Nature Trails Brochure

Blackie Spit Park Enjoy views of Boundary Bay and the North Shore Mountains here. Located at the tip of Crescent Beach, the sandy spit that extends into Mud Bay gives this park its name. Nature trails lead you around meadows, and along shorelines and the dyke to Dunsmuir Community Gardens. Long before settlers arrived, Coast Salish people, including the Semiahmoo, Kwantlen and Katzie First Nations collected food, rested and repaired tools here. Later, it was the site of a prosperous oyster company. Today, birds (like purple martins) use the leftover pilings for perches and homes. Twice a year, this park is a rest stop for over 300 species of migratory birds moving between southern wintering sites and northern summer breeding grounds. Year-round, a variety of birds bring sights and sounds. You might even also spot harbour seals or other marine mammals in the water. Bring your binoculars, a field guide and a sense of adventure— who knows what you might see! Blackie Spit Park is also part of an Important Bird Area, and parts of the park are designated as Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA). The ESA is home to the threatened Audouin's night-stalking tiger beetle, and birds, like killdeer and savannah sparrows who nest on the ground. Please stay on the central trail and don't access the beach from the sandy spit. To protect wildlife and sensitive ecosystems, dogs and bikes are not permitted in these areas. As an alternative, there are two dog off-leash areas for your furry friends to enjoy.

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