Dionisio Point Provincial Park

About This Park

Dionisio Point Provincial Park on quaint Galiano Island features rocky headlands flanked by sandy beaches and picturesque bays. Overlooking Porlier Pass, this park is accessible by boat only and provides opportunities for walk-in camping, fishing, boating, kayaking, wildlife viewing and scuba diving.

The forested uplands at Dionisio Point are rimmed by a varied and unique shoreline that includes sculpted sandstone shelves, pebble and sand beaches and colorful wildflower meadows. Fast flowing tidal currents have created a rich intertidal life – sea-stars, nudibranchs and chitons can be seen in the tide pools, and at times large quantities of swimming scallop shells can be found on the beaches.

This Gulf Island park has a rich human history. Large mounds along the shores mark the shell middens (refuse heaps) that indicate native occupation dating back more than 3,000 years. Castaway shells left by centuries of harvesting formed berms on the foreshore of the park. These middens contain many of the archaeological clues that help to unravel the history of earlier cultures. The park also contains well documented archeological sites previously used by the Penelakut First Nation. These sites are fenced to the public and identified though interpretive signage at Maple Bay.

Park Size: 142 hectares

Know Before You Go

Park Safety

• Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning can be a problem in this area. Check with Fisheries and Oceans Canada for shellfish closures prior to the consumption of any shellfish.
• A boil water advisory is in place for this water system. Water must be boiled for a minimum of 5 minutes, filtered or treated prior to consumption. Water is available from May 1 to September 30.

Special Notes

• Picking of wildflowers is not permitted.
• There is no bicycle or vehicle access to this park. Access is by water only.
• In your observation of tide pools, please remember to carefully place overturned rocks in their original position. Do not touch the marine life or remove any shells or marine organisms from the park.
• A mooring buoy in the park is for BC Parks staff use only.
• Reservations are not accepted at this park for the walk-in style campsites.

Location and Maps

Please note: Any maps listed are for information only – they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

• Location Map

Dionisio Point Park is located on the northeast tip of Galiano Island overlooking Porlier Pass in the southern Gulf Islands. Access to the park is by boat only. Boaters can reference marine chart #3442, #3461, #3443 and #3473 for more information on this area.
Nearby communities include: Galiano Island, Saltspring Island, Mayne Island, Valdes Island, Victoria, Nanaimo, Duncan, Vancouver.

Maps and Brochures

Any maps listed are for information only – they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

• Park Map

Nature and Culture

• History
• Conservation
• Wildlife

Management Planning

• Management Planning Information
• Approved management plan for Dionisio Point Provincial Park [PDF 2.35MB]

  Because of the large size of the file, the figures and Appendix C are listed separately:

  Figures

  • Figure 1 Park Location [PDF]
  • Figure 2 Regional Setting [PDF]
  • Figure 3 Zoning [PDF]
  • Figure 4 Proposed Addition [PDF]
  • Figure 5 Development Concept [PDF]

  Appendix C

  Public Consultation Process and Summary of Public Comments [PDF 1.27MB]
  Disclaimer:
  This is not the original management planning product. This document has been scanned from the original format of the plan. It may contain some formatting changes, however the content is consistent with the original.

Activities Available at this Park

Cycling

Fishing

Hiking

Pets on Leash

Scuba Diving

Swimming

Wildlife Viewing

Facilities Available at this Park

Drinking Water

Picnic Areas

Pit or Flush Toilets

Walk-In/Wilderness Camping