South Island. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Special notes
- Middens are protected under B.C. law. Do not disturb these archaeological sites. Help protect them by accessing the beach using the stairs where ever possible. In your exploration, please remember to carefully replace overturned rocks in their original position. Look but do not touch or remove any shells or marine organisms from the park.
- Maximum vessel length for the dock is 11 metres (36 feet).
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] (August 29, 2018)
Getting there
Montague Harbour Marine Park is located on the southwest side of Galiano Island approximately 10 km northwest of Sturdies Bay. BC Ferries provides vehicle and passenger service to Sturdies Bay from Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island and from Tsawwassen, south of Vancouver. The park is located on Montague Park Road. Follow signs to the park from the ferry terminal. Boaters can reference marine chart #3442, #3462, #3463 and #3473 for more information on this area.
Nearby communities include: Galiano Island, Saltspring Island, Victoria, Nanaimo, Duncan, Vancouver.
Things to do
There are a variety of well-maintained walking trails in Montague Harbour Marine Park. Routes lead along Shell Beach and around Gray Peninsula. These easy trails offer spectacular views of the surrounding islands, local marine life and wildlife.
For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
This park offers ocean swimming opportunities, but the water is very cold. Bring good footwear for the gravel beach.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Montague Harbour Marine Park offers canoeing and kayaking opportunities for more experienced paddlers. Paddlers should be aware of ocean currents and check weather forecasts before heading out. Montague Harbour is both a destination and a starting off point for kayakers wanting to explore the Gulf Islands.
Montague Harbour Marine Park offers canoeing and kayaking opportunities for more experienced paddlers. Paddlers should be aware of ocean currents and check weather forecasts before heading out. Montague Harbour is both a destination and a starting off point for kayakers wanting to explore the Gulf Islands.
Saltwater fishing is permitted, subject to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) regulations. Please check the current regulations issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada prior to fishing.
A permanent shellfish closure is in effect along the south shoreline of the park adjacent to the wharf. Shellfish harvesting in other areas is subject to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) regulations and closures.
Rockfish Conservation Areas occur within this park. Fishing activities are limited in Rockfish Conservation Areas. Before you go fishing please refer to the Rockfish Conservation Area descriptions available from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.
Bicycles must keep to roadways and are not permitted on trails. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Montague Harbour Marine 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.
About this park
The arrival of the Spanish explorer, Captain Galiano, in 1792 marked the European discovery of the Gulf Islands. Montague Harbour, named for a naval officer, first appeared on a British surveying chart around 1859. Gray Peninsula was settled in the late 1890s by Captain Gray, who cultivated an orchard that supplied fruit to residents in Victoria. Remnants of this old orchard can still be found.
Montague Harbour, with its sheltered waters and abundant salmon and shellfish, has a rich human history. The white shell beach on the north side of the park marks one of several shell middens (refuse heaps) that indicate native occupation that dates back more than 3,000 years. Castaway shells left by centuries of harvesting form berms on the foreshore in many areas of the park.
Wave action erodes the middens, crushes the shells and redeposits them to create Montague’s white shell beaches. Middens contain many of the archaeological clues that help to unravel the stories of earlier cultures. Middens are protected by law. Do not disturb these archaeological sites.
Montague Park is rimmed by diverse shoreline. On the open shore, the shifting surface of sand and shells prevents large plants and animals from making their homes. Acorn barnacles grow in intertidal zones, together with the giant barnacle, edible mussel and Japanese oyster. At low tide, scores of ochre sea stars can be seen on the rocks, feeding on barnacles, mussels and sea snails such as the whelk and periwinkle.
A rich habitat of flora and fauna can be viewed in the small salt marsh on Gray’s Peninsula. A lush mixture of Douglas fir, western red cedar, grand fir and arbutus characterize the park. Skirting the northwest of the peninsula is a spectacular rock ledge that thousands of years ago was carved into rippling patterns by the movement of glaciers.
The forest, rocky coastline and rich tidal lagoon attract many birds year-round. The waters around Montague Harbour attract flocks of wintering birds including diving ducks like scoters, buffleheads, goldeneyes and mergansers.
Great Blue Herons, glaucous-winged gulls, black oystercatchers, northwestern crows, belted kingfisher and bald eagles can often be seen scavenging and soaring over the seas in search of a meal. Horse clams, littleneck clams and butter clams find a safe sanctuary by burrowing beneath the shifting sands on the open shore.
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
| Reservations, changes, and cancellations | Our call centre is open from 7 am to 7 pm Pacific Time. There is a $5 fee for reservations, changes, or cancellations made by phone.
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| Park operator | This park is operated by RLC Park Services. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
