Road Trip North Vancouver Island – Campbell River to Cape Scott

Campbell River Cape Scott
290
km
4h30
drive
Summer
season

The Itinerary

Northern Vancouver Island is the flip side of touristy Tofino: wild, foggy, sparsely populated. Highway 19 runs north from Campbell River through Sayward, Woss and Port McNeill to Port Hardy — the island's road terminus. Beyond, only BC Ferries continues to Bella Coola and Prince Rupert.

Port McNeill is the gateway to Alert Bay (Cormorant Island) and Kwakwaka'wakw culture: U'mista Cultural Centre, totem poles, Big House. Telegraph Cove already exists as a road trip in our index. At Port Hardy, explore Storey's Beach and the Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre.

Cape Scott Provincial Park, at the end of a 67 km gravel road past Port Hardy, is the island's northwest tip. Deserted beaches (Guise Bay, San Josef Bay reached via a 2.5 km walk) and a Danish pioneer ghost village abandoned in the 1930s. Abundant marine life: otters, humpbacks, black bears. Extreme climate: 3,000 mm of rain/year, among Canada's wettest.

Points of Interest

  • ✦
    Alert Bay (U'mista)
    Kwakwaka'wakw culture, totem poles, Big House.
  • ✦
    Cape Scott Provincial Park
    Northwest tip, deserted beaches, ghost village.
  • ✦
    San Josef Bay
    Beach reached in 2.5 km, iconic photos.
  • ✦
    Port Hardy
    Island road terminus, Inside Passage ferry.
Practical info
  • Departure Campbell River
  • Destination Cape Scott
  • Distance 290 km
  • Duration 4h30
  • Category Long (250–500 km)
  • Best season Summer
Themes
wilderness beach Indigenous kwakwakawakw vancouver-island Hiking whale rain

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