Hiking Jug Island in Belcarra Regional Park
Contents
Jug Island Hike Information
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 6Km
Elevation Gain: 256m
Highest Elevation: 90m
Average Gradient: 8.53%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Low / Low
Time Needed:
– Slow: 3 – 4 Hours
– Moderate: 2 – 3 Hours
– Fast: 1.5 – 2 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Jug Island Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°18’44.2″N 122°55’30.0″W
Jug Island Overview
Jug Island is a tiny, picturesque island just off the northern tip of Belcarra Regional Park in Belcarra, Greater Vancouver. It makes for a scenic endpoint to an otherwise fun and adventurous trail through the park, making this a popular option amongst all sorts of outdoor enthusiasts, but particularly families and dog walkers.
For most people the island itself is not accessible, but the beach at the end of the hike is a pleasant reward for the relatively modest effort it takes to get there. Particularly adventurous souls have been known to swim over to the island, it’s not particularly far by any means, but I’m not much of a swimmer myself so I wasn’t in any rush to don my bathing suit.
Due to the relative ease of this hike and the fact it’s accessible for all outdoor enthusiasts, it’s a very popular trail even in poor weather, but especially on a sunny weekend. Parking in the area is relatively limited and shared with other trails like Admiralty Point, as well as the Belcarra Picnic Area, so an early start is strongly recommended on a sunny day.
Due to most of the hike being in the forest, Jug Island makes for a great rainy day option and I would personally save this hike for one of those days where you want something nearby and straightforward. I used it as a quick outing with my pup on an otherwise miserable rainy day, and even then the trail was busy.
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Is Jug Island worthwhile?
For what it is I enjoyed Jug Island more than I expected. I was anticipating a mellow gravel trail the entire way to a small beach with a nice view, I wasn’t sure it was even going to pass the conditions I’ve set to even consider this a hike as the trail started off as smooth gravel for the first half. It’s actually more of an adventure than I was expecting though, with some fairly steep sections and a variety of terrain. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by Jug Island and I’d say it’s definitely worth it.
How difficult is the hike to Jug Island?
Physically speaking Jug Island is an accessible hike for basically all levels. There are some steep sections throughout the hike but they are always quickly followed by flat or downhill sections. You might be challenged at times but overall it’s a pretty easy hike in the grand scheme of things, though considering it starts and ends at sea level and reaches a maximum elevation of just 90m, it’s surprising how much elevation gain there is.
Technically speaking much of the hike is on a gravel trail, with some sections after the halfway mark on slippery rocks, roots and mud. Do not assume you can do this trail in runners easily, I advise taking hiking boots.
Jug Island Route Information
The trail begins at the Belcarra Picnic Area parking lot, which as noted earlier gets very busy in the summer. From the east end of the picnic area you should see a trail with a marker pointing towards Jug Island. After following his trail briefly you will soon come to a road crossing. Keep left on the other side of the road, continuing to follow the signs to Jug Island.
The trail will now begin to climb fairly steeply into the forest, though it will all be smooth gravel so it should be straightforward. You’ll quickly be surrounded by moss covered, well, everything, with all sorts of green hues surrounding you, much like the Nelson Creek area on the way to Whyte Lake.
After around 1km you’ll max out at the top of this hill and you’ll soon be back on the descent. For the next 500m or so the trail will be smooth and simple with some staircases thrown in on any steeper parts. At this point I was questioning whether this was more of a pleasant stroll in a park than a hike, but to my relief it soon changed.
After around 1.5km you’ll pass by a small pond on your left and shortly the adventurous part of this hike begins. The smooth gravel will give way to a much more rugged affair, now becoming a rocky ascent. You’ll soon pass by a large moss covered cliff face and everything around you will be drenched in moisture, I doubt this area ever dries out entirely.
You’ll quickly come around the edge of the cliff face where your footing will deteriorate and you’ll need to be vigilant to avoid a wrong foot placement on a slippery rock. The whole trail will now be a combination of rocks and mud and depending on when you go you’re likely to end up with very muddy boots by the end of this one.
At around the 2km mark you’ll get your first viewpoint overlooking Bedwell Bay, though for me that meant no view at all as it was so cloudy and rainy on the day I went. Thankfully all of the uphill is behind you for the outbound leg, it’s now downhill the whole way to the beach. The remaining kilometer or so to the beach is much the same, lots of muddy and rocky terrain but overall it’s simple. The fiscal descent to the beach is the steepest part of the hike and the views of Jug Island will get better as you approach.
From the beach you get a great view of Jug Island, as well as the Indian Arm. You’ll probably find several groups of people relaxing on the beach enjoying the views, and likely a lot of off-leash dogs (even though they’re meant to be leashed) running around. Some people may even be swimming at the beach and potentially even out to the island. If you’re lucky you may even spot a seal or an eagle.
After resting up it’s time to head back. Even though the total elevation gain is much the same on the return leg, I found it a little more difficult than the outbound journey. It’ll start off quite steep and much of the elevation will be at the start, while the end will be easier as it’ll mostly be downhill.
When should I hike Jug Island?
This is a great year-round option so for me that usually means saving it for a rainy day where I don’t want a big challenge. If you want something simple even in the summer though it’s a great choice and I’m sure the beach is much nicer then than in the winter.
Top Tip
Don’t assume this is a suitable trail for sneakers, it’s surprisingly slippery and muddy. I definitely advise taking footwear with good traction.
If you’re not a fan of popular trails, especially ones with dogs and children, you might want to avoid this hike. Even though this is a leash only trail, nobody listens to that and the vast majority of dogs are off leash.
