Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 828

Campbell River Airport ( www.crairport.ca ) receives Pacific Coastal Airlines ( www.pacific-
coastal.com ) flights from Vancouver International Airport (from $88, 45 minutes, up to
seven daily).

Greyhound Canada ( www.greyhound.ca ) services arrive from Port Hardy (from $35, three
hours, daily), Nanaimo (from $25, three hours, two daily), Victoria (from $40, six to 10
hours, four daily) and beyond.

VAN ISLE'S ANCIENT WILDERNESS

Strathcona Provincial Park ( www.bcparks.ca ) , BC's oldest protected area and
Vancouver Island's largest park, is inland from Campbell River on Hwy 28.
Centered on Mt Golden Hinde (2200m), the island's highest point, Strathcona is a
magnificent pristine wilderness crisscrossed with trail systems that deliver you to
waterfalls, alpine meadows, glacial lakes and looming mountain crags.
On arrival at the main entrance, get your bearings at Strathcona Park Lodge &
Outdoor Education Centre ( www.strathcona.bc.ca ) . A one-stop shop for park activities,
including kayaking, guided treks, yoga camps, zip-lining and rock climbing (all-in
adventure packages are available, some aimed specifically at families), this is a
great place to rub shoulders with other outdoorsy types. Head to the Whale Dining
Room or Canoe Club Café eateries for a fuel up. The lodge also offers good ac-
commodations: rooms and cabins that, in keeping with its low-impact approach to
nature and commitment to eco-education, are sans telephones and TVs.
Notable park hiking trails include the Paradise Meadows Loop (2.2km), an easy
amble in a delicate wildflower and evergreen ecosystem, and Mt Becher (5km),
with its great views over the Comox Valley and mountain-lined Strait of Georgia.
The 9km Comox Glacier Trail is quite an adventure: it's only recommended for ad-
vanced hikers.

TOP OF CHAPTER

Port Hardy
POP 3700
Settled by Europeans in the early 1800s, this small north-island settlement is best known
as the arrival and departure point for BC Ferries Inside Passage trips. It's also a handy
gear-up spot for the North Coast Trail. Head to the visitor center ( 250-949-7622;

9am-5pm) for information, including comprehens-

www.porthardy.travel ; 7250 Market St;

ive North Coast Trail maps ($9.95).