The Best Trails and Shores on South Galiano Island, BC—with downloadable maps!
South Galiano, where we are located, offers a great range of beach walks, forest trails and mountain hikes.
Driftwood Village is walking distance to six Shore Access Points, including sandy and rocky shores, forest trails, and soaring cliffs. You’ll find those six points on the map below, including the approximate walking time (one way) from Driftwood. Pictures and descriptions below outline the Shore Access Point numbers and offer a brief description of each location.
Hard copies of all maps are available at the Driftwood office, or visit Galiano Trails Society.
(1) Bellhouse Park – 20 minute walk from Driftwood Village, Bellhouse Park offers lovely sandstone approaches to the ocean, a walking trail and information about the Active Pass Important Bird Designation.
Bellhouse Park
(2) Scorpion Beach – (Galiano shore access #10)
20 minute walk. Follow Burrill Road to Jack Road, then turn right on Farmhouse Road. A short, easy path leads to stone stairs and the sandy beach.
Scorpion Beach
(3) Arbutus Point Road – (Galiano shore access #11)
10 minute walk to short open path, easy walk to rocky shore.
Arbutus Point
(4) Mary Ann Point – (Galiano shore access #14)
15 minute walk on Mary Ann Rd to the cedar path on the left. Steep shoreline to ocean, no water access but a lovely place to watch ferries and sometimes Orcas go by!
Mary Ann Point
(5) Matthews Point – (Galiano shore access #15)
10 minute walk through the forest then 15 minutes to a sandy beach via a steep trail. This is the “secret beach” you can see from the ferry coming through Active Pass – a quiet oasis of white sand and marine life. Though it can be tempting to swim here, tides and currents are constantly “active” and swimming is discouraged.
(6) Bluff Park – Though this is a 20-minute uphill walk from Driftwood, the workout and the lookout are worth it! The view over Active Pass, Trincomali Channel and the Southern Gulf Islands is that picture postcard vista. Trails from here lead down toward the shore, and throughout the Park.
Bluff Park
