In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Campbell River along Johnstone Strait to Port Hardy and over gravel to the coast of Cape Scott: a region where road and civilisation stop and forest and sea begin.
The spirit of the route
North of Campbell River the island grows quieter. Highway 19 narrows, the settlements get smaller, and on either side the coastal rainforest of Douglas fir, western hemlock and cedar closes in. In Telegraph Cove the wooden houses stand on stilts over the water, orcas pass through Johnstone Strait off the coast, and in the morning mist lies between the islands. Further north, in Port Hardy, the asphalt practically ends; gravel roads lead to Holberg and on to the north-west coast. There lies Cape Scott Provincial Park with its coastal rainforest and the long beaches of San Josef Bay. The roads are used by logging trucks, there is hardly any mobile reception, and bears are not uncommon. From the sliding door in the evening you see banks of fog and sometimes seals in the water. The route demands respect and reserves of time, water and fuel, but gives you a sense of remoteness that has become rare on Vancouver Island.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Campbell River to Woss and Nimpkish Valley (approx. 120 km)
- The drive
- From Campbell River, Island Highway 19 leads north: wide, in good condition, with speeds mostly 90–110 km/h, then increasingly narrow. Between Sayward and Woss the road runs through forest and valleys, with logging trucks and the occasional animal at the roadside. The pure driving time is about 1.5–2 hours; use the petrol stations in Campbell River and Sayward, after which they become sparse.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Elk Falls Provincial Park: short paths to a waterfall and a suspension bridge over the Campbell River gorge, close to the town.
- Discovery Pier in Campbell River: a wooden pier with views of ships and harbour seals, a short walk.
- Nimpkish Lake: a long lake beside the highway with a rest area and views of the mountains, a good stopover.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Elk Falls Provincial Park (near Campbell River): forest campground with water and washrooms, no hook-ups; reserve through the BC Parks portal and check the length limit beforehand. Loveland Bay Provincial Park in the backcountry is a good alternative, reached by forest road and therefore worth checking in advance. Availability is tight for larger motorhomes, so book early in summer.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On Vancouver Island there are recreation sites (simple forest campgrounds) along the forest roads; access roads are often gravel and used by logging trucks. Restrictions apply to foreign visitors for camping on Crown land, so clarify locally.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Campbell River, stock up on water, diesel and groceries for the whole route; north of there are only a few petrol stations. Logging trucks have right of way on forest roads; switch your lights on and mind the radio channel.
2Stage 2: Woss and Nimpkish Valley to Telegraph Cove (approx. 85 km)
- The drive
- Highway 19 continues north, then a spur road branches off to the coastal village of Telegraph Cove (around 15–20 km). It is paved but narrow and winding, with a descent on the last section. Access for large motorhomes is not comfortable everywhere, and the village itself has only limited parking. With stops, half a day.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Telegraph Cove: a historic wooden-house village on stilts, a small harbour, and information points on whales and the coast. The village is privately run, and parking is limited.
- Orca and bear watching: from Telegraph Cove, licensed operators run trips into Johnstone Strait, where orcas occur mainly in summer. Booking in advance is recommended.
- Whale Interpretive Centre in Telegraph Cove: a small museum with whale skeletons and information. Check opening times beforehand.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Telegraph Cove itself the campgrounds are privately run; public alternatives are rare. One option is Schoen Lake Provincial Park in the backcountry (on the route south of Woss, not near Telegraph Cove): a simple campground on a lake, reached by about 12 km of gravel road from Highway 19, closed from 1 November to 31 March according to BC Parks; check the vehicle and length limit beforehand. In an emergency you can fall back on campgrounds in Port McNeill. Reserve in advance, especially in summer.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Free camping in Telegraph Cove and in the villages is not allowed. On Crown land there are recreation sites; clarify the rules for foreign visitors and observe fire bans.
- Insider tip for campers
- If you want to see orcas, book a tour and plan the morning for it; the trip to the coast and back takes a good two hours with stops. The road to Telegraph Cove is narrow; use the passing places, and if there is no room, leave large vehicles on the main road.
3Stage 3: Telegraph Cove to Port Hardy (approx. 70 km)
- The drive
- Back onto Highway 19 and on north via Port McNeill to Port Hardy. Two lanes, less traffic, 90 km/h, later 50–70 km/h in the towns. The forest becomes denser, and the coast is only occasionally visible. The pure driving time is just under an hour. Port McNeill and Port Hardy have petrol stations, supermarkets and dump stations.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Port McNeill: a fishing harbour with a ferry to Alert Bay and Sointula, a walk along the water, small shops. Check the ferry timetable beforehand.
- Quatse River Hatchery near Port Hardy: a salmon hatchery with a visitor centre; in autumn salmon spawn in the river.
- Port Hardy Seawall: a promenade along the harbour with a view of the Inside Passage, good for the evening mood.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Quatse River Campground in Port Hardy (near the hatchery): a simple campground; check the operator, facilities, hook-ups, opening times and length limit in advance. Booked out early in summer, so reservations are recommended.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In and around Port Hardy, overnighting in public car parks and at the harbour is not allowed. Crown land sites in the backcountry are possible; clarify the rules locally.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up with fuel, shop and fill up with water in Port Hardy before heading west. If you want to go further north, you can also take the ferry to Prince Rupert from here (Inside Passage, around 15 to 18 hours, seasonal only and with reservations; check the timetable with BC Ferries). This is the link to the Haida Gwaii route.
4Stage 4: Port Hardy to San Josef Bay and Cape Scott (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- From Port Hardy, Holberg Road and then gravel lead west for a good 60 kilometres (64 km from Port Hardy according to BC Parks) to the car park at San Josef Bay and Cape Scott. Parts are paved, others are gravel track with potholes, washboard and logging trucks; speeds mostly 30–60 km/h. The pure driving time is about 1.5–2 hours. There is no mobile reception, and in an emergency only your emergency plan will help. The route is feasible for well-prepared campers, but rather not for inexperienced drivers with large motorhomes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- San Josef Bay: a short hiking trail of around 2.5 km through rainforest to a long sandy beach with rocks and caves; about 1.5 hours there and back.
- Cape Scott Provincial Park: a long hiking trail leads to Nels Bight and on to the lighthouse at the cape; the trip is a multi-day hike. Backcountry camping requires permit registration with BC Parks, so check the rules beforehand.
- Holberg: a village at the end of the road with a pub and small shops; check opening times beforehand.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Cape Scott Provincial Park only backcountry camping is possible (permit registration with BC Parks); pitches for motorhomes at the car park are not guaranteed, and the alternatives are recreation sites on the access road. Access to the car parks is over gravel roads, so check their condition and accessibility beforehand. In an emergency, fall back on campgrounds in Port Hardy.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On Crown land along Holberg Road there are recreation sites, which mostly offer simple pitches. Observe the rules for foreign visitors and fire bans.
- Insider tip for campers
- Set off with a full tank, a spare wheel and water; gravel roads are narrow and used by logging trucks, which have right of way. There is no mobile reception, so leave your schedule and return time with someone. Bears are common: store food securely.
5Stage 5: San Josef Bay to Port Hardy (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- Return via gravel and Holberg Road to Port Hardy, with a pure driving time of about 1.5–2 hours. The route is impressive in the evening light, but wildlife and logging trucks demand attention. In Port Hardy the route can end or continue onto the ferry to Prince Rupert.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Quatse River Hatchery: on your return, another look at the salmon and the visitor centre if there is time.
- Fort Rupert: a small village on the coast with totem poles, a short stopover.
- Port Hardy harbour: evening mood, fishing boats and boats.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Quatse River Campground in Port Hardy for the last night, with reservations recommended. Alternatively, private campgrounds in the town.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Not allowed within the town; outside it, recreation sites on Crown land, observing the rules.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Port Hardy fill the water tank, empty the waste water and dispose of rubbish. If you take the ferry to Prince Rupert, book early and confirm the departure time beforehand.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- In British Columbia, camping on Crown land is usually possible for up to 14 days in one place for Canadians. Special rules apply to visitors from abroad, which must be clarified with Recreation Sites and Trails BC. In provincial parks, in car parks, on beaches and in harbours, overnighting outside designated sites is not allowed.
- Recreation sites (forest campgrounds, often free) are an alternative; access is mostly over gravel logging roads. Note road conditions, fire bans and logging-truck traffic.
- Wildlife: black bears are widespread, wolves and cougars rare; keep food and rubbish securely stored at night, carry bear spray and keep your distance.
- Orcas and whales: boats keep their distance from the animals; only go out with licensed operators. Watching from the shore is possible without restrictions.
- Useful apps: iOverlander, Campendium, Park4Night, the BC Parks portal and DriveBC for road conditions and fire situation.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump stations are available in Campbell River, Port McNeill and Port Hardy at RV parks and municipal campgrounds; often for a fee. sanidumps.com provides an overview.
- Drinking water: tap water in Canada is drinkable; in remote areas and in Cape Scott, filter or boil water and bring canisters.
- Empty grey water and chemical toilets only at dump stations, never in the forest or in a body of water.
- Propane is available in Campbell River and Port Hardy; European gas cylinders are not compatible, and rental motorhomes have permanently installed tanks.
- Fuel: petrol stations in Campbell River, Sayward, Woss and Port McNeill as well as Port Hardy; none on the west side. Always fill up before the gravel stretch.
- Shopping: larger supermarkets in Campbell River, Port McNeill and Port Hardy; small shops in Holberg and Telegraph Cove.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits in km/h: Highway 19 mostly 90–110, in towns 50, on gravel roads 30–60 or lower depending on condition and signage.
- There are no tolls on Vancouver Island; ferries are chargeable (Port McNeill to Alert Bay, Port Hardy to Prince Rupert), with reservations through BC Ferries.
- Dimensions: the legal height in Canada is usually 4.15 m, width 2.6 m; logging trucks have right of way on forest roads.
- Reservations: BC Parks up to four months ahead; in Cape Scott Provincial Park, backcountry camping requires permit registration with BC Parks, so check the rules beforehand.
- Weather and season: coastal rainforest, frequent rain and fog; the best time for whales is June to October; winter with storms and snow in the backcountry is possible.
- Traffic law: right turn on red after a stop is allowed unless a sign prohibits it; mobile phones at the wheel only hands-free; seat belts and child seats are compulsory in motorhomes too. A German driving licence is sufficient for tourists.
- Emergency: 911; mobile reception is missing over long stretches, so an emergency plan and an offline map are indispensable.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Spare wheel, jack and tyre repair kit – tyre damage is common on gravel roads, and help is far away.
- Bear spray and secure storage boxes – for food and rubbish in bear country.
- Wellington boots and a rain jacket – the coastal rainforest is wet, and the trail to San Josef Bay is partly muddy.
- Offline map and paper map – there is no mobile reception on gravel roads and in Cape Scott.
- Binoculars for orcas, sea eagles and bears, and a tide table for beach walks.
- Water canisters and a filter – for remote campgrounds without drinking water.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
