Bowen Island: 36-Hour Getaway from Vancouver

Known as both the Island of Hikes and one of Canada’s most artistic communities, Bowen Island is a paradise for adventurers and creatives alike. Conveniently located just twenty minutes by ferry from the mainland of Vancouver, travelers have been escaping to this idyllic piece of land in the Howe Sound since the early 1700s. During the first half of the 1900s, Bowen Island became known as the Happy Isle and ever since, its popularity has continued to grow among both tourists and Bowenites. As I was coming up on my two-month mark of living in Vancouver, I decided it was about time that I experience this island’s hiking trails and tight-knit community for myself. I packed my trusty Osprey Pack, booked a one-night stay at the cutest Airbnb, and made my way to Horseshoe Bay where the Bowen Island ferry departs.

Getting from Downtown Vancouver to Bowen Island:
There are two buses from Downtown Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay – Route 250 and Route 257 Express. The 250 takes a more scenic route along the southern coast of West Vancouver while the 257 Express takes a more direct route along the Trans-Canada Highway. From Horseshoe Bay, the company BC Ferries operates the service to Snug Cove, which is the ferry terminal and east coast community on Bowen Island. Ferries depart nearly every hour and an adult return fare costs $10.45 CAD.

 
Day 1

8:00am – 10:00am: Horseshoe Bay & Snug Cove
I arrived at Horseshoe Bay with forty minutes to explore before boarding the 9:05am ferry to Snug Cove. It was a Sunday morning so aside from a couple coffee shops and restaurants, everything was closed. Nonetheless, the views of the Howe Sound and the snowcapped mountains in the distance were breathtaking. Once aboard the ferry, I immediately climbed to the upper deck and felt the wind blow through my hair, as it did the Canadian flag. A short twenty minutes later, I disembarked at Snug Cove, where the tempo was very similar to that of Horseshoe Bay. A group of women were gathered for Yoga on the Pier and a couple of men were renting kayaks from Bowen Island Sea Kayaking, otherwise the life on the island was limited to the birds and my fellow ferry passengers.

10:00am – 12:00pm: Dorman Point & Bowfest Field
While I waited for the village to come alive, I eagerly set out to explore the Crown Land, which comprises thirty percent of the island. Dorman Point is a one-hour hike from Snug Cove with an elevation of three-hundred feet, leading to a viewpoint of the North Shore Mountains and Howe Sound. The trail starts at Bowfest Field and is very well marked all the way up to the steep 200-meter stretch at the end. I acquired a hiking buddy on my way to the Dorman Point lookout, a little ladybug who clung to my backpack for the duration of the hike. Once I reached the top, I took some time to admire the views before retracing my steps to Bowfest Field. When I returned, I sat down at a picnic table and pulled out my coloring book and pencils, appreciating the simpler way of being that Bowen Island lends itself to.

12:00pm – 2:00pm: Bowen Island Marina & The Pier
When the clock hit noon, I ventured back to the Bowen Island Marina for a highly anticipated scoop of Earnest Ice Cream from Branch & Butter. Earnest Ice Cream has been making small batch ice cream in East Vancouver since 2012 with a menu consisting of regular, rotating, and vegan flavors. The company also packs pints in returnable and reusable glass jars, an environmental commitment that I can definitely stand by. I grabbed a scoop of strawberry coconut ice cream, the vegan flavor of the day, and enjoyed its deliciousness out on the pier. Right next door, Lime & Moon Pie Company is a 100% organic pie shop operating with a zero waste philosophy and offering gluten-free, vegan, and raw pies.

2:00pm – 4:00pm: Artisan Square, Snug Cove, & Village Square
About a twenty minute walk inland, Artisan Square is the cultural hub of the island, perched on the side of Cates Hill. I passed through the Snug Cove pedestrian village as well as Village Square on my way, where I picked up a sandwich from The Snug Café and a smoothie from The Ruddy Potato Deli & Café. Both establishments had several vegan options and I couldn’t help but giggle at a sign for The Smallest Candy Store in the World. Once I reached Artisan Square, I spent some time browsing the independent boutiques, unique studios, and art galleries which are run by a variety of local merchants, artists, and artisans. Among the aesthetically pleasing stores were a pottery shop called Cloudflower Clayworks and a florist shop called Bowen Island Flower Shop.

4:00pm – 6:00pm: Airbnb Check-In
When the shops began to close towards the late afternoon, I headed to my Airbnb for check-in. The cozy cottage I stayed in was surrounded by peaceful gardens and located within walking distance to Killarney Lake. It was outfitted with bouquets of flowers and a vintage gramophone, and my host kindly brought me coffee and freshly baked vegan scones in the morning, a gesture which I came to realize was representative of all Bowenites. After dropping off my bag and switching into pants to protect myself from the nighttime mosquitoes, I walked down the road to Killarney Lake. If you’re looking to spend a night on Bowen Island, I highly recommend this cottage, and you can get $45 CAD towards your first trip with Airbnb by clicking here!

6:00pm – 10:00pm: Killarney Lake Loop
The entrance to Killarney Creek Trail is located across from the Catholic Church on Miller Road and is a leisurely two-hour hike with an elevation of seventy-five feet. Despite being one of the most popular trails within Crippen Regional Park’s six-hundred acres of coastal rainforest, I more or less had the path to myself for the evening. As I strolled around Bowen Island’s largest body of water, I fell into a deep reflection and let my thoughts run wild. Stepping into a community of three-and-a-half thousand individuals who exude artistic creativity and radiate small-town charm led me to ponder the question of finding true happiness. It’s a question that’s been on my mind a lot lately and being alone in nature always seems to guide me right back to it, but that’s a topic for another time. Before I knew it, I had circled around Killarney Lake and was climbing into bed for a much-needed good night’s sleep.

 
Day 2

8:00am – 4:00pm: Mount Gardner
In the morning, I awoke to the sound of birds chirping, the smell of flowers blooming, and the sight of the sun shining. Feeling refreshed and invigorated after a night of rest, I was excited to tackle the highest point on Bowen Island known as Mount Gardner. Sitting at 2,408 feet, this is a challenging climb with steep hills and poor trail markings, but I was confident that I would figure it out. I packed a couple trail maps and headed to the Killarney Lake access point, following Hiker’s Trail Road to Skid Trail to N. Mount Gardner Trail. Somewhere along the way, I lost the markers and stumbled into a friendly group of eight hikers who invited me to join them. As it turns out, the Rotary Club of Bowen Island is currently working on improving these trail markings so hopefully that will clear up much confusion in the near future. I wish I had more advice to offer, but I honestly just followed the pack to the summit where we admired the views of Gambier Island and Howe Sound to the north as well as Downtown Vancouver and English Bay to the southeast. What I will say is bring lots of food and water, along with a positive attitude, the hike to Mount Gardner is far more strenuous than I expected.

4:00pm – 8:00pm: Fish Ladder & Bridal Veil Falls
Together with my new hiking buddies, we descended the mountain and arrived back at Killarney Lake in no time. I thanked the hikers for taking care of me and went my separate way to check out the Fish Ladder and Bridal Veil Falls. Situated on the Alder Grove Trail along the Lagoon, the ladder allows fish to swim upstream for spawning while the falls cascade down the smooth rocks, creating a veil-like effect. I continued along the Alder Grove Trail, weaving through the native forest and noticing the many signs of historic logging. I had met an elderly man in the Pacific Spirit Regional Park a few weeks prior who told me that the large flat-topped stumps with deep oblong notches were remains of trees logged by hand in the 1920s – the more you know! The Alder Grove Trail conveniently led back to Snug Cove where I came to the sad realization that it was time to return to the real world. As I rode the ferry back to Horseshoe Bay, I breathed in the fresh air and promised myself I would be back soon.

To the ladybug who clung to my backpack up to Dorman Point, my gracious Airbnb host who made me coffee and vegan scones, the hikers who adopted me on the trail to Mount Gardner, and even the mosquitoes who kept me company on my evening hike around Killarney Lake, thank you for making my time on Bowen Island absolutely incredible!

With ♡, Julia Elizabeth