Saysutshun Provincial Park

Saysutshun is a nature reserve on an island off Nanaimo's coast featuring walking trails, sandstone cliffs, and pebble beaches. The landscape along the water offers different approaches to the shoreline and natural viewpoints across the Salish Sea.

The Hudson's Bay Company named the island in 1849 after a town in England following coal discoveries. Mining shaped the island from 1853 to 1882 and left marks on the landscape that remain visible today.

The Snuneymuxw people lived here in two settlements, each serving different purposes in their way of life. Visitors walking the island today encounter the landscapes that shaped their practices and relationship with the sea.

A passenger ferry brings visitors from a waterfront park to the island in just a few minutes with regular service throughout the day. Good walking shoes are important since trails cross uneven terrain and some areas slope steeply.

Stone from the island was shipped to San Francisco and used in a prominent building's construction, where it withstood multiple major earthquakes. These stones stand as a quiet testament to the building methods of that era and their lasting strength.

Location: Nanaimo

Inception: October 17, 1961

Website: https://bcparks.ca/parks/saysutshun

GPS coordinates: 49.19050,-123.93470

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:07