Where the Road Slows Down: Bikepacking the Cowichan–Salt Spring Loop
When visiting Salt Spring Island, it’s common to see slogans such as ‘Slow the Folk Down’ or ‘Slow Down, This Isn’t the Mainland’ plastered to anything from a rusting 30-year-old Schwinn bicycle to a brand-new Land Rover. Being the largest of the Gulf Islands, it attracts a wide variety of people from hippies, to yuppies, to remote workers, to retirees, to an influx of tourists each summer coming from near and far. Yet, no matter who they may be, pretty much all who come to Salt Spring are looking for the same thing: to slow down and enjoy ‘island time’. In my opinion, there’s no better way to slow down and soak in the island vibes than via the bicycle. With scenic winding roads that traverse mountains, hug the shoreline, meander through lush forests, and pass through acres of farmland, Salt Spring Island provides the perfect place to breezily explore at a calm pace, free from the hustle-and-bustle of one’s daily life, knowing there’ll be another gorgeous view and farm stand around each corner.
Bikepacking – A Dreamy Way to Explore
Although Salt Spring certainly feels like a dreamy, far-off vacation destination, it’s surprisingly accessible, connected via ferry to the Cowichan Valley, Victoria, and even Vancouver. With recent world events pushing many to rethink their international travel plans, the allure of a nearby gem shines ever brightly. Combine the accessibility of the island, with its slow pace and gorgeous landscapes, and it’s hard to imagine a better destination for bikepacking. Bikepacking, along with its closely related sibling, gravel riding, have been having their time in the spotlight lately, as more and more people look for adventure that’s not only close to home, but environmentally sustainable, healthy, and frankly: just plain fun.
While it can be easy to fall into the trap of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) when getting started in the world of bikepacking, one doesn’t need too much to get riding. Pretty much any bike that fits will do, so long as one can strap some – ideally lightweight – camping gear to it (hiking/trekking gear is best). There’s a plethora of mounting options available for loading up one’s gear, including the tried and true rear rack + pannier combination, to fancier and more lightweight bags that affix to the frame, fork, saddle, handlebar, etc. Some of my personal recommendations for bikepacking bags come from Canadian companies Arkel and Atwater, but ask around, someone you know might have some old panniers and a rack you could borrow.
Loading layout is based greatly on personal preference and availability of gear, but generally speaking, try to distribute the weight across the bicycle, keeping heavier items lower and nearest the center of the bike. Handlebar bags make a great spot for sleeping bags, for example, as opposed to heavier items such as fuel cannisters, stoves, and food. If one already has a bike that fits as well as some lightweight camping gear, then they’re pretty much already set to head out. At the most minimal, use some straps to affix a tent and sleeping bag to the handlebars and/or top tube, and toss some clothes, a stove, some fuel, a sleeping pad, and some snacks into a backpack and get rolling. Ideally one will move away from carrying too much gear on one’s back, but for a start it’ll do. If setting out to explore Salt Spring, certainly don’t forget plenty of snacks and water; the island is far from flat.
Being born and raised in the Cowichan Valley, I’ve spent decades looking across the Sansum Narrows and Cowichan Bay towards Salt Spring Island, and visited numerous times. In fact, one of my favourite places in the entire world is the breathtaking oceanside Ruckle Provincial Park, located on the southeast of the island. I’d never visited Salt Spring via bicycle, however, so in the mid Spring of 2025, I decided to change that, making Ruckle my overnight destination. With ferry connections from Crofton in the Cowichan Valley to Vesuvius Harbour on Salt Spring, Fulford Harbour on Salt Spring to Swartz Bay in Sidney on the Saanich Peninsula, and from Brentwood Bay (also on the Saanich Peninsula) back to Mill Bay in the Cowichan Valley, a ~115km loop becomes fairly obvious. Thus, on a Friday afternoon, along with my partner, Danielle, we set out on our journey from our home in Cowichan Bay. We planned to spend two nights at Ruckle Provincial Park, using Saturday to leisurely tour part of Salt Spring, and complete the loop home on Sunday.
Beautiful Cowichan Bay
Riding through the Cowichan Valley, no matter where, one is pretty much guaranteed beautiful scenery. This is especially true when riding through Cowichan Bay, and the adjacent estuary. The road follows the ocean for a time, passes under Mt. Tzouhalem, while crossing both the Koksilah and Cowichan Rivers, and winds its way for about 22kms until Crofton, just brushing the outskirts of the city of Duncan. It should be noted that when leaving the estuary towards Duncan, the shoulder of the road slims to its most narrow of the entire route, so one should be cautious here. Once in Crofton we had some time to kill before the next ferry, so we refueled at Crofton Foods, one of those little shops that one finds in small towns that has everything from a hot food deli, to groceries, to liquor. With a bag of chips and an ice tea shared between us, Danielle and I boarded the ferry towards Salt Spring.
BikePacking on Salt Spring Island
Landing on Salt Spring at the Vesuvius Terminal, we were met with the first of many climbs the island has to offer, as we took Vesuvius Bay Road to Lower Ganges Road. Making our way to the outskirts of Ganges, we had another pitstop, this time at Uptown Pizza, grabbing some slices for dinner before cruising downhill into Ganges proper. The descent was short-lived, as leaving Ganges we were met with the next major climb of the evening, as we took Fulford-Ganges Road out of town. Choosing the scenic route, we diverted onto the flatter Beddis Road, which cuts through forests and farmland, until a short stint on Cusheon Lake Road, and quickly onto Stewart Road. Stewart Road brings the last of the major climbs of the route, followed by a welcome descent until Beaver Point Road, which passes Weston Lake and continues through stunning farmland until reaching Ruckle Provincial Park after about 24km.
Ruckle Provincial Park
It cannot be understated how magical of a place Ruckle Provincial Park is. Coming down the hill into Ruckle, we were first met with forest on both sides of the road, until the landscape opens to the hundred-year-old active farm section of the park, with expansive fields stretching to the ocean on one side, and the hills on the other. Breaking up the fields are orchard stands, barns, and century-old houses. During the day, tractors work, turkeys roam about, cows graze, and countless sheep wander. As the evening grew late, Danielle and I continued through the farm, returning to the forest as we veered towards the campground. Through the parking lot onto the footpaths, we left the forest once again, into the seaside Gary Oak meadows that make up the campground. Down the path we went, scanning for free sites, until arriving at a perfect spot on the oceanside of the path. The first-come-first-serve nature of most of the sites within the Ruckle Campground is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can be a bit of a risk arriving late in the day (especially during the peak season) without the ability to reserve most of the sites. However, on the other hand, and for the same reason, there’s a good chance they’ll be a free spot, as it’s impossible to book out the sites months in advance, as can be the case with many other provincial campgrounds. If in doubt, rest-assured that there is some overflow space available if everything’s full – it won’t be primo, but truly there’s no bad spot to pitch a tent in such a wonderful setting. Unloading our bikes and pitching our tent, we relaxed to the sound of lapping waves mere steps away, watching the last ferries of the night make their way through Swanson Channel.
The next morning, we awoke to warm weather and a great forecast for the rest of the day. Owing to the previously mentioned ferry-connectedness of Salt Spring Island, it was an easy feat for our friend Kyla to join us for Saturday/Sunday from her home in Victoria. Danielle and I sipped coffee and basked in the morning sun until Kyla arrived, at which point she set up her tent and we stripped the gear from our bikes. Our plan for the day was to take a tour of the middle section of the island, visiting various artisan producers along the way, collecting ingredients for our dinner later that evening.
Come late morning, the three of us left Ruckle and headed towards our first stop: Salt Spring Brewing Company. The ride to the brewery began with undulating terrain as we headed away from Ruckle along Beaver Point Road, until a fast descent into Fulford Harbour where Beaver Point turns into Fulford Ganges Road. Heading along the shore before returning to farmland, we easily cruised the mostly flat road until turning off and up Furness Road to the brewery. At Salt Spring Brewing Company, we enjoyed some snacks from local producers, and, of course, a cold glass of beer. From the brewery, we continued along Fulford Ganges Road for a few minutes, climbing the hill until Gary Oaks Estate Winery. Here, with the prominent Mount Maxwell rising behind us, we sipped a glass on the edge of the vineyard, overlooking the rolling hills of grape.
Salt Spring Island Farm Stands
After enjoying our various libations, we continued our quest for dinner fixings, and doubled back towards Fulford Harbour. Reaching Fulford, we stopped in at Salt Spring Mercantile, which, much like Crofton Foods, has a bit of everything, but with a very heavy focus on local producers. Here, we grabbed a bottle of Salt Spring Wild Cider, some crackers, a jar of Salt Spring Kitchen Co. preserves, and a few other small items for dinner, before returning to Beaver Point Road. As we climbed out of Fulford, the sun shining brightly on us as we pedaled up the steep incline, we made a stop at a somewhat surprising roadside stand: Salt Spring Fruitsicles. The unique farm stand couldn’t have been better placed, just near the crest of the hill, with a freezer teaming with various flavours of delicious and very affordable fruitsicles. Farm stands are no strange sight on Salt Spring, I’d even wager the island may have the highest farm stand per capita of anywhere in the world. There’s so many, in fact, that there’s an entire website dedicated to documenting them – though Salt Spring Fruitsicles is absent as of the time of writing.
Fruitsicles happily devoured, we continued onward to our next stop – Salt Spring Island Cheese – a quick detour down Reynolds Road off Beaver Point Road. Here, we did a tasting of some of the many cheeses on offer, grabbed a few wheels, enjoyed the grounds, and headed back towards Ruckle. Just before reaching Ruckle, we diverted off of Beaver Point Road, zipping down King Road in search of the illusive Woodshed Farm Stand. Nestled amongst the foliage, it’s easy to miss, but enter the ‘shed’ and a plethora of lovingly-crafted prepared meals and baked goods await. Everything from pies, to salads, to frozen lasagnas is on offer within the Woodshed Farm Stand, easily making it the most unexpected farm stand I’ve ever visited, immediately usurping the previously visited Salt Spring Fruitsicles. Some salads and baked goods in tow, we looped back towards Beaver Point Road, until reaching our campsite at Ruckle some 40kms later.
With the spring sun still high in the sky, we took an ocean dip to freshen up and cool down before crafting a dinner comprised of the local ingredients collected throughout the day. After dinner, we followed the trail through the campground, passing innumerable other bikepackers, until reaching the bluffs facing the south-west, where the sun was still shining warmly. Here, many groups were soaking in the last rays of the day, and we joined them until the sun set behind the hills. Back at camp we settled into our sleeping bags feeling relaxed from the great day touring the island.
Journey Home
Come Sunday morning the three of us awoke to another pleasant day, albeit not as sunny as the previous. However, the cooler weather wasn’t unwelcomed for our return journey home. After coffee and a simple breakfast, we loaded up our bikes, and headed back the 10km to Fulford Harbour, hopping on the ferry towards Swartz Bay. A short and scenic boat ride later, and the three of us were in Swartz Bay, just before lunch time. A short pedal from the terminal, we headed down the hill to the Fox & Monocle Café, where we grabbed a coffee and baked good, relaxing until the neighbouring Stonehouse Pub opened for lunch. There, we enjoyed lunch on the patio, before hopping back on the saddle, heading down the Saanich Peninsula. Across the Peninsula we travelled, along Lochside Trail at times, cutting through various residential streets at others, or along bike lanes adjacent more major roads, with the elevation feeling generally breezy compared to the hillier Salt Spring Island. Eventually, Kyla split with Danielle and I, as she headed back to Victoria, and we headed to Brentwood Bay – some 20kms from Swartz Bay – in order to catch our third and final ferry of the trip back to the Cowichan Valley. Reaching Mill Bay after another short and sweet ferry trip, we followed the shore along Mill Bay Road before cutting inland through farmland along Cobble Hill Road until reaching Cobble Hill village, where we stopped for a final refuelling at Drifters Creamery. Bellies full of soft serve, Danielle and I continued along Cobble Hill Road until crossing the highway onto Cowichan Bay Road, back to our home in Cowichan Bay, approximately 20kms since leaving the Mill Bay ferry terminal.
With the three ferry, 166km (ferry rides inclusive), hills-a-plenty ride under my belt, I couldn’t have been happier with how it went. The Cowichan Valley, Salt Spring Island, and the Saanich Peninsula all unite with a slow pace and welcoming environment that make for the perfect backdrop to explore via bicycle. The incomparable beauty of Ruckle Provincial Park (and Salt Spring Island as a whole, for that matter), can’t be beat for the perfect place to pitch a tent beside the ocean, falling asleep anticipating what the next day’s ride will bring. Although one should be prepared for the hills that come along with visiting Salt Spring Island, there’s no
shame in taking one’s time and slowing down; after all, this isn’t the mainland.
Route Maps
- Day One Route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yhDN6DFbF8LczaVK7.
- Day Two Route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PZcjRnwExwLLGb6H6.
- Day Three Route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5ysjTpsK2EqhXy1y9.
