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Queen Charlotte Islands: Getaway to Untouched Wilderness
Queen Charlotte Islands is located on the northwest of British Columbia, comprising of over 150 islands. Of these islands, only Graham and Moresby Islands are densely populated. With a population of about 4,000, the islands retained much of their natural beauty that adventurous tourists crave for.
This vast untouched wilderness is also home of the native Haida people for thousands of years. The native name “Haida Gwaii” translates as “islands of the people.”
Since the area is remote, expect the place to have little development (it only has one traffic light) and the absence of grand resorts. However, this is fully compensated with a whole different experience starting from learning the native Haida culture to exploring the vast first-growth rainforest.The rainforest is comprised of towering spruce and cedar trees, and many types of ferns and other greenery along the forest floor.
Queen Charlotte City, the archipelago’s administrative center, is located in Bearskin Bay on the southern shore of Graham Island. It contains more shops and services than its small size would suggest. The moist, mild climate allows for lush vegetation and abundant wildlife.
Sandspit, a charming village lying on a spit of land extending into Hecate Strait, is located on the northeast tip of Moresby Island. It is the home to the Islands’ main airport and also blessed with a mild climate, lush vegetation, and bountiful wildlife. Tourist reach Queen Charlotte Islands through direct flights from Prince Rupert and Vancouver or a 6-hour ferry ride from Prince Rupert.
Queen Charlotte Islands have two extensive natural parks: the newly-protected Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Naikoon Provincial Park.
Naikoon (Rose Point) is predominantly flat, with a highest altitude of just over 150 meters above sea level. Its native species include black bears, otters, and martins, while some mammals such as raccoons, red squirrels, beavers, and muskrats were introduced in the park. Wild cattle are also spotted here.
Posted in Attractions, Outdoors
This entry was posted on Friday, May 25th, 2007 at 6:18 pm and is filed under Attractions, Outdoors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 25th, 2007 /