Gulf islands National Park Reserve has 13 designated trails on several islands.   The Mt. Norman and Beaumont Trails  are on South Pender Island.    Both trails start at the Ainslie Point parking area and climb uphill for 350m to a junction.   The trail on the left leads to the top of Mount Norman.  the trail on the right goes up over a ridge, then down to Beaumont Marine Campsite.   We hiked to the top of Mount Norman, then retraced our steps to the intersection, then followed the Beaumont Trail to the end and then back,  a total of 6.8 km.The hike to the top of Mount Norman climbs steeply through the forest to the summit where there is a spur trail out to a viewing platform.

The views are to the west over Bedwell Harbour and North Pender Island and beyond to Swanson Channel.

We hiked back to the Beaumont Trail which started by climbing over a ridge and winding through rock bluffs before starting a route down through the hemlock-arbutus forest to sea level.

Arbutus trees grow on sunny, rocky, dry slopes, often on cliffs overlooking the ocean.  They can grow up to 30m, but the trunks are often crooked or leaning.   The thin, red bark gives the trees a striking appearance,   It is the only native broadleaf evergreen  tree in Canada.

The Beaumont Trails continued along low bluffs overlooking the harbour.   We had kayaked here the day before, but this time we were hiking and looking down at some paddlers.

The trail ends at Beaumont Marine Park.   A gravel beach faces south.

Tiny Skull Island creates a protective cove for landings and launches for kayaks.   Technically this is a tombolo, two beaches linked by a rocky islet.

There are 10 reservable and 3 non-reservable campsites accessible only for boat-in or hike in campers, but since there is no fresh water, it has to be brought in kayaks or carried in a backpack.

We hiked back up over the hill then down to the parking area  at the end of the day’s hiking.   The combined Mt. Norman Beaumont Trails requires lots of up and down, but all parts have rewarding views and a variety of terrain and vegetation to make it interesting.   This is a top-notch trail system, one more bonus in visiting South Pender Island.

More Information:

• Gulf Islands Spring Wildflowers
• Pender Island – George Hill
• Pender Island – Spalding Hill
• Paddling the Pender Islands
• Brooks Point
• On Drummond Bay