Place
Kyuquot Sound is one of the 5 major sounds indenting the west coast of Vancouver Island. To the northwest of Kyuquot Sound is Checleseht Bay. To the east is the steep Vancouver Island mountain range, with peaks of over 1500 metres. The Kyuquot and Checleseht territories are accessible only by air and water; the only road access is at Fair Harbour, where there is a government dock, boat ramp, free and paid parking, fuel station, propane, small store and camping.
This magical region we call home boasts some of the most pristine temperate rainforest in the world. We are proud to be able to share several world-class parks with visitors: Brooks Peninsula Provincial Park, Checleseht Bay Ecological Reserve, Tahsish-Kwois Provincial Park, Tahsish River Ecological Reserve, Dixie Cove Provincial Park and Rugged Point Marine Park. Many small islands, bays, beaches, rocky shoals, streams and rivers, lush forests, hills and mountains – these are the many features that make up this incredible land and seascape.
Look to the sea, and through the morning mist you may glimpse a grey whale, dolphin, or sea lion breaking the waves. Sea otters are plentiful here, and you’re sure to spot a seal or two. Birds abound here too; eagles, herons, gulls and other shore birds are here year round. In summer, we have nesting puffins, marbled murrelets and other seabirds.
On the shore, you will see towering stands of old spruce, cedar and fir trees. And in the moss-shrouded forest, deer and Roosevelt elk graze while black bears forage for berries. Wolves and cougars also inhabit these woods.
Visit our village of Houpsitas in Walters Cove and you will be welcomed by our people. On our reserves, you may find remnants of our traditional way of life, such as old home sites and fallen ancient totem poles. While walking in the woods of this region be careful where you tread. This land contains our living history, and ancient artifacts are often both extremely delicate and difficult to spot.
Visiting Kyuquot / Checleseht
The magic of Kyuquot and Checleseht must be seen first hand to be truly experienced. In addition to experiencing our culture, there are many things for visitors to do here, including sea kayaking, sport fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. There are six provincial parks and four ecological reserves here.
The people of Kyuquot and Checleseht ask only that visitors to our region arrive with respect. Please follow these visitor guidelines:
Check in with the Kyuquot / Checleseht Band Office in Houpsitas on or prior to arrival. Call 250-334-5259 to register and get information on how to visit our region.
Be aware that the region you are visiting is not just a wilderness area; it is our home and a historic cultural landscape. Being respectful of that, and taking time to understand some of our cultural and spiritual traditions, will enhance your travel experience.
Throughout the territory, both on and off reserve, are a number of sites of cultural significance to our people. These include old village sites, burial sites, fallen totem poles, and other artifacts. Take care not to disturb cultural sites, nor to remove any objects from them.
Do not trespass on Kyuquot / Checleseht gravesites.
Take only photographs and leave only footprints. And if you want to take photos of Kyuquot / Checleseht people, ask permission first.
If you are camping, where possible, we ask that you dig a hole in the forest for your human waste. Do not defecate in inter-tidal areas that contain shellfish, as this contaminates our shellfish beds.
There are a number of areas in our territories which contain fossils. Please do not use a rock hammer to remove fossils.
Fishing is an important resource that we depend on for our survival. The ocean is our supermarket and where many of us earn our living, without the oceans resources we would go hungry. In our traditional ways, outsiders would have to receive permission before entering our territory to fish or gather other resources. Today we ask for your respect in protecting our resources for future generations by using barbless hooks and by strictly adhering to daily and in-hand catch limits.
Getting Here
The Kyuquot / Checleseht region is accessible only by air or water.
Take Hwy 19 north from Campbell River, and turn left on logging roads about twenty minutes past Woss. The turn off and logging roads are marked with signs for Zeballos and then Fair Harbour. please be sure to travel with a spare and drive carefully on the logging roads. You can launch your boat at Fair Harbour or meet a water taxi there (water taxis must be booked in advance). The drive from Campbell River to Fair Harbour takes about three and a half hours, and Fair Harbour is half an hour by boat from Kyuquot. There are campsites, a small store, free and paid parking, a government wharf and a gas station at Fair Harbour. Zeballos has a hotel, restaurants, a mechanic, pay phones and a few small stores.
The passenger boat MV Uchuck III departs for Kyuquot from Gold River, on Vancouver Island, every Thursday morning, returning late Friday afternoon. Gold River is 90 kilometres west of Campbell River on Hwy 28. Cars may be left near the dock.
Air Nootka makes regularly scheduled flights every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Gold River. Charter flights are also available.
