Lower Mainland. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- Tide, wind and weather conditions can change suddenly in Howe Sound. Use caution while swimming and boating in this area.
- Please ensure children are supervised while on the emergency ferry pier.
- Scuba divers are not permitted to use the boat launch.
- The BC Rail train track skirts the boundary of the park. Entering the park requires crossing the train track. This is a controlled train crossing, use caution and obey all signs.
- There are two low tide markers near the floating dock which are not mooring buoys and mark very shallow water. Anchoring is prohibited within the park boundary.
Special notes
Special notes
- Due to popularity and size of the campground, each person is permitted to camp for a maximum of 7 nights per year. Reservations are made through BC Parks’ Camping Reservation System.
- Leave No Trace: Exploring the rocky beach at Porteau Cove can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but fishing, shellfish harvesting or removal of other marine life is not allowed. Please minimize your disturbance by leaving everything as you find it.
- Public pay phones: The public pay phones are no longer available. They have been removed during the adjacent highway construction and there is no information available as to when this service will be reinstated.
- Septic system: Porteau Cove is on a septic system, including the sani-station and washroom buildings. Antibacterial soaps and harsh chemicals destroy the health and functionality of the system. Please help protect the septic system and the water quality by using only biodegradable soaps during your stay
- Sani-station winter service: The sani station will remain open unless freezing temperatures are forecasted. During periods of freezing weather, the sani station will be closed until the temperatures remain above freezing over a 24 hour period.
- Marine conservation: Exploring the beach and diving/snorkelling can be a rewarding experience at Porteau Cove. Please practise leave no trace ethics when observing marine life at the park by leaving everything as you find it and by not removing or handling the wildlife. Beach fires are not permitted. Please see gatehouse at the campground for upcoming interpretive demonstrations and events!
- Stargazing and aurora borealis viewing is becoming increasingly popular at Porteau Cove. Please note that the day use area closes at 11pm and access to the campground is not permitted at any time for the purposes of viewing.
- Due to the close proximately of campsites at this park, please ensure music and loud voices are kept within your campsite at all times to provide visitors with the opportunity to experience the sounds of nature, and to protect and enhance the soundscape of the park.
- Plan ahead/carpool: Due to high volumes of traffic and the small size of the park, there is limited parking available. One additional vehicle is permitted per campsite for an additional fee. There is a maximum of two vehicles per campsite at any time. Walk-in campsites have only one vehicle space per site at anytime. Drop-offs cannot be accommodated due to safety hazard of park road becoming restricted. Additional parking is available in the day-use parking lot, but extra spaces may not be available on weekends. Visitors must register if they stay in the park past 11pm and display a valid permit on their vehicle. Non-registered guests are not permitted in the park past 11pm.
- Quiet hours are 10pm to 7am: Music, generators, and other noisy equipment must be shut off completely between these hours.
- Generator use is only permitted between 9am and 11am, and from 6pm to 8pm. View the generator policy.
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:
Reservation policies
Get information on:
Maps and location
- Explore a virtual aerial tour of Porteau Cove Park on discoverparks.ca
- Diving map [PDF]
- Park and campsite map [PDF]
- Park brochure and map for print [PDF]
Getting there
38km north of Vancouver on Hwy 99, 20km south of Squamish, 8.5km south of Britannia Beach. Nearby communities include Brackendale and Lions Bay.
Camping
Cabins and huts
Porteau Cove Olympic Legacy Cabins
The Olympic Legacy cabins were built by Pioneer Log Homes of Williams Lake, BC and used during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology as information kiosks and a showcase of BC Parks.
Each cabin has one bedroom and a loft, a private kitchen and a bathroom. All linens will be supplied. Maximum occupancy for the cabins is four people.
Get more information and make a reservation on the Sea to Sky Parks website.
Cabins and huts
Frontcountry camping
This park offers 44 vehicle-accessible campsites. Five are double sites and two are pull-through sites. Campsite reservations are accepted during the summer months and first-come, first-serve sites are available in the off-season.
There is extra parking in the day-use lot available for a fee. The closest store is in Britannia Beach, approximately 10 minutes north by car.
This park is extremely popular during peak-season, from May long weekend to Thanksgiving weekend. Reservations are highly recommended.
Frontcountry campgrounds
Walk-in camping
There are 16 walk-in campsites are available. There is a flat path to the camping area, approximately five minutes from the parking lot.
Most of these campsites are small, ocean-front sites. Because they are small, the maximum occupancy per site is four people. There is a limit of one tent per site.
There are no picnic tables at these campsites, only sitting benches. There are communal fire rings. These sites are located adjacent to a popular grassy, marine cove day-use area. Garbage bins are provided. There are no flush toilets located in this campground area, however there are two pit toilets.
Walk-in campgrounds
Winter camping
Sites 1 to 44 are available during the winter season. Walk-in sites 1 to 6 are also available on a restricted basis. The washroom/shower buildings are closed during the winter season. Potable water is available at one standpipe outside the campground washroom. The sani-station is open unless temperatures drop below freezing.
Winter vehicle-accessible camping fee: $18 per party per night camping fee plus $8 electrical per night = $26 per party per night
BC senior winter rate: $17.50 per senior party per night plus $8 electrical/night = $25.50 per party per night.
See the camping fees page for information on senior camping discounts.
Things to do
There is an easy walking trail to a lookout that overlooks Porteau Cove and Howe Sound. There is a slight elevation gain with a series of rock and wooden steps. The walk to the lookout is approximately 300m.
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.
The park has a rock and pebble beach for ocean swimming; sneakers or beach shoes are recommended. A series of man-made reefs and two sunken vessels provide excellent scuba diving opportunities.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Canoeing and kayaking are available in the ocean area. Paddlers should know the ocean currents before setting out. The nearest kayak and canoe rentals are in Squamish.
There are kayaking opportunities in this park.
Harvesting or collection of marine life within the park foreshore boundary is prohibited.
For fishing information outside the park boundary, please refer to Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Recreational fishing in British Columbia webpage.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Find fun summer outdoor learning experiences with Discover Parks Ambassadors here all summer long. For specific dates, along with many more seasonal and year-round activities, visit discoverparks.ca.
A short walking trail leads to a lookout which provides a spectacular view of Howe Sound and Porteau Cove. There are also good views of marine waterfowl and harbour seals, harbour porpoises, river otters, mink, coyotes, and racoons. From spring until fall, orcas, gray whales, and humpback whales may also be seen. Every two years, pink salmon spawn in the estuary in the park.
Pets/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. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
Bicycles must keep to roadways and trails. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
The strong winds of Howe Sound can create excellent windsurfing opportunities. A popular windsurfing area known as 'the Spit' is in Squamish at the confluence of the Squamish River and Howe Sound.
A series of man-made reefs and two sunken vessels provide excellent scuba diving opportunities. Depths vary from 6m to 18m (20’ to 60’). Be cautious of changing tides and strong in and outflow winds. Penetration of vessels is not recommended. The diving area is marked by a series of marker buoys. Various fascinating marine life has established itself throughout the dive area. Harvesting or harassment of marine life is prohibited within the park’s marine foreshore. Diving from a boat is prohibited within the park boundary.
There is an outdoor shower available in the day-use area from March 1 to November 12.
There are steps that lead down to the water’s edge that are located in the main parking lot. Please use proper etiquette when changing into and out dive gear in the parking lots, and avoid gear sprawl that inhibits vehicular traffic. Commercial diving such as providing instruction and guiding is prohibited unless authorized by a park use permit.
Day-use is open with limited facilities. Winter camping is permitted, but services are limited. Only portions of the campground may be vehicle-accessible; access may be restricted due to snow fall.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for the park, as well as these areas:
There are two paved double-wide boat launches. There is parking available for vehicles and trailers in the day-use area.
It may not be possible to launch during low tide. It may be difficult to launch during the winter months due to the high volumes of driftwood that accumulate on the boat launches. Boats are prohibited in the dive area.
There is also one mooring buoy and a float available for moorage in the small cove.
There are two low tide markers near the floating dock which are not mooring buoys and mark very shallow water. Anchoring is prohibited within the park boundary.
Campfires are permitted in designated fire rings only. Beach fires are not permitted. Firewood is available for sale, or park visitors may opt to bring their own. Collection and burning of driftwood is prohibited. Beach wood is an essential component of the inter-tidal zone. Collection and burning of woody debris such as leaves, branches etc. is also prohibited. Trees and woody debris provide critical habitat for wildlife and put important nutrients back into the soil. Winds off the ocean blow campfire smoke into adjacent campsites, so please respect your neighbours and their air quality.
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 in both the day-use and campground areas. Park visitors are requested not to wash dishes at the water taps. Taps are shut off during the low season.
Each site provides 30amp service with one standard RV receptacle (NEMA TT-30) and one 15amp standard household receptacle (NEMA 5). There is an additional electrical service charge of $8/night for these sites (whether the power is in use or not).
This park has a day-use/picnic area. There is a beach that is mostly pebbled and rocky with large driftwood. There are several picnic tables located along the ocean front of Howe Sound. There can be quite strong in and out flow winds along the Howe Sound. Garbage bins are provided. There are no covered shelters or change houses in the day-use area. Flush toilets are available. There are no fire pits. Some picnic tables have barbeque attachments. Pets must be on a leash at all times. The gate is locked between the hours of 11pm and 7am.
There are pit and flush toilets located in the campground, and only flush toilets in the day-use area. During low-season, only pit toilets are available for use in the campground. The day-use area is open year-round and has flush toilets available which are located in the small upper parking located adjacent to Highway 99.
A sani-station/dump is available in this park all year, although, due to freezing, the water may be shut off during low season. It is located just past the gatehouse at the entrance to the campground. There are hose hook-ups for campers and trailers located at the sani-station. There are also sani-stations located in Squamish and Brackendale area.
There is a shower building located in the campground that provides hot water and electrical outlets for hair dryers, razors etc.
About this park
Porteau is from the French porte d'eau, which means 'Water’s Gate'. The name dates from 1908 when John F. Deeks began mining the extensive sand and gravel deposits here to supply Vancouver.
A small community of employees lived here until the beginning of the depression, enjoying good housing, a schoolhouse, tennis courts, and daily ferry service from the Union Steamship Company. These ferries, Lady Cynthia and Lady Cecilia, operated between Vancouver and Squamish until the railway (then the Pacific Great Eastern) was extended from Squamish into North Vancouver.
You are visiting the intertidal home of hundreds of living plants and animals. Please protect your marine resources by leaving them as you find them.
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 Sea to Sky Park Services Ltd. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
