Pebbly Beach is an accurate name for this dog-friendly beach, as it is all pebbles and no sand! That said, it is one of the easier off-leash dog beaches to access on Bowen Island – at least during the months of July and August, when several other beaches seasonally do not allow dogs.
The beach is located at the bottom of a VERY steep paved road, so if you plan to visit you may want the driver to drop the dog and passengers off at the beach opening and then park the vehicle farther up the road. There is street parking available for 4-5 cars.
The beachfront itself is quite large and there is plenty of space for dogs to run and play. The water also appears to be safe for swimming so on a hot day you can join your pup for a swim! When we visited there were also plenty of logs for humans to sit on while the dogs were enjoying some play time.
Are dogs allowed on Bowen Island Beaches?
Bowen Island’s municipal website says that, “dogs are currently allowed off-leash in all municipal parks but must be kept under control by owners.” It also says that “dogs are not allowed on Tunstall, Sandy or Bowen Bay Beaches in July and August,” however, “at all other coastal access points, leashes are optional, so long as your dog is under control and kept within 3 metres of you.”
“Public beach,” as defined in Bowen Island’s Animal Control Bylaws, “means those public lands located between the low water mark and fifteen (15) metres upland of the high water mark of any body of salt water”
Our visit to Pebbly Beach:
We visited the beach in the month of August. There were several other people visiting of the beach and several of them had dogs. We were even greeted by a resident dog who was clearly on the lookout for new friends and extra pets.
Other than the steep access road, the beach was easy to get to, had plenty of space and appears to be well used by locals with dogs. I would recommend it as a positive place to visit with your dog.
