Belcarra Regional Park

Belcarra Regional Park is northwest of Port Moody and about an hour from downtown Vancouver. It’s home to forests, hiking trails and Sasamat Lake.

The park was renamed təmtəmíxʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park in the fall of 2021. “təmtəmíxʷtən” in the Indigenous language of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation means “the biggest place for all the people.”

This article contains the following information about Belcarra Regional Park:

Metro Vancouver’s Belcarra Park

Bordered by water, Port Moody and the Village of Anmore, Belcarra Regional Park is a highly popular day-use park. It’s quite large – 2,700 acres. Hiking, swimming, boating, fishing and crabbing are popular activities within the park.

The park is at the edge of Indian Arm, Burrard Inlet and Bedwell Bay. Sasamat Lake is at the centre of the park. All this water makes for some great opportunities for both fishing and boating. You can also rent canoes and kayaks if you want to explore the park by water.

Where is Belcarra Park?

Belcarra Park’s address is 2375 Bedwell Bay Road. This is north of Port Moody and just to the west of the Village of Anmore. Buntzen Lake Park is also located just to the northeast of Belcarra Park.

The only access point to the park by car is through Bedwell Bay Road. From there, folks can either take the turnoff for Sasamat Lake or continue deeper into the park to access the Belcarra Bay area.

The park is also accessible by bus. TransLink‘s bus route #150 takes passengers directly to White Pine Beach at Sasamat Lake, and routes 181 and 182 connect to the Belcarra Bay picnic area.

(Note: Transit schedules are subject to change. Also, bus #150 is a seasonal bus route. The bus runs every day in the summer from June to August. During the rest of the year, however, it only operates on weekends and holidays.)

For a map of the area, click Belcarra Regional Park Map.

Sasamat Lake at Belcarra Park — Sasamat Lake

Hiking in Belcarra Park

The park has around 26 km of hiking trails and 9 km of cycling trails. Some of the most popular trails include Springboard Trail and Sasamat Lake Loop. Hikers can also use the trail system within Belcarra Regional Park to connect with Buntzen Lake which is another popular place.

There are two trails you can take to get to the ocean. Jug Island Trail is an intermediate-level trail that leads to a small beach with views of Indian Arm (which is a fairly large body of water that connects with the ocean via Burrard Inlet). In the opposite direction, folks can also hike the Admiralty Point Trail which follows along the south end of the park and has views of Burrard Inlet.

White Pine Beach at Sasamat Lake

One of the most popular areas in Belcarra Regional Park is White Pine Beach at Sasamat Lake.

Sasamat Lake is one of the warmest lakes in Metro Vancouver and a popular spot for swimming and relaxing during the summer months. At White Pine Beach there is a sandy beach, dock/floating bridge, concession stand and a trail that goes all the way around the lake.

To learn more about the popular swimming and suntanning spot, see our article about White Pine Beach.

Boardwalk at Sasamat Lake — Sasamat Lake

Belcarra Park Day-Use Facilities

There are two main picnic areas within Belcarra Park. There is the Belcarra picnic area at the west end of the Park and the White Pine Beach picnic area at Sasamat Lake.

Both picnic areas have covered picnic benches and barbecue areas for large groups of up to around 50 people. There are also other picnic tables scattered around the area (although they are not under cover). You can reserve picnic shelters in advance online if you’re worried about not getting a spot.

If the facilities aren’t already booked, visitors are able to use the shelters on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sasamat Outdoor Centre

The Sasamat Outdoor Centre can be found on the west shore of Sasamat Lake. It’s a registered non-profit organization that offers a variety of outdoor recreation programs for people of all ages. In the summer months the place runs a kids’ day camp. The centre is also reservable for private events.

Tips and Advice

Below are some tips to help you get the most of your visit to the area.

TIP #1: Both Belcarra Park and Sasamat Lake get very busy during the summer months. Get there early since the gates are shut once the parking lots are full.

TIP #2: Buntzen Lake is also beautiful, and just a 15-minute drive away. Be sure to check it out too if you have the time.

TIP #3: Dogs on leash are welcome at Belcarra Park; however, they are not permitted on White Pine Beach and other beaches around Sasamat Lake.

TIP #4: The park is a popular place for fishing. At Sasamat Lake you need a freshwater licence. A tidal/salt-water license, however, is required in the waters of Indian Arm, Burrard Inlet and Bedwell Bay.