Mansons Landing Provincial Park was established in 1974 to expand the diversity of marine park experiences in the northern Gulf Islands archipelago. Located on Cortes Island, this beautiful park fronts the water on both Hague Lake and Manson Bay.
With both sandy and rocky beaches, excellent swimming and easy grade trails around the lagoon, this is a perfect place for beach walks and tidal flat exploration. Five minutes of hiking leads from Manson’s Lagoon to the sandy beaches of Hague Lake.
Recreational opportunities include fresh water swimming in Hague Lake, and marine wildlife viewing in Mansons Lagoon. Camping is not permitted at this park, however camping is available at nearby Smelt Bay Provincial Park.
View more information about Mansons Landing Provincial Park on the BC Parks website.
Hike Information
There are several trails around the Manson’s Lagoon area and this is a nice location for wandering trails or just spending time on the beaches. From the parking area down at the beach and docks you can walk south along a trail just above the beach. The trail winds its way through the forest and joins onto the Cortes Island School property which will connect you with Beasley Road. Or you can walk the other way along the beach around the back of the lagoon which will connect you with the parking area for the Hague Lake day use area with a beautiful white sand beach, outhouse and picnic tables.
Explore Cortes Island Hiking Trails
Whaletown Commons
Easily accessible from Whaletown Road, the Whaletown Commons offers several short loop hikes through dense, verdant forest populated by several beautiful old growth cedars along Whaletown Creek. It’s the perfect place for an easy walk, especially with children.
A broad swath of land across the northwest of Cortes Island, the Children’s Forest stretches from Whaletown to Carrington Bay. It’s lined with logging roads and hiking trails — quiet and perfect for a half-day walk (or even longer).
Grandmother Grove
Grandmother Grove sits at the southern end of Carrington Bay, where the sand disappears into the mouth of a stream surrounded by tall spruce and dense ferns. One of the most beautiful and accessible of Cortes Island’s day hikes.
Kwas Park
Kw’as Park, stretching between Hague Lake and Gunflint Lake, has more than 170 acres of hiking trails through old growth cedar, spruce groves, and bluffs with pine and manzanita. Wildlife is often spotted in the park. With so many trails, Kw’as Park is the perfect forest to explore.
Siskin Lane
The Siskin Lane Forest is a 13 acre park that was donated to the Comox-Strathcona Regional District, to be managed in partnership with the Cortes community. A conservation covenant held by The Land Conservancy of BC prohibits any timber harvesting or development to protect the park’s ecological values in perpetuity. A network of well-kept trails runs through the park, a perfect spot to walk and explore.
Ha’thayim (Von Donop) Marine Provincial Park
This undeveloped marine wilderness park encompasses lakes, estuaries, a salt water lagoon and the old-growth forest Coast-Salish First nations call “Ha’thayim”. Wilderness camping is permitted and the area is popular with cruising boats seeking remote tranquility in this beautiful area. Opportunities for wildlife viewing, camping, hiking and exploration exist in this rugged park, which features reversing tidal rapids, steep-sided fjords and tidal flats within its boundaries.