"Denman Island seems to be an undiscovered treasure, we often had the many hiking trails to ourselves and the eagles."
( Mel and Rob, visiting from Edmonton, Alberta ~ Reviews )
One of the Safest Places on Earth!
Denman Island has to be one of the safest places to roam on the planet! There's no crime, so we have no police (unless they are passing through on their way to Hornby Island). There are (usually) no cougars (which is why we have so many deer), or bears, and there are no poisonous snakes.
Denman Island has to be one of the safest places to roam on the planet! There's no crime, so we have no police (unless they are passing through on their way to Hornby Island). There are (usually) no cougars (which is why we have so many deer), or bears, and there are no poisonous snakes.
↕ Denman Wetlands in Summer
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...and the Denman Wetlands in Winter ↕
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Hiking is an all-season activity! Temperatures don't often dip much below zero in winter, so as long as it isn't pouring there's no excuse not to pull on your boots and get out there! The scenery is always spectacular, the wildlife doesn't seem to care about the weather and a walk in the forest in the rain can be fascinating and enchanting, plus the trees help to keep the rain off!
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Denman now has a quarter of its land protected as Provincial Parks, Regional District Parks and a handful of other designations, which is the highest percentage of any of the Gulf Islands. The Denman Conservancy Association Protected Lands map is still the most up-to-date showing these, and the made and unmade road network on the island.
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Denman Island Trail Maps
12 Walks with maps, photos and descriptions, including tips on what flora and fauna to look out for. Download your own .pdf copy of The Joy Of Walking
These are just some of the best of the multitude of trails within the Protected Land areas which are now accessable to the public.
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BC Parks Guides to the Denman Provincial Parks
Denman Conservancy Association Lands
East Coast, Denman Island, 2 Hikes
Our track down to the beach, June 2022 ↕
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The best time to start is when the tide is going out.
Leave the car behind for these two hikes, simply turn right at the bottom of the driveway, walk 50 yards to our track down to the beach, and your hike has begun. Then you have a choice to make, north or south (left or right).
River Otters frequent the shoreline rocks ( Wildlife ►)
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Bald Eagle taking flight ↕
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You'll be leaping over rock pools... ↕
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Full moonrise over Hornby Island; an evening walk can be very rewarding ↕
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East Coast Hike 1: Heading south, you can get at least as far as the ferry terminal at Gravelly Bay, after which it gets rocky, so further progress depends upon the tide level and that of your agility. It's not a long walk to Gravelly Bay, only about 4 km/2 miles, but it will feel like more because you'll be traversing a variety of rock formations of layered conglomerate and sandstone, picking your way around or leaping over drifts of seaweed and rock pools, and sometimes walking on sand.
It's easier if the tide is lower as you'll have multiple route options, and the more of the shore that's revealed, the more there is to explore. So, don't expect this to be a quick walk, allow plenty of time because there is always so much to fascinate, and photograph where the ocean meets the land.
It's easier if the tide is lower as you'll have multiple route options, and the more of the shore that's revealed, the more there is to explore. So, don't expect this to be a quick walk, allow plenty of time because there is always so much to fascinate, and photograph where the ocean meets the land.
↕ Eastern Shore, looking South
Early morning, heading south from "Our Beach" ↕
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Orcas hunting herring just off our beach, Feb '23 ↕
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McFarlane Beach, layers of Conglomerate and Sandstone Rock ↕
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McFarlane Beach, White-winged Scoters taking flight ↕
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McFarlane Beach ↕
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McFarlane Beach, looking south to Gravelly Bay ↕
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East Coast Hike 2: Heading North
Eastern Shore, looking north ↕
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Even at high tide there's always enough beach to allow you to get as far as Fillongley Park, where you may or may not be cut off by Beadnell Creek (it depends on the rainfall we've had). You can always take off your boots and wade across. It's possible to walk as far as Sandy Island Bird Reserve at the island's northern tip. Just be warned - high tide can cut you off completely at Komas Bluffs, so don't forget to check the tide times.
Totem pole errected by the Pentlatch People in 2018, at the entrance to Fillongley Park ↕
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Fillongley Park Beach ↕
A Walk in Fillongley Park ▼
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BC Parks Trivia (Statistics)
The system includes 644 provincial parks, 2 recreation areas, 156 conservancies, 84 protected areas, and 148 ecological reserves, total 1,034. Four provincial parks are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites, while 24 provincial parks are designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.
"Today, 14.26% (13.5 million hectares) of British Columbia's land base is protected. There are more than 340 campgrounds, 6000 km of hiking trails, 118 boat launches and 263 day-use areas in B.C.'s provincial park system.
"British Columbia's parks are one of the greatest resources this province has - they are major vacation spots, both internationally and locally, they protect some of the largest temperate rainforest left in the world, and they host a wide range of flora and fauna."
(A History of BC Parks)
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