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Port
Hardy
Port Hardy is situated at the north-east tip of Vancouver Island
44 km (27 miles) north of Port McNeill
on Hwy 19. Port Hardy is a small community whose main industries
rely on tourism, fishing and logging.
Bald
Eagles Soaring Above
Carved out of the wilderness Port Hardy is a place where you are
not far from the incredible nature found all around. Bald eagles
soar above, salmon jump in front of your eyes and whales migrate
off the coast - all seem to be witnessed on a daily occurrence by
everyone in town.
Rotary
Park Visitor Info Centre
To experience some of this wild nature,, all you have to do is go
to Rotary Park located right where the Visitor Centre is situated
in Port Hardy. Here you can experience people fishing right from
the shoreline right in front of the building. Plus, if you need
local information, the staff is very helpful regarding finding wildlife
and road conditions.
Filomi
Days
A good time to visit Port Hardy is during the annual Filomi Days,
which happen during the third weekend in July. This celebration
and community festival gives recognition and thanks to the three
main historical industries that have sustained Port Hardy's economy
for years: mining, fishing and forestry.
Eco-Tourism
Today these three industries have tapered off from the past with
eco-tourism helping to supply employment in today's economy. There
are various fishing trips and adventure guiding opportunities that
you can choose throughout the community and local area.
Storey's
Beach
Port Hardy has also various trails and parks from discovery found
throughout the area. Some of the trails will take you along the
coastline in both directions right from town. A favourite place
for locals is at Storey's Beach which is located in Beaver Harbour
Park. This sandy beach can be a gold mine for exploring along the
ocean's corridor in both directions.
Tex
Lyon Trail
For the more adventurous, there is another trail called the Tex
Lyon Trail which also starts at Storey's Beach. The Tex Lyon Trail
takes you to Dillon Point which overlooks Queen Charlotte Strait,
about 15 km (9.4 miles) away. Before you go, make sure you're well
prepared with snacks and water in case the weather changes and you
get delayed.
Bears
and Cougars
Just a reminder, if you do enjoy exploring, Port Hardy is home to
lots of bears and cougars in the forests. So much so that both species
have been seen right in town and feeding on Hwy 16. So please be
careful and wary when walking or cycling around, especially along
creeks and rivers during the fall in times of the salmon spawn.
Cape
Scott Provincial Park
More hiking areas around Port Hardy include travelling and hiking
into Cape
Scott Provincial Park. Cape Scott located at the north-western
tip of Vancouver Island near Holberg and is only 64 km (40 miles)
west of Port Hardy. This hike-in wilderness park is where you'll
really experience some of the wildest scenery that British Columbia
has to offer.
Be
Prepared
Make sure you check on the road conditions to Holberg and Cape Scott
Provincial Park at the Visitor Info Centre before you make the journey.
You'll want to be prepared for rain if you visit here, plus there
are lots of bears in the area so be 'Bear Aware' when hiking or
mountain biking in the forest.
Grizzly
Bears
For people who would like to watch bears in the wild, various eco-tourism
guiding outfits offer bear packages where you can view grizzles
in the wild on British Columbia's mainland. One operator, Great
Bear Nature Tours, has close-up viewing platforms for you to see
great views of Grizzly Bears.
North
Coast Trail
Starting in 2008 you can now complete a journey that includes the
all old settlements along Queen Charlotte Sound from Shushartie
Bay to Nissen Bight on the North Coast Trail. Arrangements can be
made to start in Port Hardy, then arrange a water taxi through either
Cape Scott Water Taxi or Port Hardy Water Taxi to the trailhead
at Shushartie Bay. Then once finished the North Coast Trail near
Holberg, arrange with the North Coast Trail Shuttle to take you
back to Port Hardy.
BC
Ferries
Port Hardy at Beaver Cove also serves as the southern terminus for
BC Ferries travel up to Bella Bella, Bella
Coola, Ocean Falls and the inside passage as far north to Prince
Rupert aboard BC Ferries' newest ferry, the Northern Adventure.
Quatse
River Hatchery
Other areas worth visiting include the Quatse River fish hatchery
where you can learn all about the salmon life cycle in and around
Port Hardy. There is a wildlife viewing platform where you can view
bald eagles soaring above, plus the soothing sound of water splashing
along the rocks on the shoreline.
Zeballos
Zeballos is another small logging community
which happens to be situated on the West Coast of Vancouver Island
at the end of Zeballos Inlet. The turnoff to Zeballos is located
just north of Woss on Hwy 19 just after Nimpkish
Lake. Along the Zeballos Road, you'll run across access to Anutz
and Atluck Lakes, as well as the Little Huson Regional Cave Park.
Logging
Roads
Remember, if you are exploring the area by forestry road, that these
are private logging roads with the high probability of encountering
heavy equipment and logging trucks. Please remember logging trucks
have the right of way so drive with your lights on as vehicles must
use pullouts and yield to logging trucks at all times.
Information
on Port Hardy
Accommodation
Bed
& Breakfast
RV
Resorts and Campgrounds
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