Plumpers Cove Trail

Plumpers Cove Trail on Keats Island is usually accessed from Gibsons via the ferry, and it’s a great low-key wander if you’re already camping or day-tripping in Plumper Cove Marine Provincial Park. The trail is about 4.5 km out and back with 151 m of gain, rated easy, and most people wrap it up in around an hour and twenty minutes. It’s more about stretching your legs in a quiet coastal forest than bagging a summit.

The walking itself is straightforward: a forest path with gentle ups and downs, moss, ferns, and that classic Sunshine Coast feel. Views come in short bursts rather than all at once, with a solid lookout and the option to link up to the “highest peak” spur if you want a brief but steeper climb. Some hikers turn it into a loop by heading toward the old general store and then up the farm trail to connect with the Plumper Cove loop before returning.

Recent hikers say to trust the park signs, not Google Maps; from Keats Landing it’s about a 30-minute walk to the Plumpers Cove Trail area. Parts of the park loop are getting grown over and trail markers can be easy to miss, so keep an eye out at junctions and don’t expect polished signage. The park itself is the real draw, with camping, pit toilets, and a non-potable water pump, and the trail stays enjoyable from spring through fall, especially as an easy family walk or a leg-stretcher from camp.