Highlights in this park
The inviting water and the 225 metre long sandy beach have made Bamberton Park an ideal spot for visitors.
Frolic in the warm waves, lounge in the sand and enjoy the views across the inlet. To the east are the shores of the Saanich Peninsula, with the southern Gulf Islands and Mt. Baker beyond. Rising sharply to the west are the mountains of south Vancouver Island.
A vehicle-accessible campground is nestled in this forest environment, where eagles and osprey can be seen circling high above. Waterfowl and seals are frequent visitors to the surrounding waters.
The park is very popular in the summer months, and can be busy as well in June, when a number of nearby schools make field trips to study the intertidal life on the beach. With Victoria just a 30 minute drive south over the scenic Malahat Drive, Bamberton is within easy reach of many tourist attractions. You can also hop on the Mill Bay ferry for the 25 minute trip to Brentwood Bay and visit the world-renowned Butchart Gardens.
Know before you go
Advisories
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Maps and location
- Park Map [PDF] (Oct, 2018)
Getting there
The park is located on southern Vancouver Island, approximately 45 km north of Victoria off Highway 1. Turn east off Highway 1 onto Mill Bay Road, near the north end of the scenic Malahat Drive. BC Ferries offers service from Mill Bay to Brentwood Bay, a distance of 8 km by sea with a crossing time of 25 minutes. Bamberton Park is located a five minute drive south of Mill Bay. Nearby communities include Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cobble Hill, Duncan, Victoria.
Dates of operation
The park gate is open year-round
- Facility type
- Day-use area
- Main operating season
- 2024: April 1 to October 31
- Winter season
- 2024: November 1 to December 31
- 2025: January 1 to March 31
- Winter season note
- Not all facilities are available in the winter season
- Facility type
- Frontcountry camping
- Number of campsites
- Reservable frontcountry sites: 48
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 53
- Main operating season
- 2024: April 1 to November 1
- Winter season
- 2024: November 1 to December 31
- 2025: January 1 to March 31
- Booking required
- 2024: May 11 to October 13
- Winter season note
- In the winter season, fees are reduced and not all facilities are available
Camping
- Total number of campsites
- Total reservable frontcountry sites: 48
- Total vehicle-accessible sites: 44
- Total walk-in sites: 9
Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available.
All campsite reservations must be made through the BC Parks reservations system. When reservations are not available, all campsites function as first come, first served.
This park offers vehicle-accessible campsites, nestled amongst a mixed woodland forest. Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available. All campsite reservations must be made through the BC Parks reservations system. When reservations are not available, all campsites function as first come, first served.
Bamberton Park is open year-round, with limited facilities in the winter season.
| Vehicle-accessible camping fee | $20 per party per night |
| BC seniors’ rate (day after Labour Day to June 14 only) | $10 per senior party per night |
For information on the BC seniors’ rate, see the camping fees page.
Camping is available in the frontcountry campground during the winter season. Fees and services are reduced.
| Winter camping fee (per night) | $11 per party per night |
|---|
Things to do
Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Bamberton Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.
The warm waters surrounding Mill Bay are a popular destination for local fishers seeking a variety of salmon and rock fish. Fishing is permitted as per provincial and federal fishing regulations. All anglers should check the current regulations issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, prior to fishing.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
A 1.5 km trail connects the campground to the beach at the day-use area. This trail is steep in parts. The route from the day-use parking lot to the beach is wheelchair-accessible and paved.
For your own safety and preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroy plant life and soil structure.
There are interpretations services available at this park. Contact the park operator for more information.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash and under control at all times. From May 1 to September 15, dogs are not allowed in the lower day-use area (beach and lawn area). You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.
There is no designated swimming area at this park. However, the inviting warm water and the 225 metre long sandy beach at the day-use area provide excellent opportunities for ocean swimming.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for this park.
While fires are allowed, we encourage visitors to conserve the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using stoves instead. Campfire rings are provided at each campsite.
Firewood can be purchased from the park operator. Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary. You can conserve firewood and air quality by keeping your campfire small.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
Campfire bans may be in place. Before lighting a fire, check for bans or restrictions on BC Wildfire Service and on local or Indigenous government websites.
Cold water taps are located at the campground and day-use area. Taps are shut off during the winter season.
There is a picnicking and day-use area available with a large vehicle parking lot, picnic tables, flush toilets, fresh water, and a large grassy area where children can play. The day-use area has easy access to the beach.
The campground has pit toilets. The day-use area has pit toilets and flush toilets. Flush toilets are not available in the winter season.
About this park
History
Bamberton Park was given to the province by the British Columbia Cement Company in 1959. The name Bamberton was chosen by the donors and commemorates H.K. Bamber, managing director of the British Portland Cement Manufacturing Company, a predecessor of the BC Cement Company, now known as Ocean Cement.
Cultural Heritage
Traditionally, local First Nations used Johns Creek, which runs through the park, for trout fishing and still utilize the area today for ceremonial purposes in the fall and winter.
Conservation
Bamberton protects a mixed woodland of second-growth Douglas fir and arbutus, a salmon-bearing creek and eel-grass beds in the estuary. Over time, natural weathering forces may return the creek outflow area to a floodplain with salt marsh communities.
Fronting on the west side of Saanich Inlet, of particular interest in this park is the abundance of arbutus trees, identified by its thick, leathery green leaves, reddish trunk and peeling bark. The arbutus is Canada’s only broadleaf evergreen and is found only on Vancouver Island and the lower coast of mainland British Columbia.
The park also features an interesting intertidal zone, popular with school groups who visit the park to study the marine life. In your observation of the intertidal zone, please remember to carefully place overturned rocks in their original position. Do not touch the marine life or remove any shells or marine organisms from the park.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.
Contact
This park proudly operated by:
K2 Cowichan Park Services Ltd.
k2cowichan@shaw.ca
1-877-559-2115
k2parks.ca