BC Marine Trails

Use the BC Marine Trails map to plan routes.

Use the ahoybc map to find services and things to do enroute.

Places to Land

While getting out on the water is the ultimate goal for any boater, enjoying the land can be a big part of a marine adventure. Picnics, dog walks and stretching the leg are all important. And what if your boat is smaller and you need to set up a tent? Or perhaps you’re paddling, and so you need places every so often to stop for rests and campsites.

This is where the BC Marine Trails Network fits in. Our Mission is to integrate land and marine travel, linking the coast through transportation corridors and, every 10 nautical miles or less, via a network of safe havens for small boats and paddlecraft.

The BC Marine Trails Network Association is a non-profit association comprised of 10 affiliate paddling clubs, along with individual and business members. It advocates for public access for paddlers and small boats and is an important part in preserving access to the BC coastline at a time when other pressures such as tourism, logging, fishing and mining could erode possibilities for public access of the coast in the future.

Across an Endless Seascape

It’s a big job. British Columbia has about 27,000 km of coastline.  An inventory, begun in 2007, is identifying potential campsites, day-use sites, launch sites and other points of interest.

The best sites are being considered for recreation status – a form of public parkland without becoming a provincial park. Others are being considered for reserve status; while not parks, they are registered with the government for recreational use. Integral to all this is First Nations input, with full consideration for aboriginal cultural and historic interests so that culturally and historically significant locations are respected.

The result will allow small beachable watercraft access to the coastal wilderness of BC for present and future generations.

The primary objectives of the BC Marine Trails Network are to:

Preserve the recreational value of the BC coastline (paddling, scenery and wildlife viewing, camping, hiking, etc.)

Preserve coastal environmental values and promote Leave no Trace ethics, as trails do not have to be ‘built’: the trails are the ocean.

Assist in encouraging economic growth within First Nations and other small coastal communities, while assisting preservation of the integrity of these communities and First Nations traditional lands.

Learn More

The public is invited to join the BC Marine Trails Network as members, or otherwise learn more about the trails at www.bcmarinetrails.org.