The Best Hikes on Salt Spring Island

Salt Spring is a hiker's island. From shoreline scrambles to summit views, mossy forest loops to wide open ridge trails, there is a walk here for every mood and every level. Here are our favourites, all within easy reach of the cabin.

Ruckle Provincial Park

Ruckle is the one we always send guests to first. It is the largest provincial park in the Gulf Islands, and it genuinely has it all. Heritage farm buildings, kilometres of shoreline trail, old growth forest, and, depending on the season, the chance to walk past Highland cows, little lambs, turkeys and sheep on an active working farm. It is that kind of place.

You can spend a full day here or just a couple of hours. Our favourite route is to drive to the end parking lot and head left, keeping along the shoreline and looping around the back of the farm rather than cutting through the day camp area. It is the long way round, and it is absolutely worth it. The short walk through the campground is lovely, too, if you want something quick and easy.

Trail types range from narrow winding paths along the ocean cliffs and up into the forest to wider, easier paths through the campground. Dogs are welcome but must be on leash throughout the park.

Good for: all levels, families, full-day adventures, farm animal spotting

Mount Erskine

Mount Erskine is 3.5 km return and goes straight up. No easing into it. The trail is narrow with roots, rocks, and steep sections mixed with the occasional flat to catch your breath. But the payoff at the top is genuinely spectacular: you are up at bird-flying height, with views that make the burning legs worth every step.

If you are bringing kids, here is the trick to keeping them motivated on the way up: tell them to look for fairy doors at the base of the tree trunks along the trail. They are tucked in here and there, and little ones will be so busy searching that they barely notice the climb.

At the summit, there is a stone carved dog water bowl, a wooden bench for sitting with the eagles, and a sneaky waterproof tube hidden nearby containing a notebook. Find it, leave a note, and read what the people before you wrote. It is one of those small things that stays with you.

Good for: older kids, dog friendly, summit views, a good workout

Mount Maxwell

Mount Maxwell is the highest point on Salt Spring Island, and the views over the Fulford Valley are something else. On a clear day, you can often spot hang gliders launching off Mount Bruce across the way, which never gets old.

Please note: do not attempt to drive the road to the top in a vehicle without high clearance and Four Wheel Drive. The road is rough, and it will not end well for a regular car. The best approach is to park partway up and hike to the lookout from there. Narrow trail, roots, rocks, and changing grades, and keep an eye out for mountain bikers sharing the path.

Good for: views, experienced hikers, hang glider watching

Menhinick Trail

This one is right on our doorstep. Ten minutes down the road from the cabin, when you turn right, the Menhinick Trail winds through a bird sanctuary with mossy forest paths, up and down terrain along the water's edge, and out onto the most beautiful white shell beaches. It is the kind of hike that feels like a secret even though it is right there.

Note that dogs are not permitted, as it is an active bird sanctuary. The trail is narrow with roots, rocks, and changing grades throughout.

Good for: beach access, mossy forest vibes, families, guests at the cabin

Reginald Hill

Here is a local favourite that not everyone knows about. Access is right from the cabin, halfway down Bridgeman Road; you will spot the trailhead. The path up is wide and well-travelled, opening up at the top to epic views over the Gulf Islands. If you are feeling ambitious, you can continue over the top toward Fulford and loop back via the Menhinick Park trail all the way home to the cabin. We are not sure of the exact distance, but it makes for a satisfying long day out.

The trail is wide and easy to follow on the way up, narrowing to a rootier path as you near the top.

Good for: all levels, big views, an epic loop option back to the cabin

Channel Ridge

Channel Ridge is the one for everyone. This trail system has been well-loved by locals since we were kids, and it shows. Wide, well-maintained paths make it accessible for all fitness levels, and you will often share the trail with walkers, horses, and cyclists. Lookout points offer views over St. Mary's Lake in one direction and across to Vancouver Island in the other. No roots, no tricky terrain, just a lovely walk with great payoff.

Good for: all ages and abilities, horses, bikes, easy walking

Salt Spring rewards those who get out and explore on foot. Whether you have an hour or a full day, there is a trail waiting for you. Lace up, bring water, and go slow enough to notice the good stuff.

Staying at Salty Stay Cabin? You are perfectly placed for Menhinick and Reginald Hill right from the front door.

One More Thing: Wildlife on the Trails

One of the reasons we love hiking on Salt Spring and the Gulf Islands so much is how safe and relaxed it feels out on the trail. The largest animal you are likely to cross paths with is a white-tailed deer. You might spot a raccoon, watch an eagle circle overhead, or if you are really lucky, catch a glimpse of whales from a shoreline viewpoint.

Salt Spring has no bears. That is worth saying again because if you have hiked anywhere else in BC, you will know what a difference that makes. There is the very occasional cougar sighting reported on the island, roughly once a year, and when it happens, it gets flagged quickly. In all honesty, it is not something we lose sleep over.

Hiking here just feels easy and free. No bear spray required, no looking over your shoulder. Just you, the trail, and whatever beautiful thing is around the next corner.