Monday, August 05, 2019

Quads and Camping on North Vancouver Island

Our truck and double quad trailer.
Wayne and I like to take our quads on barge trips around Powell Lake and truck and trailer trips to land based destinations. We took our Tucson SUV to North Vancouver Island to plan a future ride.

Read more about that road trip at my Margy Meanders blog.

The Campbell River ATV Club has been instrumental in developing off-road routes using logging roads throughout North Vancouver Island. They have also worked with RCMP precincts to allow access to lodging, food and gas. Click here for more information.

There are map resources for Forest Service and logging roads.

A section of the North Island route map from the Campbell River ATV Club.

Here are some of the campsites we discovered on our trip.

Picture from Rec Sites and Trails BC.
Elk Creek Recreation Site: Seasonal campground south of Highway 19 near the the Sayward turnoff. Seven site campground with good availability but no direct access to logging or forest service roads but could make a good homebase then transport quads to off-road areas.

Montague Creek campground.
Montague Creek: Two small primitive sites along the river just past Sayward via Eve Main. Direct access to logging roads but too tight for us.

Upper Klaklakama Lake Campground: Small site at the top end of the lake. Too tight for us but direct access to logging roads. Another large campground farther down the lake.

Woss Lake Recreation Site campground.
Woss Lake Recreation Site: Twenty-four sites with good availability on upper Woss Lake with easy dirt road access via West Woss Road. Sites large enough for our truck and trailer and direct access to logging roads. Logging railway historical display in town.

Georgie with empty lakefront site.
Georgie Lake Recreation Site: A nine site lakeside campground reached via the Holberg Road out of Port Hardy and Georgie Lake Forest Service Road. Sites are large enough for us and there is good access to an extensive logging road network for riding. However, it is too far on rough roads for us, but we did find a travel trailer there.


Link River campground on Alice Lake.
Link River Regional Park: A 22 site campground on Alice Lake near Port Alice. This is the one for us. Good access via SE Main and there was good availability even on a holiday weekend. It has a host and reservations in summer and first come, first serve the rest of the year. Lots of logging road access in all directions.

We could stay here many times and still not explore everything. Plus there is fuel and shopping in nearby Port Alice for extended stays. Don't know when, but we will be returning with our truck, trailer and quads for a new kind of adventure up North Vancouver Island's mains.


Want to read more about our quad adventures? Three of Wayne's Coastal BC Stories books focus on backcountry adventures including Up the Main, Farther Up the Main and Powell Lake by Barge and Quad.

All three are available in print and e-book formats at Amazon and most online booksellers. In Powell River they are available at Coles in the Town Centre Mall. -- Margy

24 comments:

  1. Hello, beautiful views from the campground. You definitely move around. Fun times and adventures. Enjoy your day, wishing you a great new week!

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    1. After visiting about three it was hard to remember the benefits of each. Pictures always help as time goes by. - Margy

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  2. What wonderful adventures! I would love to visit that area!

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    1. Before we moved here I visited BC since I was little with my parents. We ended up deciding to buy property so we could stay here as much as we wanted. - Margy

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  3. Looks like a lovely spot

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    1. North Vancouver Island is more remote and casual than the big cities in the south. - Margy

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  4. Sounds like lots of fun. We need all the recreation areas and access that we can get, people love to get out in nature and explore and rest.

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    1. Without logging roads we couldn't get very far. - Margy

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  5. Margy - well, this answers my question about results! So glad you found a spot that is ideal for you. And I am thankful that you described all the sites you researched. For those of us who are not into ATVs, we know where else we can go! Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday twice this week!

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    1. All of these campgrounds can be reached by a regular car, but a truck or SUV makes it even easier. - Margy

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  6. Looks so pleasant!

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    1. It was a nice getaway, and so much easier to explore in our car than bringing our truck and quads this trip. - Margy

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  7. Lots of choice for experiencing the outdoors.

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    1. And most of the campsites are free. - Margy

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  8. I had driven my little Yaris down to Rock Bay, slowly, easing my way through the huge potholes, whipping the steering wheel back and forth. It's not a road meant for city cars like mine, but that never seems to stop me. It was the off season; there was nobody about at the rv site, and I wandered around taking photos before I headed back. Just before I left, a dozen or so ATVs roared in, covered with mud, and stopped for a break at the picnic tables there. One of the riders told me they were heading on to the Marine Provincial Park. They were probably members of the ATV club you mentioned.
    I almost changed my plans and drove on to the park as well, but it was late and I didn't realize how close it was, so I turned back.
    One of these days, I'll brave the potholes again, and start out earlier.

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    1. The Campbell River ATV Club is very active and they build and maintain trails, negotiate with towns for for permission to access services, and built the Pye Mountain Rec Site. - Margy

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  9. I shall never camp. I'm glad to takes trips this way, though!!!

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    1. Don't need to. You have such a nice natural setting right where you live. - Margy

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  10. Amazing views & shots! The forests / trees look similar here...

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  11. Looks like the camping options go on and on. Beautiful!

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    1. A bit moister than you camping spots, but deserts are beautiful too. - Margy

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  12. Such a beautiful spot. I'm glad you took us with you on your adventures.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. You're welcome. You had a nice trip to France. I've never been there, but my babysitter when I was little came to the States from France after WWII. - Margy

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy