Government Wharf at Burgoyne Bay

Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park in the Southern Gulf Islands is one of three provincial parks on Saltspring Island, along with Mount Maxwell and Ruckle Provincial Park.

The park contains wooded Douglas-fir forests, threatened Garry oak trees, rocky shorelines, open grasslands, culturally significant sites (First Nation middens and gathering places), and a number of old and historic farm buildings.

The park fronts on the productive waters of Burgoyne Bay, which contain the last undeveloped salmon-bearing estuaries on Saltspring Island. Much of the lower part of the park has been logged or used for agricultural purposes, with portions of the lower hayfields gradually returning to natural shrub.

Mount Maxwell viewed from Burgoyne Bay

Created in spring 2004 as a Class A provincial park, Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park originally encompassed 334 hectares, with 190 hectares of additional land acquired and added to the park in 2007 to increase its size to the current 524 hectares.

With nearby protected lands on Mount Maxwell, Mount Sullivan, and Mount Tuam, Burgoyne Bay is part of the largest undeveloped area in the Gulf Islands.

First Nations people have used Burgoyne Valley for thousands of years to access its wealth of fish, plants, and wildlife. Burgoyne Bay contains 11 documented archaeological sites and many other sites of spiritual and cultural significance connected to the creation story of the Hul’qumi’num people.

Government Wharf at Burgoyne Bay

Outdoor recreation in Burgoyne Bay includes boating, horse riding, hiking, and mountain biking along park roads. A public dock operated by the Salt Spring Harbour Authority provides limited opportunities for boat mooring and kayak launching.

Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park is located near Fulford Harbour on Saltspring Island, facing northwest to Sansum Narrows, the channel between Saltspring Island and Vancouver Island.