Cape Scott Provincial Park is located on the Northwestern tip of Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Established in 1973, the park is comprised of a set of hiking trails that access rugged coastal wilderness, dense forests and large marshy areas. These hiking trails access some of the finest and remote white sand beaches on Vancouver Island, the largest and most visually impressive being Nels Bight, which is 2.4 km long and at low tide is 210 meters wide.

Visitors to this vast area of untouched wilderness are very likely to see the wildlife that inhabits this area of Canada. Black bear, cougars and eagles can be seen in the park while, seals, whales and other marine life are often just offshore. It is extremely important while hiking and backpacking through this park that visitors keep in mind that you are in their territory now.  Take precautions to avoid any incidents with wild animals. Storing food in the food caches provided, carrying bear spray and being vigilant at all times are a necessity when traversing the trails and beaches.

There are some designated campsites where a running water source is provided but carrying a water filter is necessary. Hiking Cape Scott can be a tough physical challenge.  This is mainly because you are carrying all your camping gear plus food on your back -the lighter you can make your backpack the better. The trails are mainly flat with many boardwalks to traverse the muddy bogs and swamps that cover the area; there are no punishing hills or climbs.

Aside from the minor difficulty or inconvenience of carrying everything in and out of the park, there are a few hardships that you will go through: the drinking water near Nels Bight tastes like dirt and is the colour of urine even after filtering it, this is due to the cedar dye that is in the water -totally safe to drink but a bit nasty. There are pit toilets to use but they can be spread out quite a distance so going “Au Natural” in the bush should be planned on just in case. There are no showers or taps to get clean or wash up.  For some, this can be a bit of a discomfort; for others they revel in not being able to wash. Mosquitos can be a small nuisance on the beach but are a major hassle inland or close to the tree line.

Cape Scott Provincial Park is a fantastic way to spend 3-4 days getting acquainted with a remote part of the Canadian wilderness. Be prepared for blisters on your feet, smelling less than fresh and a whole bunch of walking. The best beaches to camp on are San Joseph beach, which is only 3 km from the parking lot or Nels bight, which is about 18 km from the parking lot. This part of the country is raw and untouched so respect the environment and be ready for a workout.