Hiking 3-5 days
Take these hikes not just as a means of reaching your destination, but to experience the rugged beauty that is revealed with each remarkable step. On Vancouver Island North, one doesn’t so much hike as one goes on an expedition. Not so much a visitor as an explorer. At every turn, there’s opportunity to uncover another hidden passage and reveal long-forgotten treasures. Serving up every type of terrain you can imagine, Vancouver Island North offers rocky shorelines and sandy beaches, mountain passes and cliffside trails with views that plunge into the Pacific.
Itinerary
Travel to Vancouver Island North
Day 01 - 04
Day 05
Additional Activities
Day 01 - 04
CAPE SCOTT MULTI-DAY HIKE
Forest, rivers, lakes and wide stretches of remote shoreline await in Cape Scott Provincial Park. The Cape Scott trail begins at the main parking lot, west of Port Hardy via Holberg.
Day one involves a 16.8 km hike from the trailhead to Nels Bight. Along the path you will journey back in time as signs of civilization still present from the Danish pioneers who settled the land 100 years ago reveal themselves. Nels Bight is an excellent camping beach with food caches, a water source and outhouse facilities.
Day two, continue from Nels Bight along the trail, past Guise Bay and Experiment Bight, to the Cape Scott Lighthouse. Climb the light tower for a bird’s eye view and meet the light keepers.
Day three, explore the Nels Bight area or take a day hike to Nissen Bight.
Day four, pack up and follow the trail back to the parking lot.
**Travel on logging road required.
Day 05
SCENIC BOAT & WILDLIFE TOUR
Experience the wild beauty of British Columbia’s coastal rainforests through the eyes of your First Nations guide as they share their culture, history and traditions. From Port Hardy, get out on the water to view wildlife such as whales, porpoises, stellar sea lions and marine birds. Gain a better perspective of the Port Hardy area and marvel at the beautiful coastal mountains and vastness of the North Island.
Additional Activities
- Explore a garden in the midst of the rainforest at Ronning’s Garden, wander the grounds to discover the plantings started by an early settler to the area, Bernt Ronning
- If you’re heading west, be sure to stop at the Shoe Tree on the eastern end of Kains Lake, this old cedar snag is covered with hundreds of shoes contributed by visitors
- Glimpse into the early settlement days on the North Island at the Port Hardy Museum & Archives
- Listen to stories, witness traditional song and dance, and learn how to weave cedar or make drums through an aboriginal cultural experience
- Find the perfect coastal-inspired gift item to remember your trip by, shop in Telegraph Cove or Port McNeill
GETTING HERE & GETTING AROUND
The North Island may feel like a remote destination, but it’s certainly not a challenge to get here. With a fully paved highway leading you North, to daily flights and multiple ferry options, you have your pick of ways to travel! Visit the Getting Here page to learn more.