Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada

What's New

Reservations available for Sidney Spit Camping

You can now reserve your campsite at Sidney Spit (Sidney Island) simply by visiting the Parks Canada Campground Reservation Service at reservation.parkscanada.gc.ca or by phone at 1-877-737-3783. Our new service will allow visitors to choose their own campsite in all three of the park’s reservable campgrounds.

Park Fees

Please note that current park fees are in place until March 31, 2013 and are subject to change. Fee adjustments may be implemented in summer 2013. Click here for current fee information.

Archaeological field school

Students of the 2011 Archaeological Field School at work at an excavation of a cultural site on Portland Island
© Parks Canada

This summer, Parks Canada and the University of Victoria are jointly operating an archaeological field school in Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. The field school is a ongoing collaborative effort to provide university students and Coast Salish interns with a unique opportunity to learn archaeology field methods in an applied setting, while undertaking valuable research to allow both Parks Canada and UVic to learn more about the past cultures that used the region. For 2013, the archaeology field work will focus on North and South Pender Islands, Russell Island, and Prevost Island. Research will be focused on undertaking some archaeological inventories of newly acquired park lands as well as some further exploration of coastal archaeological sites. This season, the field school will be based at Shingle Bay on North Pender Island from May 6 - May 21 and at James Bay on Prevost Island from May 22 - June 18. If you see them while visiting the park, you are welcome to ask them about their research. They will be more than happy to speak with you.

Park Expansion

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is expanding with new protected lands on Pender, Saturna and Prevost islands! The new properties are a mix of waterfront and forested areas, including over 2,700 metres of beaches. This expansion will lead to the development of new hiking trails, swimming areas, picnic sites, and walk-in or boat-in camping for visitors.

The growth of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve will also ensure that more of Canada’s rare Garry oak ecosystem is protected. The extensive shorelines provide habitat for a variety of wildlife. The forested areas have a mixture of arbutus and Douglas fir, including some old-growth cedar. The new lands also include a wetland considered prime habitat for the endangered sharp-tailed snake. Learn more.