Have you seen Saturna Island’s Billy Goat gang?
- Richard Philpot
- Apr 26
- 14 min read
Billy and his fleet-footed friends are an elusive bunch. They run wild on the Brown Ridge trails, laze in shade lower on the mostly treeless slopes, or loiter along the Taylor Point Historic Trail or on Taylor Point Beach. Have you seen Billy?
Table of Contents
Photographs, videos, audio clips, and text Copyright © 2026 Richard Philpot/SGIOUTSIDE.ca.
A goat’s eye view from the highest and most worn trail along Brown Ridge: Looking southwest at Saturna Island’s Campbell Farm, across Plumper Sound at South Pender Island, and beyond at more of the Southern Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island.
BROWN RIDGE TRAIL
Mount Warburton Pike Summit Trailhead
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve (GINPR) and Campbell Farm
RP’s most recent visit: June 19, 2025
Overview
The highlight of Mount Warburton Pike’s (MWP) Brown Ridge Trail is the G.O.A.T. Southern Gulf Islands viewpoint. Saturna Island’s highest peak encompasses south-facing and treeless Brown Ridge and its hundreds of trails through dense, dry brown grasses, made by the second most-interesting attraction on and around MWP—the longtime-resident herds of FERAL GOATS! Coast Salish First Nations peoples once used the Warburton Pike mountaintop for camping and spiritual ceremonies. Despite the logistical challenges of getting to Saturna (generally a two-stop ferry ride and usually requiring an overnight stay) and the physical demands of getting to the mountain top, it’s well worth it. Far too many SGI visitors skip visiting Saturna altogether, which is a shame because it offers fantastic hiking and biking, shoreline marine mammal viewing, and paddling. A short section of the sky-high primary Brown Ridge trail is on Parks Canada land; the rest of the goat trails are part of the Campbell Farm, and available for the public to enjoy with the Campbells’ permission. All who have and will traverse the ridge are thankful to the family for their gift of access to this spectacular place, which stands out from the surrounding island landscapes from as far away as BC Ferries’ Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal (080425).
Brown Ridge Trail FACTS
Distances and elevations vary depending on the GPS tracker devices and digital mapping software used.
Best time of year: Any time the sky is clear
Difficulty Rating: MODERATE (STRENUOUS if tackling the trail from Thomson Community Park/Sage Hayward Vineyards or Taylor Point Beach)
Trail Type: OUT & BACK
Distance: 6 km (approx. 3.7 miles)
Time Allowance: At least two hours
Highest Elevation: 369 metres (approx. 1,210 feet)
Lowest Elevation: 225 metres (approx. 738 feet)
Elevation Gain: 144 metres (approx. 472 feet)
Dogs Permitted: Ill-advised because of the danger of barbed spear grass (otherwise, on a leash at all times to protect your dog, feral goats, deer, and sheep)
Amenities: NO outhouses, one Mount Warburton Pike summit picnic table
Freshwater Availability: None
Parking: Half-dozen spots in boulder-ringed gravel parking lot
Trailhead Coordinates (Mount Warburton Pike summit): 48.77425, -123.17132
Travelling to the Trailhead: By motor vehicle—6.4 km (15-20 minutes) from Lyall Harbour Ferry Terminal, straight on Narvaez Bay Road, right on Harris Road, left on Staples Road to Mount Warburton Pike summit (4-km-long gravel Staples Road is winding and steep, challenging low-clearance vehicles); By bike—exact directions as for motor vehicles/Staples Road is physically demanding and requires hardwearing tires; On foot—Car Stops at ferry terminal and the corner of Narvaez Bay Road and Harris Road
Birders: 88 species since 1973 (eBird)
Picnic-table view from the Mount Warburton Pike summit (061925).
Some Saturna Island HISTORY
Warburton Pike
Handsome, wealthy, and eccentric Saturna Island pioneer
For several decades, much of Saturna Island was owned by British immigrant Warburton Pike. The handsome, wealthy, and eccentric Englishman might arrive on the island in a threadbare tuxedo and moccasins or overalls and carrying a gunnysack. He had abandoned his studies at Oxford for a life as an explorer and big-game hunter in Canada’s northern wilderness. Pike achieved notoriety in both areas.
He and his friend, Charles Payne, arrived on the island in 1884. For $5,000, they bought a sheep ranch at the foot of the mountain that now bears Pike’s name. This would be one of numerous business investments that Pike made in British Columbia and the Far North. Over the next 20 years, he repeatedly invested in mining. He acquired additional land holdings, including most of the south side of Saturna Island from Breezy Bay to East Point, as well as properties on Mayne Island and Discovery Island, and in Victoria’s Oak Bay area.
But Pike’s real passion wasn’t business; it was exploring and sharing his adventures with others through written words and photographs. He wrote two books—The Barren Grounds of Northern Canada (1892) and Through the Subarctic Forest (1896).
Warburton Pike returned to England in 1914 to enlist in World War I, but fell ill. Relegated to a life in a nursing home, he took his own life.
Read more. WARBURTON PIKE An Unassuming Gentleman by Gwen Hayball • Self-published © 1994, Dorset, England • 48 pages, plus pictures.
Route Description
Brown Ridge Trail
The four-kilometre-long hard-packed-earth road to the Mount Warburton Pike summit is winding and steep with plenty of surface hollows, but it is in relatively good condition. A vehicle with good ground clearance (preferably four-wheel drive) or a mountain bike is recommended. Be sure to leave adequate time to travel back down the road in daylight.
A Parks Canadian interpretive sign and a sandwich board await your attention AFTER you’ve had a first look at the view. On a clear day, the panorama from the Southern Gulf Islands’ second-highest peak is EXPANSIVE, encompassing many of Washington State’s San Juan Islands and British Columbia’s Southern Gulf Islands, as well as parts of Vancouver Island and the U.S. Olympic Mountains, which form a distant backdrop.
The interpretive sign, featuring a clever graphic, educates visitors about the at-risk wildflower, Popcornflower: “These slopes may be the only place in Canada where this tiny plant grows.” The sandwich board advises, among other things, that “[The out & back trail] is narrow, very steep and has portions on private property.” Trail instructions are emphasized again a few minutes into the hike.
The Brown Ridge Trail starts below the picnic table. A short, dusty, and sometimes slippery vertical section turns east-southeast and shortly thereafter enters a spacious Douglas fir forest. A sign titled Welcome to Campbell Farm is screwed to a fir tree on the left side of the trail. Text and a hand-drawn map tell visitors that they’ve departed the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and entered private property. The property owners, the Campbell family, grants hikers access to the remainder of Brown Ridge with the proviso that we follow specific rules: No smoking, fires, cycling, or camping; they stay on the main trail on top of the ridge; they respect the feral goats and other animals; and they keep dogs leashed (and pack out their poop).
Brown Ridge’s grasslands are ideal for grazing goats, hence the countless goat trails that cascade down the mountainside. The Campbells’ and Parks Canada’s request that we stick to the top-of-the-ridge trail is for our safety.
Ridge Wildlife
The open, grass-covered slope is where Brown Ridge gets its name. This steep, south-facing portion of Mount Warburton Pike has minimal tree cover but is studded with dramatic rock outcrops. Conditions like these make an ideal habitat for Bald eagles, falcons, and . . . for FERAL GOATS, descendants of domestic animals gone wild in the early 1900s. The goats’ physical attributes are well-suited for navigating dangerous verticals, often of rock, unlike humans.
The wild goat population is a mix of Alpine, Saanen, and Toggenburg varieties. Keep your eyes peeled on the ridge below for these timid animals. They possess exceptional eyesight and hearing, and a discriminating sense of smell (each superior to yours). Avoiding detection is easy.
A goat’s eyes are on the side of its head. When they tilt their head, their horizontally elongated pupils rotate to remain horizontal, allowing them to see ahead and to the side for nearly three hundred and sixty degrees, whether their face is upright or in the grass (they have a very narrow blind spot directly behind their head). This sweeping vision is highly sensitive to movement, enabling them to easily spot encroaching humans. Their vision is also binocular, which assists with depth perception for jumping and climbing over rugged terrain. They focus well on middle- and distant objects, but not as well on close-up predators, where their hearing and sense of smell take over. Able to hear a broader range and higher pitches than humans, they’re often alert to sounds people can’t hear. Locating sound isn’t as accurate as ours; when listening for danger, the goats swivel their ears to pinpoint the direction of the noise. goat JOURNAL
Billy Goat and his feral gang occupy numerous trails on Brown Ridge. BELOW: 1) Hikers trekking through taller grasses nearing the east end of the trail, 2) spear grasses, and 3) the post-hike grass remnants.
Beware of barbed grass at canine level
Two changes arise as you proceed east along the top of the ridge. One is the outlying view, which persists in breadth and drama but alters to incorporate different islands and mountains—by the east end of the trail, it’s all American except for Saturna’s Taylor Point and Monarch Head, and the tiny Java Islets. The second change is the taller, thicker grasses along the edges of the trails. A couple of these grass varieties love shoes and socks, as well as a dog’s paws, coat, and eyes. It’s a dangerous environment for a dog.
A variety of grasses from the Brome family and others are commonly referred to as “spear grass.” One is known as Rip-gut brome. Each of these grasses shares a similar characteristic, long awns—an often barbed, stiff spike at the top end of the grass seed. The awn or the “callus”—a hard projection at the base of the grass floret that attaches the grass seed to the stem—is the part of the grass seed that hooks on shoes and socks, OR SNAGS ON A DOG. If undetected, the seed can move along the fur toward the skin, and the callus can cause a lesion, working its way into the soft tissue. Once there, the grass can cause infection in the animal and may need to be surgically removed. The best way to avoid all of this is to not walk your beloved dog in the long grass on Brown Ridge from July to October. (And canines are also goat predators.)
Your final reward can be pizza and wine
It’s time to turn back toward your starting point when the trail begins to slope downward at the east end of the ridge. For those with the time, physical strength, and skill, you may want to continue down to Taylor Point (and the Taylor Point Historic Trail access).
The return trek to your vehicle retraces your just-completed route, offering the same massive vistas from a fresh perspective, along with a different view of the near-sea-level portion of the Campbell Farm property and a glimpse of Sage Hayward Vineyards, located adjacent to the west end of the farm. The vineyard’s goat-inspired cut-metal art, situated atop a large rock near the bistro and wine tasting building, is a magnificent sight. Lunch on the outdoor patio, looking out over the grape vines to Plumper Sound, is worth the short detour down Harris Road.
Years ago, a previous owner of the winery told me that eagles and hawks helped protect the ripened grapes from other birds, and that a family of Peregrine falcons (an endangered species) made its home in a small cave high on the cliff overlooking the vineyards. The then-owner stated that they had dedicated land as an environmental reserve, serving as a buffer between the commercial business and the falcon’s nesting site.
Unfortunately, the timing isn’t always right for a visit to Sage Hayward Vineyards (check their hours of operation). But the rest of the Brown Ridge story’s the same. On a cloudless day, every hiker is rewarded with jaw-dropping views, and the resolute will find Billy and his gang on the grassy slope, in the shoreline forest, or on Bruce Bight Beach. On one occasion, I was fortunate to be awed by Billy and at least one hundred of his herd.
Required reading
Check out Saturna Island artist and photographer Nancy Angermeyer’s photo series of the island’s goat population. The images are OUTSTANDING! Angermeyer has also authored a book entitled: MILLI GOAT A Kid on Saturna Island. According to her website, “Milli Goat is a humorous, unique general interest book for both adults and children. It is the perfect story for a parent to read to a child or for a young reader to read alone. The forty-page, softcover book is full of wonderful photographs of the Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada. Milli Goat is based on a touching true story about an orphaned goat brought home by Terra, the Airedale terrier. Told from the fictional voice of Rudolph, the cat, the story is full of meaningful events that illustrate the emotional bond between animals and people. Milli became a national celebrity on CBC’s Richardson’s Roundup.”
Read Gulf Islands Driftwood contributor Cherie Thiessen’s Milli Goat Review. MILLI GOAT A Kid on Saturna Island is available in Saturna Island’s Sage Hayward Vineyards gift shop ($23) or on Nancy Angermeyer’s website ($20).
Sage Hayward Vineyards’ bistro, wine tasting room, and gift shop (081123).
Brown Ridge FERAL GOATS
Breed Characteristics and Appearance
The three Brown Ridge wild goat breeds, Alpine, Saanen, and Toggenburg, are Swiss in origin. A “broken” colour pattern refers to extensive white in the darker colours.
Colour—Found in many colour patterns, which are often referred to by French names: Cou clair (light-coloured neck with a broad white belt), Cou blanc (white neck, black rear quarters), Sundgau (black with white facial stripes, white below knees and hocks, white on either side of the tail), Chamoisée (any mixture of brown, often with a black stripe along the back, white markings on the face), Pied (spotted or mottled), and Two-tone Chamoisée (lighter brown on the forequarters).
Horns—Polled (hornless) or horned; when present, the two horns are sabre-shaped and point backwards.
Facial Profile: Straight face.
Beards: Pronounced in bucks.
Ears stand erect (all colours); straight or slightly dished nose bridge.
Height at withers (min.)—Doe 76 cm (30 in); Buck—81 cm (32 in).
Weight (min.)—Doe 61 kg (approx. 134 lb.); Buck—77 kg (approx. 170 lb.).
Life expectancy—8 to 12 years.
Purebred Saanens were among the first breeds exported from Switzerland to North America; the breed is docile, cold-resistant, and highly productive in dairy production.
Colour—Saanen is a solid white to light cream colour.
Horns—Polled (hornless) or horned; when present, the two horns are sabre-shaped and point backwards.
Facial Profile: Straight face.
Beards/Wattles: May have beards and wattles (small appendages below the jaw).
Ears short and stand erect, pointing forward—Doe (coloured white or cream); Buck (white).
Height at withers (min.)—Doe 76 cm (30 in); Buck—81 cm (32 in).
Weight (min.)—Doe 61 kg (approx. 134 lb.); Buck—77 kg (approx. 170 lb.).
Life expectancy—15+ years.
The oldest known breed of goat. In Canada since 1917, imported from Switzerland’s Toggenburg Valley; generally smaller than Alpine and Saanen; good winter milkers.
Colour—Solid brown coat with white stripes on the face, white triangular patch on either side of the tail, and white below hocks and knees; occasionally, Toggenburg does are black.
Horns—Most are polled (hornless); when horns are present, they are typically curved upwards and backwards.
Facial Profile: Straight or slightly dished, prominent forehead, and broad muzzle.
Beards: Both males and females are bearded.
Ears stand erect; may point slightly forward (white colored with a dark spot in the middle of the ear).
Height at withers (min.)—Doe 66 cm (26 in); Buck—71 cm (28 in).
Weight (min.)—Doe 54 kg (approx. 119 lb.); Buck—68 kg (approx. 150 lb.).
Life expectancy—8 to 12 years.
Looking down at Taylor Point from the east end of Brown Ridge (061925).
Alternate Routes to Brown Ridge
Hikers can reach Brown Ridge by way of strenuous climbs from Thomson Community Park/Sage Hayward Vineyards or Bruce Bight Beach. These routes are described below. Explorers in good shape can connect the Brown Ridge Trail and Taylor Point Historic Trail to create a 12 km (approx. 7.5 mi) adventure. Additional information needed to combine the two trails into a loop is also listed below.
From Thomson Park (next to Sage Hayward Vineyards) via Harris Road
Note. I’ve hiked three different routes up the west side of Mount Warburton Pike. On the first of these, I found myself on a goat trail just inches from the edge of a vertical rockface and a deadly fall. The second route was a forest trail, but I encountered so many downed trees that, despite the flagged trail, it was hard to follow. I became misdirected several times. The third route, and the one I would recommend you use to reach the mountain summit, is described below, following the BC Hydro poleline for the most part and possibly a portion of the Mount Warburton Pike access road.
Park your vehicle or leave your watercraft at Thomson Community Park. On foot, follow the gravel and dirt road past the Sage Hayward Vineyards 800M sign and their service buildings to the vineyards’ main entrance sign (leading to the bistro and wine tasting building). Veer left on the paved road you arrived on (unless you reached the park by boat). Harris Road is narrow and steep, with a 20% grade sign, and can be challenging if two vehicles meet in the wrong place. Just beyond a SATURNA BEACH STRATA/PRIVATE ROAD/USE AT YOUR OWN RISK sign, bags and a garbage can of salt and a shovel, a decorative fieldstone wall on each side of the road, and a caution sign and another for Thomson Park, look for the trail on the east side of the road (Trailhead Coordinates: 48.77828, -123.18137). The trail is immediately past a hydro pole marked with blue flagging tape. You’re in the right spot if you see two short stakes close to the hydro pole. If you wish to save the walk up Harris Road, you can leave your vehicle in the “parking lot” on the west side of the road between the gates and signs and the trailhead.
This one-time skid road and longtime local trail is mostly clear of tripping hazards, following a good portion of the BC Hydro line as it climbs the west side of Mount Warburton Pike to the communication tower. Near the summit, the trail and mountain access road intersect; either one leads to the top. On hot, sunny days, I often take the short stretch of road to benefit from the shade of the tree canopy. The road or an obvious shortcut path leads you to the Brown Ridge parking area, picnic table, and the start of the ridge trail.
After a slow, arduous climb to the mountain summit, the descent is the opposite: speedy, but somewhat precarious because of the steepness. In dry weather, the dusty trail with its loose rocks is void of any tread grab, making it “slippery.” The same applies during winter soaks. Back on Harris Road, retrace your steps to a green, metal Saturna Parks & Recreation sign. Follow this trail down to the Campbell Farm road and glorious views of the vineyards. It’s a short walk west up the gravel road to the Sage Hayward Vineyards’ bistro and wine tasting building. After food and drink, return to Thomson Community Park.
From Taylor Point
A path that leads to other trails that wind to the top of Brown Ridge starts at a Campbell Farm drainage culvert 100 metres from Taylor Point (at the south end of the sand beach). Trailhead Coordinates: 48.765522, -123.132295. Carefully step on and over the driftwood and walk uphill toward a massive, standing boulder on the bluff above the beach’s mid-point. Not far beyond the upright rock, a narrow, soft dirt path leads east or west. Choose the latter, following it and the feral goat’s cloven hoof-prints gradually uphill to a mess of downed trees and a seasonal waterfall. From here, coloured trail-flagging tape should dominate your decision-making. I generally stick to the flagged trails closest to the waterfall to get me to the short, vertical rope-assist section. Use the ropes to ensure your safety, but be careful not to let the twisted fibres slip through your grasp; this can cause burns on your palms. All of the trails above the rope section (favour a northwesterly slant) will deliver you to the Brown Ridge goat trails and eventually your Mount Warburton Pike summit destination.
If you’ve chosen to make a loop of it and return to Taylor Point Beach via the Taylor Point Historic Trail, descend from the summit to Thomson Community Park by reversing the Thomson Community Park (next to Sage Hayward Vineyards) via Harris Road route described above. From the park, follow the first road at the west end of the vineyard to where it junctions with gravel Trueworthy Road, turn left. Trueworthy follows the south side of the vineyard for 1.3 km (.8 mi), ending at a gate and the start of the Taylor Point Historic Trail. The far end of the Taylor Point Historic Trail ends at the landmark Taylor House ruins. Just past the collapsed stone walls and Parks Canada interpretive sign, paths lead to Taylor Point and a unique “staircase” down to Taylor Point Beach.
What can pet owners do to prevent spear grass problems for their dogs?
In summer, when grass seeds “head up” or appear ripe, it’s wise to refrain from walking your pet in long grass. Stick to the trails. And keep your dog on a leash. After a walk or hike, if you discover grass seeds in your socks and shoes, your dog likely has seeds on/in its feet and coat. Check your pet’s paws, fur, and eyes regularly and thoroughly from mid-June to October, looking for signs of lesions or infection. If you notice swelling or cyst-like lumps on its body, you should consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.
