Pristine San Joseph Bay, Cape Scott

A good one-day hike may be made to San Josef Bay (2.5 km one way), where most backpackers set up on the sandy beach fronted by sea stacks. "San Jo" is beautiful, with its wildlife marshes and acres of sandy beaches - great wilderness exploring.

Hikers venturing further in should be properly equipped with backpacking gear and food. More experienced hikers face an eight-hour slog through some of the muddiest, most tortuous terrain of any trail in British Columbia to reach Cape Scott, a distance of 27 km from the parking lot. The heavier your pack, the less likely you are to be swept away by the winds that brew around the cape, but don't count on it. A storm once blew so hard that it turned the lighthouse here sideways!

No matter what time of year you choose to visit this park, come equipped for storms. Carry a pair of high-top rubber boots in addition to wearing waterproof hiking boots. Expect to spend considerable amounts of time changing between the two. Be particularly careful on boardwalk sections, which can be quite slippery. In winter months, average rainfall is 22 to 35 cm per month, while in summer the average lightens to 8 to 10 cm. A good map to carry is NTS # 1021/09 and hydrographic chart # 3624 (Cape Cook to Cape Scott).

From the park's main parking lot, historic trails traverse the upland areas in two directions, either north to Cape Scott or southwest to San Josef Bay. In order not to be cut off from hiking routes by incoming tides, be sure to carry and consult tide tables if you are engaged in extended exploration along the shoreline. There are more than 60 km of ocean frontage within the park, composed of rocky headlands and promontories interspersed with wide, sandy beaches such as at Nels bight.

The north coast extends about 18 km from Cape Scott to the park's eastern boundary. It features three large bays at Experiment Bight, Nels Bight, and Nissen Bight, where backcountry explorers will find white sandy beaches interspersed with smaller bays that have steeper gravel beaches.

The western (Pacific) coast is vulnerable to southwesterly storms, which makes it a more rugged, exposed shoreline. The three sandy beaches here at Guise, Hansen and Lowrie Bays are smaller than the northern ones and are separated by long stretches of rocky coast.

Shellfish occur in abundance and can be harvested at low tide from the beach. Dig for razor, sand, mud, butter, and littleneck clams. A feast on these and a taste of hot clam broth will help ward off the chill while softening the memory of the trek. This park is home to both wolves and bears; food should be well cached and the Safety Guide to Bears should be observed.

Cape Scott's strategic location means that it is a natural gathering place for migratory birds, particularly waterfowl, and sightings include sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, pelagic cormorants, snipes, sandpipers, and plovers. Hansen Lagoon stretches for 5 km inland from the west coast and forms a large saltwater marsh and tidal mudflats where large numbers of birds gather.

The whole park is a naturalist's paradise, and is an area with an immensely interesting history. Opened up by sturdy Danish Settlers in the late 1890s, the remote and rugged area was the scene of much toil, disillusion and hardship, as the settlers were gradually defeated in their efforts to tame and homestead the land.

BC Parks has made a trail leading to the top of Mount St. Patrick, which affords a magnificent view of the natural scenery. From here the trail leads down to Sea Otter Cove, approximately 10 km (about 2-1/2 hours). Lowrie Bay is about 2 km further.

Numerous other trails exist to Hansen Lagoon, Fisherman Bay, Nissen Bight, Nels Bight and Guise Bay. The Cape Scott Lighthouse Trail and the Lowrie Bay Trail are briefly described separately, as is the North Coast Trail, which runs along beaches and through forest from Shushartie Bay to Nissen Bight. At Nissen Bight it links up with the original Cape Scott Trail

From Port Hardy you can reach the start of these trails in 2 hours, travelling west on the Holberg Road (Hwy 19) - about 65 km over rough roads.

From Holberg drive 3 km to where the old road to CFB Holberg intersects, then follow San Josef Main to the end, which is 500m past the entrance to the campground.

Click for companies that offer Hiking & Backpacking services, or visit our Recreation section for more information on Hiking and Backpacking in British Columbia.

Trail information for Vancouver Island is provided in three superb Hiking Trails guides by the Vancouver Island Trails Information Society.