Travelers to Vancouver Island North seek the serenity and awe of vast natural spaces; a chance to glimpse the many faun that call these lands home; emptier trails and beaches that cultivate self-reflection and deep connection to the friends and family we travel with.
This region’s incredible lands and waters have been home to Indigenous peoples since time immemorial with the fall an important time to celebrate rich sustenance—harvesting salmon and preserving it in different ways. Today, these practices continue throughout Indigenous communities in Vancouver Island North. As a visitor, we encourage you to take the Wild Pledge before you arrive to understand, celebrate, and commit to how best to move through the lands of the Kwakwaka’wakw people with respect for culture, people, and place.
Experience the spectacle of the salmon spawn
As summer folds into fall, a particularly special spectacle brings a new reason to visit Vancouver Island North: the return of hundreds of adult salmon to their home freshwater river to spawn, and the spike in sighting a multitude of other wildlife that comes along with it. Keep your eyes out for the splash and churn of water filled with salmon as you walk the river trails. Other wildlife visitors may see include eagles and black bears as they too fish for the salmon, along with kingfishers, other marine birdlife, and herds of elk. While grizzly bears are rare on Vancouver Island, a small handful are seen each year, so be mindful when adventuring in our rugged landscapes.
The best place to experience the salmon spawn and wildlife viewing in Vancouver Island North is around the river systems near Port Hardy and Port McNeill. These are easily accessible from accommodation in both towns, shortening the journey to refuel with tasty food between adventures.
Visit the quatse river hatchery
Begin your salmon spawn adventure at the Quatse River Hatchery to cultivate an awareness of the salmon life cycle and the important role they play in feeding the surrounding forest’s flora and fauna. The Quatse River Hatchery is located just outside of Port Hardy near the Quatse Regional Campground. First opening in 1983, today it produces chum, pink, and coho salmon, along with steelhead trout. It’s open year-round and guided tours are possible by request outside of the summer months (when they are available daily). Spot the salmon in the river from beside the Hatchery before heading downstream to the riverfront trails at the picturesque and easily accessible Quatse River Park and the Quatse River Estuary.
A self-guided journey of our river ecosystems
After a delicious meal and a rejuvenating night’s sleep in Port Hardy, head further south for a few days using Port McNeill as your launch point. Here you’ll have your pick of the Nimpkish River, the Marble River, and Cluxewe River. A stay at the proudly Indigenous-owned and operated Cluxewe Resort on the ancestral lands of the Kwakiutl First Nation places you right in the midst of the Cluxewe River’s surrounds near where it flows into the Broughton Strait.
A short drive in either direction takes you to Marble River to the north and the Nimpkish River further south. Take to the trails lined with lush ferns and other vibrant greenery flourishing in the cooler, wetter weather of the fall. Crisp leaves and the red and golden hues of a season in transition can also be admired during your walk.
At Marble River, you’ll find interpretive signs along the trail and salmon spawning viewing areas in two spots: near the trailhead and at Bear Falls, along with a fish ladder. Marble River is also one of the best places for fly-fishing for salmon in Vancouver Island North, and there are also steelhead, cutthroat, and rainbow trout. The Nimpkish River is the longest river on Vancouver Island and is also popular with those fishing for salmon and trout. It can be accessed at various points along Highway 19, especially where it flows into Nimpkish Lake. For those seeking an immersive adventure during the salmon spawn, Lower Nimpkish Provincial Park can be accessed by canoe or kayak. A rustic wilderness park, it is important to be prepared for wildlife encounters and take the potential of dangerous waters along the river into account when planning your trip.
How to observe but not disturb wildlife
As with any rugged place where wildlife frequents, it’s important to be wildlife aware. Keep a respectful viewing distance so as not to impact feeding and lifestyle habits of all wildlife, or scare or provoke larger mammals. If you do spot a bear, calmly increase your distance by backing away slowly. If it has already seen you, you can speak in a calm voice without making eye contact to indicate you are not threatening. Always carry bear spray and know how to use it. Keep your dog on a leash when in wildlife habitat, particularly at times of year when there is an increase in feeding activity so as not to disturb, scare, or provoke bears.
We hope you will be inspired to protect our stunning wild spaces and leave no trace when travelling. Pack out anything you bring in, leave only footprints, and take only memories. Learn more about how you can do your part to help conserve Vancouver Island North in our Wild Pledge, which you can sign before you arrive.