Cape Scott Provincial Park - Canada

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About Cape Scott Provincial Park

Cape Scott Provincial Park is a rugged coastal wilderness at the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island, 563 kilometres from Victoria. The park features more than 115 kilometres of scenic ocean frontage, including about 30 kilometres of remote beaches. It stretches from Shushartie Bay in the east, then westward around Cape Scott and south to San Josef Bay, with rocky promontories, salt marshes and jagged headlands punctuating fine-textured, white-sand beaches. Nels Bight, the most impressive beach, stretches more than 2,400 metres long and 210 metres wide at low tide and is one of the park's most popular camping destinations. The trail system passes through old and second-growth Sitka spruce, hemlock and cedar forests, upland bogs, beaches, sea stacks, and tidal pools. Wildlife includes bald eagles, black bears, cougars, wolves, river and sea otters, mink, and marine mammals. This is a hike-in wilderness park; RV travellers typically base out of nearby Port Hardy and day-use the San Josef Bay trailhead.

RV quick facts for Cape Scott Provincial Park

Detail	Information
Road restrictions	Active gravel logging road from Holberg to San Josef trailhead; yield to logging trucks, not recommended for large RVs
Full hookups	None in park; Cape Scott is a backcountry wilderness park with hike-in tent camping only
Dump station	None in park; nearest services are in Port Hardy
Cell service	None. Cell phones do not work in the park; a satellite phone or VHF radio is recommended
Reservation window	Tent pads are first-come, first-served at San Josef Bay and other campsites
Park status	Open year-round; no winter camping fee
Wildlife warning	Active wolf advisory; black bears have broken into vehicles at trailhead parking, secure all food and attractants
Nearest RV services	Port Hardy, approximately 65 km from the San Josef Bay trailhead

Featured RV rentals for Cape Scott Provincial Park

Steve's Forest River 25RKS Travel Trailer

Travel Trailer in Port-McNeill

2019 • New listing

$150 CAD /night

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Best time to visit Cape Scott Provincial Park

Late June through early September offers the driest weather, longest daylight, and the most reliable road conditions for reaching the trailhead. July and August are peak months for San Josef Bay day hikes and beach visits. Spring and fall bring larger waves and are popular for surf kayaking at San Josef Bay. Shoulder-season RV travellers should be prepared for extremely cold and wet conditions, which can occur year-round on this exposed coast.

Jan 340 mm

6°C - 2°C

Very wet and windy; logging road may be icy or snow-covered

Feb 250 mm

7°C - 2°C

Cold, wet, stormy coast

Mar 240 mm

8°C - 3°C

Frequent rain, muddy trails

Apr 160 mm

10°C - 4°C

Shoulder season, expect rain and mud

May 110 mm

13°C - 6°C

Drier weather begins, good surf kayaking

Jun 90 mm

15°C - 9°C

Longer days, reliable trailhead access

Jul 60 mm

17°C - 11°C

Peak season; driest month

Aug 70 mm

18°C - 11°C

Peak season; popular beach camping at Nels Bight and San Josef Bay

Sep 140 mm

15°C - 9°C

Cooler, rain returns, larger surf

Oct 300 mm

12°C - 6°C

Wet season resumes, trails muddy

Nov 370 mm

8°C - 4°C

Very wet, storm season

Dec 370 mm

6°C - 2°C

Storms, wind, possible snow on logging road

Things to do at Cape Scott Provincial Park

San Josef Bay Trail Easy
RV parking available
San Josef Bay is a well-maintained gravel trail ending at a broad sandy Pacific beach in the southeastern corner of the park. The trail is 2.5 km from the trailhead and takes about 45 minutes one way, ending at the sandy shore of San Josef Bay where camping is allowed. The trail has been re-surfaced with crushed material and extended boardwalk, and is accessible for high-clearance strollers and assisted wheelchairs on a rough gravel backcountry surface. bcparks.ca/cape-scott-park/hiking/
Eric Lake Easy
RV parking available
Eric Lake is a forested lake campsite along the main Cape Scott trail. There are eight tent platforms, a food cache, and a pit toilet at Eric Lake at kilometre 3 from the Cape Scott trailhead, with lake access on the west side of the campground. It is a good introductory overnight for hikers basing their RV at the trailhead lot. bcparks.ca/cape-scott-park/hiking/
Nels Bight Strenuous
Nels Bight is the park's signature beach campsite and one of the most popular destinations in Cape Scott. It stretches more than 2,400 metres long and 210 metres wide at low tide, making it one of the park's most popular camping destinations. The site is 13.1 km from the trailhead with an average one-way hiking time of 4.5 hours. bcparks.ca/cape-scott-park/hiking/
Mount St. Patrick and Sea Otter Cove Strenuous
Mount St. Patrick is the highest viewpoint reachable from the San Josef side of the park. The route is accessed via San Josef Bay's second western beach, then gains elevation quickly to the summit of Mt. St. Patrick, which offers a panoramic view of the park, before descending to Sea Otter Cove. Sea Otter Cove is only passable at mid to low tide, and only experienced hikers familiar with map and compass should go beyond Mt. St. Patrick. bcparks.ca/cape-scott-park/hiking/
Cape Scott Lighthouse Route Strenuous
The full hike to the Cape leads to historic settler sites and views of the working lighthouse. Cape Scott is 23.6 km from the trailhead with an average one-way hiking time of 8.5 hours, and the public may visit the lighthouse, which is outside the provincial park and federally operated. bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/cape_scott/hiking.html
San Josef Bay Paddling
RV parking available
San Josef Bay is the park's most accessible paddling destination. Canoeing and kayaking are increasingly popular here where BC Parks operates a boat launch, more experienced kayakers can paddle from Port Hardy around the Cape to Winter Harbour or Coal Harbour, and the bay is a popular spot for surf kayaking in spring and fall when waves are larger. The boat launch is accessed via San Josef Heritage Park but is a BC Parks facility. bcparks.ca/cape-scott-park/
North Coast Trail Strenuous
The North Coast Trail is the park's premier multi-day backpacking route. It is a 43.1 km extension to the original Cape Scott trail, the total hiking distance is approximately 59.5 km, and the minimum recommended one-way hiking time is 5 days, more commonly completed in 6 to 8 days. Access to the Shushartie Bay trailhead is by boat or floatplane only with no docking facilities, and one water taxi service runs from Port Hardy during the summer season. bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/cape_scott/hiking.html
Wildlife Viewing
RV parking available
Cape Scott offers rich coastal wildlife viewing from beaches and forest trails. The park is home to bald eagles, black bears, cougars, wolves, river and sea otters, mink, and an array of marine mammals, and sightings and encounters are common, so visitors should use precaution. Lucky visitors may sometimes spot sea otters, an endangered species, in Guise Bay. bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/cape_scott/hiking.html

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RV Rentals Cape Scott Provincial Park

Cape Scott Provincial Park, BC, Canada

How to get to Cape Scott Provincial Park

The park sits at the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island, 563 kilometres from Victoria. From Port Hardy, the nearest service town, it is roughly 65 kilometres of paved and active logging road through Holberg to the San Josef Bay trailhead, typically 1.5 to 2 hours of careful driving. RVers should expect narrow gravel sections, logging truck traffic, no shoulders, and no services past Holberg, so large motorhomes and long trailers are not recommended beyond Port Hardy or Holberg. Port Hardy Airport is the closest airport for fly-and-rent trips.

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