Hike to Jug Island Beach

The trail to Jug Island Beach is the hike equivalent of a slow-burn film: pleasantly ordinary for a while, then suddenly you're on a quiet pebble beach with Jug Island sitting offshore and the green wall of Mount Seymour filling the water behind it, and you both go quiet in that way that only happens when a view actually works. From the Belcarra picnic area it's roughly 5.5 km round-trip through cool coastal forest, with a few cheeky up-and-down switches and a staircase that keeps things interesting. The hike itself is free. The parking note: April through September, after 10 a.m., the lot charges, so come early or bring toonies. Claim a log on the beach, open whatever you packed, and try not to look too smug about having found a shoreline this quiet this close to the city.

Duration

About 2 hours

Best time

Daytime

Price / person

Free

Setting

Outdoor

Neighbourhood

təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park, Bedwell Bay Road

Best season

spring, summer, fall