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Most visitors to Telegraph Cove go with whale watching, fishing, kayaking or scuba diving in mind but the area also offers wonderful spelunking (caving), hiking, mountain biking and wilderness camping opportunities.
Winter activities are concentrated around nearby Mount Cain. They include downhill, backcountry and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Hikers and mountain bikers have many options in the area. One of the most popular trails with both groups is the 3.7-km (2.3-mi) Marble River Trail in Marble River Provincial Park. Adventurous and well-equipped hikers can challenge themselves on the 48-km (30-mi) Cape Scott Trail, which traces an old telegraph line to a lighthouse on the island’s northwestern tip. Telegraph Cove’s historic boardwalk is the place for short, leisurely strolls.
If you wish to camp during your visit, you’ll find forested sites right next to the village and wilderness camping opportunities in nearby provincial parks. There are also some excellent spelunking (caving) opportunities in the area. The caves in Little Huson Cave Regional Park, for example, contain many interesting rock formations and are safe and accessible enough for first-timers.
Telegraph Cove is one of the last remaining boardwalk communities in BC, so be sure to take in the boardwalk – and the historic wooden buildings that sit on pilings alongside it – during your stay. You can even see the house of the village’s first resident, a telegraph lineman.
The Johnstone Strait Whale Interpretive Centre, in Telegraph Cove, was established to increase awareness of the habitat needs of and threats to local marine mammals. Its “Bones Project” exhibit includes complete skeletons of various species, including two types of whale, a sea lion, seal, dolphin and otter. You can also see the jaw bones of a blue whale, the largest animal ever to inhabit the earth. The centre promotes an informal, interactive atmosphere and even allows visitors to handle the bones.
There are two marine and two terrestrial provincial parks near Telegraph Cove. Lower Nimpkish Provincial Park is an undeveloped wilderness park known for fishing. The Lower Nimpkish River, which runs through it, supports all five species of Pacific salmon, as well as steelhead, trout, Dolly Varden and kokanee. Watch for black bears, bald eagles and threatened marbled murrelets while hiking, fishing or camping there. Remote Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park contains some important ecological features, including a rare, old-growth hemlock forest. Wilderness camping and mountaineering are available there.
Broughton Archipelago and Cormorant Channel Marine Provincial Parks are popular boating and kayaking destinations. Both offer spectacular scenery; lots of islands, islets and coves; and frequent wildlife sightings. Wilderness camping is permitted in Broughton while Cormorant offers superb fishing and scuba diving experiences.
Telegraph Cove is the gateway to the Blackfish Archipelago, one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. Humpback, minke, grey and, especially, Orca whales all make regular use of local waters. You may also encounter Pacific white-sided dolphins, Dall’s porpoises, river otters, sea otters, harbour seals and Steller sea lions on the ocean. Black and grizzly bears are abundant around Knight Inlet, particularly during salmon spawning season. Telegraph Cove is the departure point for bear watching tours to that area.
Birders should watch for bald eagles, harlequin ducks, great blue herons, pigeon guillemots, rhinoceros auklets, red-necked phalaropes and black oystercatchers.
The scenic Broughton Archipelago offers world-class fishing, cold-water scuba diving and kayaking experiences. In the waters just off Telegraph Cove you can fish for trophy-sized salmon, cod and halibut and explore a colourful array of undersea life at the Stubbs Island dive site. Many more dive sites are scattered throughout the archipelago; some feature shipwrecks. The area also has a liberal sprinkling of islands, islets and secluded coves, making it a superb destination for kayaking or canoeing. Equipment rentals and guided tours are available.
Mount Cain is a low-key, family-oriented ski hill located about 90 minutes from Telegraph Cove. It has 18 runs, two T-bars and approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) of marked cross-country trails. You can also go snowshoeing or backcountry skiing in the Mount Cain area.
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