Barnston Island

Lovely lovely quiet place with all sorts of farm animals and birds, old barns and a few houses. I didn’t give it 5 stars because of one thing. The only public wash room in the island is absolutely filthy and disgusting. I’d rather do it behind the bushes.

The coolest (and still free!) ferry! It’s a fun little ride over to the island and only 10 km around…
Very idyllic and restful… Nice for a little bike ride, a walk in the country or just a peaceful drive…
I wish there was a legal place to enjoy a picnic beside the river, though.,
And it is a smart thing to bring some mosquito repellant because they like to attack fresh blood… Lol

If you haven’t been to Barnston Island, you’re missing out on an adventure. First, there’s the wacky ferry to get over there. It’s basically a tugboat with a barge attached that chugs back and forth across the river every ten minutes or so. You can drive, but the ferry has limited capacity for cars (maybe six?), no public parking on the island, and you have to back up off the ferry when you get to Barnston Island. It’s better to leave the car in the free lot at the end of 104 Ave in Surrey and walk or take your bike. (The ferry is also free.)
Most of the island is private property (lots of «no trespassing» signs), although there is one park at the northwest corner with picnic tables and some marshy beach. A narrow paved road encircles the island, a 10 km route with very little traffic and plenty of scenery. On our summer bike ride, we saw everything from goats to eagles to skydivers, with views of Golden Ears Bridge, the North Shore Mountains and Mt. Baker in the distance. An abandoned home with brambles taking over the doorway was also strangely cool.
Barnston Island has a peaceful feeling, inhabited yet abandoned at the same time. One car passed us on the entire ride, and the only other people we saw were fellow cyclists and walkers. There are also no stores on the island, so be sure to bring your own water and provisions. You can say you’ve been somewhere without really leaving.