Before You Go: Salt Spring Essentials
Salt Spring has three ferry terminals, which is convenient and also slightly confusing.
From Vancouver:
- Tsawwassen to Long Harbour (Salt Spring): Direct ferry, roughly 90 minutes, less frequent sailings. Non-direct ferries stop at other Gulf Islands en route, making the sailing up to 3 hours.
- Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (Victoria), then Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour (Salt Spring): More frequent but requires two ferries
From Vancouver Island:
- Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour: 35 minutes, frequent sailings, this is the easiest route if you're coming from Victoria
- Crofton to Vesuvius Bay: 20 minutes, super frequent, good if you're coming from up-island
My Recommendation: If you're coming from Vancouver and you can time it right, take the direct Tsawwassen to Long Harbour ferry. One ferry is always better than two. But if the timing doesn't work, the Swartz Bay connection is fine, just budget an extra hour.
Ferry Reality Check: Summer weekends require reservations unless you want to wait for multiple sailings. Book your ferry as soon as you book your campsite. The Long Harbour route especially fills up fast.
Vehicle or Not: You'll want a vehicle on Salt Spring. The island is too spread out to walk or bike everywhere, and there's no real public transit. If you're foot passengers, you'll be limited to what's near Ganges.
There is a slight exception to what I just said. The island takes about 45 minutes by car to go tip to tip and would take you all day on foot, BUT it is actually an immensely popular place for bike packers to visit. The last time we camped at Ruckle, nearly every second group had come by bike. But the island is big and hilly, so these are all cycling enthusiasts with nice bikes and strong legs. So it is technically accessible by bike if you're up for the challenge, but it's not like Savary Island, where anyone can just hop on an old bike and rip around.
Book ferry reservations for summer weekends, or you'll be waiting multiple sailings.
Where to Stay: Ganges is the main town with most amenities. The south end near Fulford is quieter and closer to Ruckle Park. The north end has beautiful ocean views.
How Long Do You Need: A weekend works for hitting the highlights, but 3-5 days lets you actually slow down and live island time.
Location Map
All locations mentioned in this blog are pinned here so you can visualize your trip!
1. Saturday Farmers Market
This is non-negotiable. The Salt Spring Saturday Market in Ganges (April-October) is legitimately one of the best farmers' markets in British Columbia, and possibly the most important cultural institution on the island.
Over 140 vendors sell organic produce, baked goods, handmade crafts, art, jewelry, clothing, and the kind of hippie-meets-hipster products that define Salt Spring. Live music plays while people wander, buskers do magic tricks or paint faces, heck, you can even get a tarot card reading.
Everyone's here. Tourists, locals, farmers, artists, families, retirees, old-school hippies in tie-dye standing next to tech workers who just bought vacation properties. It feels like the entire island funnels through the market at some point during the weekend.
We actually made this our first stop after getting off the ferry at Long Harbour, and it ended up being the perfect introduction to Salt Spring. At first, it just felt busy and colourful with live music somewhere in the background, food stalls steaming away, handmade soaps beside organic vegetables beside someone selling driftwood sculptures, but over the next few days, we realized the market was basically a preview of the entire island condensed into one place.
You could immediately spot the longtime Salt Spring crowd: older hippies who looked like they’d been coming to the market since the 70s, people who probably never really left that era behind in the best possible way. Then there was the younger generation carrying that same energy forward, dressed like characters from That ‘70s Show, selling ceramics, natural skincare, or handmade jewelry. But it wasn’t only that stereotype either. There were younger vendors with a quieter, more modern vibe: still laid back, still unmistakably “Salt Spring,” just without the tie-dye uniform. Farmers unloading produce beside professional artists with polished booths. Young families grabbing pastries beside cyclists in expensive gear. Tourists were trying locally made cider while locals casually caught up with each other in line for coffee.
At the time, it just seemed eclectic. Later, after driving around the island for a few days, hiking coastal trails, passing roadside farm stands, stopping at wineries, and seeing how many people genuinely make things with their hands here, the market made a lot more sense. It wasn’t a curated attraction put on for visitors. It was the island’s different identities all overlapping in one shared space. Agriculture, art, tourism, wealth, counterculture, small-town community, and a strong “do your own thing” attitude all somehow coexist on Salt Spring without feeling forced.
Looking back, the market worked almost like an appetizer for the island. In a single morning, you get little glimpses of everything you’re about to experience over the next few days, even if you don’t realize it yet.
Hours: Usually 8:30 am-4 pm Saturdays, April through October. Check current dates before planning your trip around them.
2. Hike Mount Erskine
Mount Erskine is Salt Spring's signature hike, and for good reason. It's challenging enough to feel like a proper workout but short enough to be a quick morning mission or an epic sunset spot.
There are a few ways you can get to the summit. The much easier way is to follow the Mount Erskine Loop on AllTrails. This trail starts from a big roundabout at the end of a residential road where you can park. This route starts you off quite high, whereas some other routes you're hiking all the way, starting from sea level.
Trail Map
You can follow the AllTrails route to the summit, and it's pretty straightforward, but I did a little exploring around the trail network, and I think there is a detour worth pursuing. Take a look at the AllTrails map and zoom in, and you can see that each trail segment is numbered. It has you going up #1, connecting with #2 up to the summit, then following 2 back down to your car.
If you look for where the #1 branches off to #4, that's the detour we want. If you follow #4, it will take you to a lookout that is slightly lower than the true peak, but it actually has significantly better views. It has fewer obstructions, and there will be a much better spot for photos. It's not that out of the way either. From the end of #4, you can easily connect up #3 to merge back onto #2 and follow the AllTrails all the way to the peak.
| Distance | Elevation | Time | Type | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8 km | 214 m | 1.5 h | loop | moderate |
The trail itself is wide, well-marked, and easy to follow. Overall, it's a bit steep, but it's a short one. If you don't hike at all, this might be a bit of a challenge, but just take it slow and drink lots of water, and anyone should be able to make it to the top. If you hike even a little bit, you will probably find this to be a quick, fun walk.
3. Camp at Ruckle Provincial Park
The provincial park itself has over 240 hectares of parkland on the southeast corner of the island with walk-in campsites right on the water. Ruckle is what most people picture when they think of "Gulf Islands camping."
The Setup: 78 sites scattered through coastal forest and oceanfront meadows. You park in a central lot and walk anywhere from 50 meters to 500 meters to your site with your gear. Some sites are tucked in the trees, others are literally on the rocky shoreline.
Note: There are massive wheelbarrows by the parking lot that you can load your gear into to wheel down to the campsite. This makes it way easier, especially for the sites that are quite far down the coast. Just remember to bring back the wheelbarrow because there are only 5 or 6 of them and they are shared between 78 sites.
Why It's Great: This is peak BC parks camping. The facilities are basic but well-maintained. You have fresh drinking water and drop toilets throughout the camp. The sites themselves are scattered across a stunning stretch of coastline on the south of the island. Every site has a picnic table, and they all have their unique advantages. There really are no bad spots, but they all are a little different.
For more details about how to choose a spot, what else there is to do in the park, and other camping options on the island, check out our dedicated camping guide.
4. Explore Ruckle Park's Coastal Trails
Ruckle Park Shoreline Trail is one of the best hikes on the island. It starts from the campsite and follows the coast all the way up to King's Cove before looping back through the Ruckle farm. The whole way along the coast, you will be passing by amazing viewpoints and a dozen or so small beaches. Unfortunately, we did this hike on our last morning on the island, so we didn't have time to stop at any of the beaches, but next time, I think we will dedicate a full day to just beach hoping along this trail.
Trail Map
If you want to extend this hike, instead of following the AllTrails, which loops back into the farm, you can continue on up all the way to Yeo Point. This is another great viewpoint next to one of the nicest pebble beaches on this part of the coast.
The trail itself is a pretty easy hike. There are a few hills to go up and down, but it's mostly a flat seaside stroll. There are a dozen or so hidden beaches you will pass. Some are just pretty to look at, and others beg you to stop for a moment or even to take a dip.
If you loop back through the farm, you will be walking along fenced-in areas, so your chances of seeing animals grazing along the way are high. The animals move around, and the farm puts them in different fields all the time, so I can't guarantee what you will see or if there will be any out when you pass by. But hey, if there is even a small chance of seeing some sheep, goats, or highland coos, I'll roll those dice.
5. Kayak the Coastline
If you've got a kayak or paddleboard, bring it. Salt Spring's protected waters are perfect for paddling, with countless coves, islands, and beaches to explore.
Best Launch Spots:
- Ruckle Park (if you're camping there)
- Vesuvius Bay (calm, good for beginners)
- Fulford Harbour (easy access, parking available)
What You'll See: Seals, sea lions, otters, eagles, herons, and occasionally orcas or porpoises if you're lucky. The coastline is rocky and dramatic, with hidden beaches and coves you can only access by water.
Rentals: If you don't have your own boat, there are a couple of outfitters in Ganges that rent kayaks and SUPs. Book ahead in summer.
Conditions: Generally calm, but wind can pick up in the afternoons. Stay close to shore if you're not experienced, and always check the weather before heading out.
Pro Tip: Sunset paddles are magical. The light on the water, the quiet evening air, the sense of having the coast to yourself is peak Salt Spring.
6. Visit Salt Spring Island Cheese
Salt Spring Island Cheese is famous across BC for its goat and sheep milk cheeses, and visiting the farm is part of the island experience.
What to Do: The cheese shop is open year-round, and you can sample their products before buying. The farmstead itself is beautiful, with rolling pastures with goats and sheep grazing, mountain views in the background, and a pastoral island vibe that could make you question your urban life choices.
Must-Try: Their goat cheese is excellent, but the Juliette (a soft cheese with edible ash rind) is legendary. Also, try the chèvre and any seasonal varieties they're making.
When to Visit: Spring through fall for the best farm experience. Baby goats in spring are ridiculously cute.
Location: South end of the island, easy to combine with a visit to Fulford Harbour or a hike in Ruckle Park.
7. Beach Day at Beddis Beach
I'll be totally honest. Salt Spring is not my top pick for a beach destination in BC. Tofino, or the Sunshine Coast have much nicer beaches, but there are still a few lovely spots to lounge and swim. Beddis Beach is one of my favourites on the island.
One important thing to note is that this is a morning and early afternoon beach. By 3 or 4, most of the beach is shaded over. But if you make this one of your first stops of the day, it's one of the best spots to swim on the whole island.
It's not a massive beach, but it's a big stretch of white sand that could easily accommodate a few dozen large groups without feeling crowded. The water here is pretty shallow and tends to be quite calm, making it the perfect spot to wade in and take a dunk or float around.
If cold water isn't your thing, don't worry. It's also a great place to lay out a towel and get going on a new book you picked up in Ganges. You will probably only be sharing the space with a handful of locals, so it's a great, peaceful vibe to soak in for a few hours.
It's best at high tide, but even at the lowest tide, it's still a great spot to swim. It just becomes a bit longer of a walk to the water's edge.
Parking is free and easy. There is lots of space on the road to park, and there is a short sandy trail (like just 30 meters) that leads you down to the beach.
8. Swim at Vesuvius Beach
Vesuvius Beach is Salt Spring's most accessible and family-friendly swimming spot, with a long sandy beach and reliable good vibes. It's also the closest beach to the Vesuvius Bay ferry terminal, so it's perfect if you're coming from up-island.
Why It's Great: The beach here is wider and longer than Beddis, with a gentle slope into the water that makes it ideal for younger swimmers or anyone who prefers shallow entry points. The beach is more exposed to the afternoon sun than Beddis, so you've got good light throughout the day. It's also a popular spot for both locals and visitors, which means the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. Also, 10/10 sunset spot!
The Vibe: Vesuvius has a slightly more developed feel than some of the quieter island beaches. There are beachfront homes nearby with a small community feel, and you can see the ferry docking and departing throughout the day, but it's still peaceful and definitely not crowded most days. It's a proper neighbourhood beach where you might see the same faces if you go a few days in a row.
Parking & Access: Free parking is available on the road right by the beach, with direct access down to the sand. No long walks through the bush, no fees.
Best Time: It is best to line this beach up with high tide if you can. It's okay at low tide, but it's a bit of a long, muddy walk down to the water at the lowest tides. Besides tides, the beach is pretty much good all day. It will have some good sun on it all day, and it's one of the island's most well-known sunset spots.
9. Explore Ganges Village
This is the big city on the island. Ganges is where the Saturday Market happens, and where most of the island's shops, restaurants, and services cluster together. It's small enough to feel intimate but has enough going on to keep you occupied for a full day.
The Layout: The village spreads across a few blocks around a picturesque harbourfront. There's Ganges Harbour itself, which is genuinely beautiful with boats bobbing in the water and views across to the neighbouring islands. The downtown core is walkable and pedestrian-friendly, with most spots within a 10-minute stroll of the main dock.
What to Do: Ganges rewards wandering. Pop into independent bookstores, vintage shops, art galleries, and clothing boutiques that line the streets. Many are quirky and one-of-a-kind and exactly what you'd expect from Salt Spring. You'll find locally made goods everywhere: pottery, jewelry, art, handmade soaps, and books about island living written by people who actually live here.
Coffee & Pastries: There are several good coffee shops scattered through town. Grab a coffee and a pastry, then find a spot on the waterfront or at one of the benches dotted around town. This is exactly what I love Ganges for. Just spending some casual time sitting by the water, people-watching, and soaking in the island pace.
Shopping: If you're into farmers market vibes but miss Saturday, there are farm stands and small shops selling local produce, cheese, baked goods, and other island staples. The Thrifty Foods is the main grocery store if you need supplies. Thrifting is surprisingly good here if you're into that. And it makes sense if you think of the island's population, that you are going to find a few unique pieces in the used bins.
Restaurants & Wineries: Ganges has a solid restaurant scene, from casual cafés to upscale farm-to-table spots. Many source ingredients locally or from neighbouring farms. If you want to try local wine, there are a couple of island wineries worth visiting, and some tasting rooms in town.
Art & Culture: The island's artistic reputation shows up here, and there are galleries featuring local artists, craft studios, and sometimes live music or cultural events, depending on the season. Check what's happening during your visit.
Harbourfront Walks: Just walking around the harbour is worthwhile. The views are lovely, especially near sunset. There are benches and little parks where you can sit and watch the water.
Salt Spring Island Accommodation: A Complete Guide On Where to Stay (2026)
Click here for discounts and booking tips!10. Eat at Tree House Café
Tree House Café is a place that embodies everything Salt Spring is about. The café's main building was originally a 1920s cottage and has since expanded into a larger structure that is literally built around a living plum tree, which grows through the middle of the dining space.
It's right in the heart of Ganges next to Mouat's, so it's easy to fold into a morning wandering the village or a stop after the Saturday Market. The whole setup feels totally casual and unpretentious with mismatched outdoor seating, the tree doing its thing overhead, and people lingering over coffee way longer than they probably planned.
The food is straightforward, home-made style, and locally sourced where possible. Breakfast is my favourite here. It's filling, reasonably priced, and served until 11 am. Lunch and dinner are solid, too. The halloumi in naan is a crowd favourite if you're going the lunch route. Don't expect anything fancy or fast. This is a place where the kitchen takes its time, and the whole experience is built around slowing you down, which feels right for Salt Spring.
The real magic happens in the evenings. Every summer night, they do live music under the stars with local musicians playing under the plum tree and the string lights glowing, and people packed around the outdoor tables. It's one of those experiences that sounds kind of cheesy on paper but is actually genuinely great. The music is good, the vibe is warm, and the whole thing runs on a pass-the-bucket donation model, which feels perfectly in keeping with the island's spirit. Spontaneous dancing in the aisles is apparently not uncommon, although we didn't see any on our visit.
Fair warning: They don't take reservations, service can be slow, and it gets busy. If you show up expecting a quick in-and-out meal, you'll be frustrated. But if you settle in with nowhere to be for an hour or two, it's one of the best spots on the island.
11. Summit Mount Maxwell
If Mount Erskine was too easy for you, give Mount Maxwell a try. Well, it's still not as brutal as some of the alpine treks on the mainland; it's probably the most challenging hike on Salt Spring.
| Distance | Elevation | Time | Type | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7 km | 450 m | 2 h | loop | moderate |
Trail Map
There are several ways to do this hike, but the best is to follow Baynes Peak Via Armand on AllTrails. If you're going up for sunset, make sure you do the loop clockwise. There are 3 viewpoints along the trail labelled #4 that are almost better views than the peak, because the park has a big ugly metal fence all around the cliffs.
This is one of the best sunset spots on the island, but just be careful that if you stay at the peak for the full sunset, you will most likely be doing part of the hike down in the dark. The path down isn't too steep, so if you bring headlamps, you will be fine, but make sure you bring some light source because the forest gets pretty dark even in the twilight.
So you go clockwise around #4 and make sure to make the detours down to the viewpoints marked on the AllTrails and pack some headlamps if you're timing this for sunset.
I really liked this trail and the views of the farmland stretching coast to coast are amazing, but it is a bit harder than Mount Erskine, and I think the view from Erskine is more impressive. They are both great hikes, but if you only have time for one, I would pick Mount Erskine.
Also, if you don't feel like hiking, you can also drive up to the top of Mount Maxwell. We chose to hike it because we didn't want to take our Forester up the dirt road, as it is generally recommended as 4x4 only, since it is not a maintained road. But when we got to the top, we saw a Lexus and a Camry, so the road must not be too bad.
12. Visit Cusheon Lake
Cusheon Lake is south of Ganges and is one of the best spots to swim on the island. In the summer, it warms up quite a bit more than the ocean, and the water is clean. There are some resorts built along the lake, and their lakefront areas are only accessible by guests, but there is a public dock as well.
The parking is free but limited (only about 10 spots in a small lot next to the dock).
The dock itself is small, but it has a similar capacity to the parking lot. It's a great spot to lounge since it gets the sun on it pretty much all day. It's also a popular spot to launch SUPs and Kayaks from. The lake is massive and usually pretty shaded from the wind, so it's a great spot for a paddle.
We came here every day for a quick dip because we were camping at Ruckle, and the lake is always on the way, and it was the closest thing to a shower we were able to get our whole trip.
13. Explore the Island's Art Galleries
Salt Spring has over 30 art galleries and studios scattered across the island, showcasing everything from pottery and painting to sculpture and jewelry.
This isn't a curated arts district or a tourist trap version of a creative community. These are working studios where the people making the art are often the ones behind the counter. You'll find painters who moved here decades ago and never left, potters who source local clay, jewellers working with foraged materials, and sculptors whose whole aesthetic seems to have grown directly out of the island's landscape. It's genuinely impressive how much creative output comes from a place with a few thousand full-time residents.
The studios are spread all over the island, not clustered in one spot, which means exploring them turns into its own kind of road trip. You'll find hand-painted signs at the end of driveways pointing you down gravel roads to converted barns or backyard studios. Some are polished and gallery-style, and others feel like you've just knocked on someone's door and they've invited you in to look around their living room.
The best way to tackle the galleries is to grab the Salt Spring Studio Tour map, which is available at most shops in Ganges and on board the ferry. It marks out all the open studios across the island so you can plan a loose route or just follow it spontaneously as you're driving around. We found ourselves stumbling into studios we hadn't planned to stop at just because a sign caught our eye, and those ended up being some of the best finds of the trip.
If you're visiting during the Salt Spring Island Studio Tour weekend (usually held in the fall), even better. Studios that are normally appointment-only open their doors, artists are on-site to talk about their work, and the whole island feels like one big open house.
Check out the interactive map below for studio locations.
14. Go Beach Hoping
Salt Spring isn't a beach destination in the way Tofino or the Sunshine Coast is, and it's worth being honest about that upfront. But what it does have is a surprising variety of spots scattered around the island, each with its own character. Some are sandy and swim-friendly, some are dramatic and rocky, some are just good places to sit and watch the light change over the water. If you're travelling with your own car and have a few hours, stringing a few of these together makes for a great lazy afternoon.
Here's a breakdown of the main spots and what each one is actually good for:
Beddis Beach. This is the best straight-up swimming beach on the island. A wide sandy stretch with calm, shallow water that warms up nicely in summer. Parking is easy along the road, and a short 30-metre path leads you down to the sand. Go in the morning or early afternoon, because the beach starts to shade over around 2 pm and is fully in shadow by 4. High tide is ideal, but it's still a solid swim at low tide. If you only have time for one beach, make it this one.
Vesuvius Beach. One of the best sunset spots on the island. The beach is wide and well-exposed to the western sky, and the view as the sun drops behind the surrounding islands is beautiful. There is a lot of roadside parking right by the water. At high tide, it's one of the better swimming beaches on the island. At low tide, a muddy stretch opens up between you and the water, so timing matters here more than at Beddis. It's worth going back twice: once for a swim, once for the sunset.
Bader's Beach is the other strong contender for the best sunset beach. The water stays shallow for a long way out, so it's better for wading and floating than serious swimming, and at low tide, swimming isn't really worth it. Getting there requires descending a steep dirt road, but it was well-maintained as of May 2026. The payoff is a quiet, tucked-away spot with an amazing sunset.
Stowel Lake is not an ocean beach, but worth including because lake swimming on a hot day is hard to beat. There is limited roadside parking, and the water is accessed by a small sloped shore, but there are two floating docks, which make it a fun spot to jump from and sun on. The water warms up more than the ocean in summer, and it's clean. A good option if you're after a casual dip without the tide concerns.
Fernwood Dock. This is the iconic Salt Spring dock you've probably seen in photos. It's a long wooden pier stretching out into the water with views across to the mainland mountains on a clear day. There's a good amount of parking and a cute little café right by the dock, which makes it an easy and pleasant stop. The beach on either side of the pier is a long rocky stretch with some seaweed, so it's not ideal for swimming, but it's one of the most scenic spots on the island for a walk and a coffee.
Southey Point. A rocky peninsula at the north tip of the island that's worth the drive up for the scenery alone. It's pretty in a rugged, windswept way, and you can walk around the point with good views in multiple directions. Lots of boats are anchored nearby, and the rocky, seaweedy shoreline makes it a poor swim spot, but as a good place to stretch your legs and take in the north end of the island.
Sunset Beach is a clothing-optional rocky beach that looks out toward a small island and sits in a protected bay that gradually deepens, which actually makes it one of the better swimming spots despite the rocky entry. It takes about 5 minutes to walk in from the roadside parking, with a bit of elevation gain on the way back up. The bay keeps the water calm, and it's almost never busy.
Tide Timing Note: Several of these beaches change significantly with the tide. Vesuvius and Bader, especially. If you can, check the tide chart for your visit and plan your swimming beaches around high tide. Sites like Tide Charts will give you accurate times.
Check out the interactive map below to see all of the beach locations.
15. Little Library Tour
Salt Spring has 31 little free libraries scattered across the island, and stumbling across them while driving around became one of our favourite unexpected highlights of the trip.
You'll spot them at the ends of driveways, outside community halls, beside farm stands, and tucked into the forest near trailheads. Each one is handmade and completely unique. Some are elaborate little works of art, and others are a painted box on a post, but all of them are stocked with an eclectic selection of books left behind by locals or other travellers.
If you want to make a proper activity out of it, there's a map of all 31 locations available below that you can use to plan a loose route around the island. We didn't set out to find them deliberately, but we just kept noticing them, and in hindsight, a dedicated library crawl would be a fun way to spend a morning and see parts of the island you'd otherwise drive straight past.
If this is your kind of thing, consider bringing some books that you've already read and making some donations throughout your tour.
16. Sunset at Bader's Beach
If I had to pick one spot on the island to watch the sun go down, it would be Bader's Beach without hesitation.
Getting there requires descending a steep dirt road, which is part of why it stays quiet. It was well maintained as of May 2026, so don't let that put you off; just go slow. At the bottom, you will find a long stony beach. At high tide, the beach is narrow, but it's long enough that crowds disperse well.
There's a tree near the beach with a couple of ropes and driftwood swings hanging from it, which is exactly the kind of detail that sums up Salt Spring in a single image. No one installed them officially. They're just there, worn smooth from use.
The sunset itself faces out toward Vancouver Island, so as the light drops, the sun sinks behind the mountains on the island, silhouetting the ridge-line in an amazing cinematic way. The water in the bay catches the last of the light, and the whole scene takes on an amazing warm glow.
Go at high tide if you can. The beach loses a lot of its charm at low tide, and it's a much better swim spot at high tide (even at high tide, it's quite shallow).
Bring something warm to wear after the sun drops, because the temperature falls quickly once it's gone.
17. Hike the Chris Hatfield Loop
Ruckle Provincial Park gets a lot of attention for its camping and its coastal trail, but the Chris Hatfield Loop is its own reward and worth planning your day around.
| Distance | Elevation | Time | Type | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 km | 85 m | 1.5 h | loop | easy |
Trail Map
The trail itself is mostly easy going. It's wide, clearly marked, and runs through stunning forests along the coast. There are a few steeper sections with rocks and roots, but nothing that would slow down a regular hiker. That said, it's not a flat stroll, so anyone with mobility concerns should know what they're getting into before heading out.
The payoff at the end is Yeo Beach, a quiet pebble cove that you reach via a steep descent down to the waterline. It's not the easiest beach to get down to, but there is a good chance you will have the whole thing to yourself when you arrive.
Just to the side of the beach, Yeo Point juts out into the water and makes for one of the better viewpoints on this part of the island.
The Cusheon Bay Extension
From Yeo Point, you have the option to continue on to Cusheon Bay, and it's worth doing if you have the time, with one important caveat about how you get there.
The AllTrails route takes you from Yeo Point down a first turnoff that leads to an extremely steep scramble into the bay. Skip it. Instead, continue past that first turnoff and follow the Chris Hatfield Loop to the second turnoff, then drop into the bay as an out-and-back. It's a much more manageable descent and gets you to the same place with a lot less cursing.
The bay itself is pretty, though it's best at high tide. At low tide, it loses some of its appeal. It's not a great swim spot, but above the bay there's a lovely grassy lookout that would make an ideal picnic lunch stop.
18. Farm Stand Tour
Salt Spring has an agricultural backbone that most visitors only glimpse at the Saturday Market, but if you drive the back roads, you'll realize that the farms themselves are half the experience. The island has been farming since the 1850s, and that culture never left. What you get now is a patchwork of small, independent operations selling directly from their properties, and stopping at them one by one is an iconic Salt Spring Experience.
There is a huge variety of products sold on an honour system. Eggs. Honey. Fresh bread. Garlic. Lavender. Flowers. Goat milk soap. Even fresh tofu! The signs are everywhere once you start noticing them, and most of the stands are completely unstaffed and have just a cooler, a table, a price list, and a jar for cash and coins. It runs entirely on the honour system, which feels perfectly in line with the island's vibe.
A few things worth knowing before you go:
- Bring cash and small bills. Most stands are unstaffed and don't take cards. A handful of small bills will carry you through the whole tour without issue.
- Go in the morning. Eggs sell out fast. Same with fresh-baked goods on the days they appear. If there's something you want, don't wait until after your hike to circle back for it.
- Drive slowly. The signs are often small and the driveways easy to miss. You'll overshoot a few. That's fine. Just pull over when you spot one and double back.
- The south end is the most productive. The area between Fulford Harbour and the middle of the island is where a lot of the farms are concentrated. That said, stands pop up in unexpected places all over the island, so don't write off the north end.
You can do this as a dedicated tour and drive directly stand to stand, or you can just keep an eye out for them as you drive around. If you're going out specifically to find the farm stands, take a look at the map below.
Final Thoughts
Salt Spring Island has a distinct vibe and has quickly become one of my favourite escapes in BC. Camping at Ruckle Park, picking up food and supplies from farm stands, and heading into Ganges for lunch or a pint is a peak BC summer feeling.
The island is laid back, beautiful, and bear-free. What more could you ask for? As lovely as it is, there are some downsides.
- You do need to take a ferry to get there. If you want a ferry free trip, consider a road trip through the Sea to Sky corridor.
- Salt Spring has nice beaches, but not the best in the province. The Sunshine Coast, and Tofino have Salt Spring beat if you're only after a beach day.
- The ferry schedule makes it hard to do Salt Spring as a day trip. If you want a better day trip option with similar island community vibes, consider a day trip to Bowen Island.
- There are a few great hikes on Salt Spring, but they are pretty quick and easy compared to some of the more ambitious alpine treks around BC. If you're wanting more of a challenging hike consider Tin Hat Hut, Wedgemount Lake, Watersprite Lake, or Joffre Lakes.
- A lot of things covered in this blog rely on you having a car. If you're looking for a car free itinerary, check out our Car Free Guide To Bowen Island.
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