage Park
At the end of Georgina Point Road, the island's northern tip looks straight down Active Pass to Galiano. It is the place to watch ferries thread the pass, spot seals, and bring a picnic. The light was first lit in 1885. The current concrete tower dates from 1969 and was designated a heritage lighthouse in 2013. The tower itself is closed to the public, but the grounds are open for walking and picnics. Active Pass is an Important Bird Area, so bring binoculars.
- Facilities: Picnic tables and open lawns. No real trail, so this is an easy stop for all ages.
- Who looks after it: The land is part of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, and the grounds are kept up by local volunteers.
Japanese Memorial Garden at Dinner Bay Park
A quiet, carefully tended garden with ponds, bridges, a waterfall, a meditation hut and cherry trees. It honours the Japanese Canadian families who lived and farmed on Mayne from about 1900 until they were forcibly removed in 1942. Volunteers with the Mayne Island Parks and Recreation Commission restored it, and a commemorative plaque was unveiled in 2002. Please treat it as a memorial: walk gently, keep voices low, and stay on the paths.
Dinner Bay Park, at the bottom of Dinner Bay Road, also has a playground, picnic shelters, a playing field and beach access. It is one of the few spots on the island with public washrooms.
Japanese Memorial Garden history
Edith Point Conservation Area
About 87 acres of coastal Douglas-fir and arbutus forest on the northeast shore, protected through the federal Ecological Gifts Program in 2022. The Nature Conservancy of Canada holds the land and the Mayne Island Conservancy looks after the trails. Three trails wander through the forest and along bluffs high above the water, where seals and sea lions haul out below.
- Access: Walk-in only from the end of Edith Point Road. Park considerately so you do not block driveways or the gate.
- Private land: A family keeps a private parcel at the tip and has an easement on the middle trail, so you may meet their vehicle. Respect the posted boundaries.
- Rules: Dogs on leash. No bikes. Some cliff-edge sections are closed for safety and plant protection. No facilities, so bring water.
Mayne Island Regional Trail
Opened in 2024, this 2.3 km gravel path links the Village Bay ferry terminal with Miners Bay, under tall Douglas-firs and away from traffic. It is open 24 hours and shared by walkers and cyclists. Heading away from the ferry it is uphill most of the way, so take your time. Dogs must be on a leash. It makes a good walk if you arrived on foot, and Miners Bay has food at the other end. See our local dining guide.
Before You Head Out
Download the Trail Passport (PDF)
Mayne Island Trail Passport
- Water: most trails have no taps
- Sturdy shoes: roots, rock and steep bits
- A layer and rain shell, even in summer
- Leash and poop bags for your dog
- A bag to pack out all your garbage
- Binoculars for eagles, seals and Active Pass
- A paper map or downloaded trail map
- Check fire restrictions in summer
- Plan to be off CRD trails by sunset
Tick off every trail and park on Mayne.
Download the Trail Passport (PDF)
