Island exploring (1 Viewer)

[BC40]

Hey guys

We are headed to the coast mid July-ish for a few weeks bumming around. I have ideas of places to see but recommendations or insight would be appreciated, especially mid to north island (scenic camps, hikes, beaches, etc). Camping road trip mostly. I wont have the cruiser just my dodge with camper for the family. Only boat I will have along is a inflatable tandem kayak. Fuel bill is going to suck but this is our summer holiday this year.

Trip plan is flexible but need to visit relatives in Campbell River July 30/31, and then head down to Victoria for more family visits. Also plan to visit friends on Quadra for a couple days probably earlier on. So that leaves me about a couple weeks before that for mid and north island.

For north island. Last trip a few years ago covered off the Holberg area fairly well. Thinking stay south of quatsino sound this time. Maybe head west on dirt roads from port mcneill. hit some lakes there i used to fish. check out some areas that look interesting on the way into port alice. continue west to do some beach camping.

Thinking take the old road from Woss down towards Gold River. Figure check out some caves. then head out through strathcona park. A couple days on quadra before getting back to CR for the 30th.

So there you go. If anyone read all that and has suggestions please let me know.

cheers
Martin

edit: just got back from 3.5 weeks on the road and after seeing how busy a few places that have become known from open sharing on different sites I've pulled specific destination names out. Had a fantastic time and saw some really great places though. so if someone wants specific details from that area PM me and we can talk

 

[BC40]

some island pics from past trips for interest
nanaimo

horne l area

quadra

 

[BC40]

woss area

holberg area

walbran

 

[cruisedeisel]

Hmm! Interesting! Let me think about it. Maybe we could meet you somewhere?

 

[seapotato]

Cool pics. Gotta admit I don't know most of them despite living here for (mumble) years...

If you need a mid island pit stop, I'm south nanaimo with lots of back yard camping space.

You have to like being serenaded by bullfrogs tho

 

[bikersmurf]

Della Falls - (moderate hike in to get there)

Highest falls in BC and top 10 in the world (I believe)

 

[bikersmurf]

After some fact checking… Kiwi falls is the tallest on the island and Della the 2nd. Della is the 16th tallest in the world apparently.

Kiwi Falls, Vancouver Island.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Hey guys

We are headed to the coast mid July-ish for a few weeks bumming around. I have ideas of places to see but recommendations or insight would be appreciated, especially mid to north island (scenic camps, hikes, beaches, etc). Camping road trip mostly. I wont have the cruiser just my dodge with camper for the family. Only boat I will have along is a inflatable tandem kayak. Fuel bill is going to suck but this is our summer holiday this year.

Trip plan is flexible but need to visit relatives in Campbell River July 30/31, and then head down to Victoria for more family visits. Also plan to visit friends on Quadra for a couple days probably earlier on. So that leaves me about a couple weeks before that for mid and north island.

For north island. Last trip a few years ago covered off the Holberg area fairly well. Thinking stay south of quatsino sound this time. Maybe head west on dirt roads from port mcneill. hit some lakes there i used to fish. check out some areas that look interesting on the way into port alice. continue west to gooding Island Exploring in early November - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/island-exploring-in-early-november.1266570/#post-14137235 and side bay. not sure if heading down towards Brooks would be worthwhile. or skip around that and from the maps looks like some roads lead into kyuquot sound. but i know how fast north island roads grow in when logging stops. probably stop at huson lake south of nimpkish again. maybe skip zeballos.

Thinking take the old road from Woss down towards Gold River. Figure stop at upana caves. see if there is decent spots to access shoreline on tlupana inlet. not sure if continuing up through tahsis would be worthwhile? then double back and check out a bit of strathcona park before getting back to CR for the 30th.

So there you go. If anyone read all that and has suggestions please let me know.

cheers
Martin

Sounds like you got it well figured out!

I have been doing less back country VI exploring than in previous years. More just family camping stuff with our trailer. We enjoyed Loveland Bay provincial campground as a nice place to spend lots of time in water. Also like Gordon Bay provincial campground. Again great swimming, but also gives access to whole Nitnat area. You could drive to see Canada's biggest Cedar from there (whole grove of them). All that stuff is easy access from pick-up on FSRs. Also like camping at Miracle Beach provinicial park, and go swimming at Saratoga beach there (my favorite swimming warm sandy beach on the island I think). I also love Pachena Bay campground out by Bamfield.

Hope you have a great trip.

 

[BC40]

Appreciate all the suggestions guys. will do some reading and look through the maps.

The trip planning is still a moving target. sounds like the mrs wants to also detour to cortez from quadra. and may also want to be in CR sooner. But I figured what i listed at the start was a decent crack at a trip plan for the north part.

@cruisediesel : possibly. we usually go solo and figure out/change the trip schedule as we go so might be a challenge

@seapotato : thank you. will keep it in mind