Gourlay-Janes Park (off-leash dog park), Ladysmith, British Columbia
Gourlay-Janes Off-Leash Dog Park in Ladysmith, British Columbia, is one of several off-leash dog parks featured in our directory, though it looks a little different from most. Rather than a fenced enclosure, it’s best described as a fairly narrow easement — a water-access corridor running from Chemainus Road down to the ocean.
Off-Leash Area & Environment
This is an unfenced, off-leash area, so it’s best suited to dogs with reliable recall. If you prefer a contained space to let a dog wander freely you may want to check out our directory for nearby fenced enclosures. The trail from the road down to the beach is about 200 metres, sloping downhill through the easement toward the shoreline.
Because it’s tide-dependent, timing your visit matters here more than at most parks on our list. At high tide, your dog won’t have safe access to the water at the bottom of the trail. As the tide goes out, a set of stairs opens up access down to the beach itself, giving dogs room to explore the shoreline and cool off.
Tide Planning
If a beach visit is the goal, it’s worth checking a local tide table before heading out, since the usable beach area only opens up as the tide recedes. A visit timed around low tide will get you the most space to work with; a high-tide visit may mean the walk down is scenic, but the water itself won’t be safely accessible. If you do plan to go at low tide make sure you keep your eye on the time so you don’t get caught as the tide comes in.
Parking & Getting There
Gourlay-Janes Park is located at 405 Chemainus Road in Ladysmith. Given the narrow, easement-style layout of the park, there isn’t a large dedicated lot here the way there is at some of Ladysmith’s other off-leash areas, so plan for street-adjacent parking near the Chemainus Road access point.
Good to Know Before You Go
Layout: Unfenced, narrow water-access easement — not a contained off-leash enclosure.
Distance to beach: About 200 metres downhill from Chemainus Road.
Tide dependent: Safe water access only as the tide goes out; a staircase leads down to the beach once conditions allow.
Best for: Dogs with solid recall, given the unfenced layout.
Not ideal for: A quick fenced romp — this is more of a scenic beach-access walk than a typical dog park.
Gourlay-Janes is a nice option if you’re after a quieter, more scenic off-leash walk down to the water rather than a fenced play area — just plan around the tide, and keep a closer eye on recall given the open layout. Before you go, it’s worth reviewing our dog park etiquette guide, particularly the notes on voice control in unfenced spaces.
Have you brought your dog down to Gourlay-Janes? We’d love to hear how it went — share your photos and drop a review below to help other dog owners know the best time to visit around the tides, how steep the trail feels in person, or anything else worth knowing before their visit.
References
City of Ladysmith – Dog Off-Leash Parks & Trails
City of Ladysmith – Dog Licences & Animal Control Bylaws
Vancouver Island View – Off-Leash Dog Parks Mid-Vancouver Island
