The northern turnaround point on our yearly trip turned into two great days, rain and all.
It rained for most of our two days in Campbell River, and we still packed them full. Campbell River was the northern turnaround on our yearly father-son road trip, two days and two nights before we pointed the car back south. I came home with a full camera and a couple of stories I keep retelling.
The first thing we did when we rolled into town was jump on the ferry to Quadra Island. It is only a 10-minute crossing from Campbell River, and it was quick and easy, of the short BC ferries trips where you barely get settled before they wave you off the other side.
Our first stop was the Cape Mudge Lighthouse. I needed photos for my lighthouse page; it was a quick stop, but the little red-and-white tower on the beach did not disappoint. From there, we drove to the Village of Cape Mudge, known today as Yaculta. We had hoped to visit the cultural centre, but it has been closed for over a year now and nobody seems to know when it will reopen.
The village was the surprise of the day. There were totems, a gathering place, and canoes, all in great shape. We wanted to be respectful, and the website said photos were okay, so we walked the shoreline slowly and took in the carvings and the petroglyphs. Hold that thought. It comes back the next day.
After that we drove around the island and walked Rebecca Spit, a flat curving spit with water on both sides and an easy stroll the whole way. Then we caught the ferry back to town.
We stayed at the Anchor Inn & Suites right on the water. It was due for some updates, but it was a fair price, and the view looked straight across to Quadra, the island we had just left.
Elk Falls, the Maritime Centre, and a Guide We Did Not Expect
Day two had the worst weather, but we wanted to see Elk Falls and I am so glad we did. It is one of my favourite parks on the whole island. A short, mostly flat 1 km walk through the forest leads to stairs and a free suspension bridge that hangs 64 metres above the canyon, with a 25-metre waterfall roaring beside it.
There are fenced viewpoints that work for all ages, plus trails through old growth, along the river, and out to a second waterfall. If you want the full loop, the AllTrails map is handy. The area has changed since my last visit with the dam upgrades next door.
The rain really came down, so we headed indoors to the Maritime Heritage Centre. Inside sits the BCP 45, the restored fishing boat from the back of the Canadian five-dollar bill, the one printed from 1969 to 1986. A volunteer guide walked us right up onto the deck. I grew up seeing that bill, and there I was standing on the real boat.
The guide turned out to be the real surprise. He grew up in Yaculta on a boat like this one, and he told us how hard the fishing families worked every season. Then he mentioned he had carved many of the totems we had photographed in Yaculta the day before. We pack our days full, but we leave room to follow a moment like that. I could have talked to him all afternoon.
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Our last stop was the Museum at Campbell River. I will be honest, I pre-judged this one. The sign is plain and the building sits a little hidden on the main road, so I did not expect much. I was wrong. The displays are detailed and well done. My favourites were the Treasures of Siwidi, where the story of the undersea world is told through masks, the full-size old forestry camp displays, and the little theatre where we watched a film about the removal of Ripple Rock, the twin-peaked underwater mountain in Seymour Narrows.
One last thing I loved was hunting for driftwood art all over Campbell River. Vancouver Island’s best-known driftwood artist is based on Quadra, and the whole area felt like a driftwood treasure hunt. I cannot say for sure that every piece we found was theirs, but we had a great time tracking them down. There is a full gallery below so you can see some of them too.
The weather didn’t cooperate on this part of the trip, but Campbell River still earned its spot on the trip.
More in this area:
Cape Mudge Lighthouse, Quadra Island
Elk Falls Provincial Park
Museum at Campbell River
Where to stay in Campbell River
