Porteau Cove Provincial Park

Welcome to Porteau Cove Provincial Park, situated roughly forty minutes north of Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway. As you step out of your vehicle, you are immediately confronted with the staggering beauty of Howe Sound. …

Let us walk out onto the prominent wooden pier extending over the water. This structure is a direct remnant of the Union Steamship Company. …

From this vantage point, I must draw your attention to something you cannot actually see. Porteau Cove is profoundly unique because it is not only a terrestrial park, but an extensive underwater marine park. …

Let us move south along the shoreline toward the walk-in tenting area. These sites are spectacular, positioned mere feet from the high-tide line. …

Turn your back to the ocean and look at the eastern boundary of the park. You will notice a set of active railway tracks cutting directly between the campground and the steep mountain face. …

Continuing to the northern section, we find the Olympic Legacy cabins. These structured accommodations provide a stark contrast to the canvas tents on the beach. …

Let us return to the shoreline for one final, sweeping analysis of the landscape. Look directly across the water at the massive peaks of the Tantalus Range. …

Our analytical tour of Porteau Cove is complete. We have examined its industrial past as a gravel pit and steamship dock, its present as a terrestrial campground, and its hidden depths as a sunken reef. …