Porpoise Bay Park on the Sunshine Coast offers many opportunities for coastal fun and is a favourite family park. The park is separated from the Strait of Georgia by the isthmus at Sechelt. It is characterized by second-growth forest, open grassy areas, and sandy beaches. Porpoise Bay Park also makes an excellent basecamp for paddlers exploring the Sechelt Inlet.
All campsite, group campsite, and group picnic shelter reservations must be made through the BC Parks reservations service.
Campsite reservations are accepted at Porpoise Bay Park. For more information on making a reservation, see the frontcountry camping page.
Group campsite reservations are also available. For more information on groupsites, see the group camping page.
There are reservable group picnic shelters at this park. For more information on booking a picnic shelter, see the picnic shelters page.
First come, first served campsites are available at this park. When reservations are not available, all campsites can be used on a first come, first served basis.
For information on when reservations are available, see the dates of operation section, above.
There is one group campsite, which can accommodate 15 to 50 people. For information on reserving a groupsite, see the group camping page.
This park offers vehicle-accessible campsites. Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available. For information on making a reservation, see the frontcountry camping page.
Porpoise Bay Park features a camping area that is only for cyclists or for backpackers who arrive at the park without a vehicle. This is an open area with no designated campsites, but with room for approximately 10 small tents. Camping in this area is offered on a first come, first served basis and reservations are not available. The site has a communal fire pit and shared picnic tables. There is a shower building with flush toilets nearby.
Accessibility information is available for this park, as well as these areas:
Cold-water taps are located in the day-use and campground areas. Taps are shut off during the off season.
There is a playground area at the beach, less than five minutes walk from the day-use parking lot. This includes an adventure playground and a grassy area.
Fires are only permitted in the three communal fire pits. No fires are allowed at individual sites due to a clean-air policy within the park. Please conserve firewood and air quality by keeping your campfire small. Bring a portable stove for cooking.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please do not gather firewood from the area around your campsite or anywhere else in the park. Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals, and it adds valuable organic matter to the soil.
Porpoise Bay Park has a day-use and picnicking area with two picnic shelters, which can be reserved. For information on reserving a shelter, see the picnic shelters page.
The day-use area can still be accessed if the gate is locked. It includes a sandy beach and changing facilities. There are flush and pit toilets.
Pit and flush toilets are located in the day-use and campground areas.
There are hot showers and changing facilities located in the day-use and campground areas.
Enjoy the coolness of the lush forests along the trails beside Angus Creek. A bridge over the creek leads to the mudflats of the estuary where a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds can be observed. Harbour seals and bald eagles may be seen year-round.
Please keep a safe, respectful distance when viewing wildlife, and keep dogs on a leash. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Taking shortcuts destroys plant life and soil structure.
There are no lifeguards on duty at BC Parks.
Canoeing and kayaking opportunities are available near Porpoise Bay Park. Kayakers can use the cyclist campsite. There are rentals available outside the park in Tuwanek. Calmer conditions often prevail in early morning and late afternoon.
Kayaking opportunities are available at this park. For more information, see the ‘canoeing’ section, above. Kayakers can use the cyclist campsite.
Fishing is permitted, but it is hard to fish from shore as the water is shallow. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. For information on shellfish harvesting, visit the BC Centre for Disease Control website.
Pets must be leashed 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 the potential for problems with bears and other wildlife.
Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Located at the southern end of Sechelt Inlet on the Sunshine Coast, Porpoise Bay Park is four kilometres north of Sechelt off Highway 101. Vehicle access is via Sechelt Inlet Road northeast of Sechelt.
Any maps provided on this page are for information only. They may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.
This park is operated by Swens Contracting:
Historically, the shíshálh Nation frequented this area, with a major village at Sechelt. Today, the shíshálh Nation plays an important role in the community of Sechelt.
The park was purchased from the Crowston family in 1966. On January 29, 1971, Porpoise Bay Park was established.
Porpoise Bay Park is characterized by second-growth forest of Douglas fir, western cedar, western hemlock, maple, and alder. The area contains a waterway used by chum and coho salmon for spawning. There is an estuary in the park that is home to many shore birds.
Please keep a safe, respectful distance when viewing wildlife. Keep dogs leashed at all times, and stay out of the creek.
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.