Belcarra Regional Park Hike
Belcarra Regional Park on the Indian Arm in British Columbia, Canada
Getaway From Vancouver to Belcarra Regional Park
Hiking the Jug Island Beach Trail
We have enjoyed a stretch with gorgeous fall weather here in Vancouver. Sunday morning the clocks went back and we decided to take advantage of another beautiful day to head out of the city before the days get shorter.
The coronavirus is still prevalent and as it will be around a while longer we are looking for new adventures, day trips, and staycations closer to home. We would love to travel further afield but now is not the time to do so.
Explore the pier at the Belcarra Picnic Area
Driving From Vancouver
The drive from Vancouver to Belcarra Regional Park takes less than an hour when there is no traffic. You can travel via Hwy 1 or as we did via East Hasting and then 7A to Port Moody.
On this Sunday morning, Google maps suggested this route. We complied and are happy we did as we rarely travel this way and could enjoy the views of the Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains.
With beautiful views of Burrard Inlet, we picked the route taking us from Vancouver to Belcarra Regional Park driving along the coast around Burnaby Mountain and Port Moody. Click to view larger.
Belcarra Picnic Area - Starting Point
There is free parking, picnic tables, a park, and bathroom facilities at the Belcarra Picnic Area. We arrived on a Sunday around noon and found the parking lots almost full. Parking along the road is not permitted.
If you have the flexibility we suggest an earlier arrival as visitors were struggling to find parking when we left around 2:30 pm.
The Trail head to Jug Island Beach Trail and Bedwell Bay Trail
Jug Island Beach Trail
For Father’s day a couple of years ago, I got a great book; 109 Walks In British Columbia’s Lower Mainland by Alice Purdey, John Halliday and Mary, and David Macaree.
We highly recommend this book and we are making our way through the different hikes. With the help of the book, we easily found the trailhead after crossing Bedwell Bay Road.
The Jug Island Beach Trail is rated moderate whereas the Bedwell Bay Trail is rated easy. You have both options if you venture to Belcarra Regional Park.
We picked the Jug Island Beach Trail and the estimated time to complete this hike, two hours, was spot on for us. Two hours of hiking and half an hour for lunch. Distance, 5.5 K.
A flat section of the Jug Island Beach Trail
Viewpoint
Belcarra Regional Park is a popular getaway for people living in nearby Port Moody, Coquitlam, and of course Vancouver. It was more crowded than we had anticipated for a November day.
We enjoyed seeing the many friends and families out enjoying the fresh air. Kids were running up and down the trails having a great time. If you are looking for a quiet and more serene experience it may be a good idea to visit the park midweek.
The trail gets steep in sections but by hiking along the ridge you are rewarded with wonderful views of Bedwell Bay.
Taking a breather and taking in the view of Bedwell Bay
Jug Island
Diana suggested we swim across to Jug Island so we could enjoy the fall sun on the south side of the island. The name of the trail is perhaps a bit misleading as the prize at the halfway point is the view of Jug Island, not a visit to the island itself.
There is no bridge or way to get across unless you have a boat or swim. On a summer day, I may have taken Di up on the idea but not on November 1st :)
We found a spot under the trees and enjoyed our packed lunch and snacks along the north shore of the Belcarra Peninsula.
Jug Island, BC, Canada
The Indian Arm
The waters surrounding the Belcarra peninsula are the Burrard Inlet and the Indian Arm. We hung out at the beach for a bit and took in the magnificent view of the untouched treed hillsides and mountains in the distance.
Beware of the steeper sections on this trail. Admittedly we stopped several times to catch our breath and to make sure our knees were still fully functioning.
Two sailboat on the water at the Indian Arm on a beautiful fall day
A few joggers effortlessly whisked by and visitors, in general, were good a spacing out or stepping aside to allow for social distancing on the narrower parts of the trail.
Di found a walking stick and wished she had brought her walking poles as they would have been helpful on the steeper sections.
An uphill section of the Jug Island Beach Trail
Final Thoughts - Jug Island Beach Trail
We can certainly recommend this two-hour hike with varied terrain, a great halfway point destination with views of Jug Island and the surrounding Indian Arm and mountains.
We can only imagine how rewarding a swim would be on the north shore of Belcarra Peninsula or back at the picnic area on a warm summer day. Come early as this is a very popular spot.
Back on the flat section near the Belcarra Picnic Area.
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The photos in this article are made with a Fujifilm X-Pro2. Lenses - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 50mm f/1 R WR - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express and have used Fujifilm simulations for some of the photos.
