Friends of Cortes Island Society (FOCI) is proud to announce the new Cortes Island Trail Map is now available for sale at the Natural Food Co-op, Gorge Marina Store, Squirrel Cove General Store, Hollyhock, Museum, Friday Farmer’s Market at the FOCI table and FOCI office.

Over the past 5 years, the number one request to FOCI from islanders and tourists alike has been to offer a better trail map. The mapping crew used Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) co-ordinates to accurately map the current trails, identifying trailheads, beach access, interesting viewpoints, unusual eco-systems like wetlands, and historical sites such as pioneer homesteads. The map includes a legend to help hikers with information like the distance they are choosing to walk, difficulty ratings to suit their fitness level, and to be prepared for different types of terrain.

We hope that the map will help to make hikers safer in the forest, inspiring more exercise and fitness of our island population such as hiking, biking, and trail running; in addition to supporting eco-tourism and increased awareness of unique ecosystems with an incentive to protect the wilderness through developing a relationship our beautiful island trails.

Special thanks to our Trail Map sponsors who made this project possible with their generous financial support: Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), Coastal Community Credit Union (CCCU), and Walk BC.

Our trail mapping team consulted with property owners and First Nations, as well as soliciting community feedback on which trails are appropriate to have mapped. To everyone who took the time to offer support and ideas to this map, we say thank you for helping our project. Please keep your suggestions coming in for future print runs, so that it continues to improve, becoming more accurate and user friendly over time. Send your on-going feedback to FOCI email: friendsofcortesgmail.com or phone 250-935-0087.

Thank you from the Trail Mapping Crew & Friends of Cortes Island Society (FOCI)