Things to do in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)
THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)
Things to Do in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)
Check out must-see sights and activities:
Gwaii Haanas National Park, Sleeping Beauty Trail, Multi-day Tours, Cultural Tours. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
Gwaii Haanas National Park, Sleeping Beauty Trail, Multi-day Tours, Cultural Tours. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
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Popular Cities in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)
Hiking Trails
Islands
Beaches
Hiking Trails
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Hiking Trails
Points of Interest & Landmarks
What travellers are saying
- rufusrastusEl Cerrito, CA13 contributionsThe location is for the administration office, not the park itself, which starts on Moresby/Lyell Islands well to the South. The office is next to the Haida Cultural Center which is a STELLAR museum, and there is a Carving Shed right behind it with poles and canoes.
The park itself is fantastic, and most of it is pristine wilderness, and represents a major environmental and cultural victory, gained over 20 years ago. It's a world-class cultural and nature experience that you'll need an outfitter to help you access via boat, helicopter or floatplane.Written September 28, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - PookyCakeVictoria, Canada14,940 contributionsThe Sleeping Beauty / Tarundl trail is easily one of Haida Gwaii’s most well-known hikes. Climbing to an elevation gain of about 2,200 feet, the hike affords the adventurous sweeping 360 degree views on a clear day. From the summit of Sleeping Beauty (Mount Raymond), you can take in amazing views of Yakoun Lake, Stanley Lake, Daajing Giids, and the surrounding mountain range. The hike is grueling, but worth the effort. Like Tow Hill or Balance Rock, Sleeping Beauty is one of those quintessential Haida Gwaii experiences that you have to do at least once!
The trailhead for Tarundl (Sleeping Beauty) is approximately 11 kilometers west of Daajing Giids. The signage leading to the “Sleeping Beauty Trails” is pretty clear, but the road gets a little rough once you turn onto the Sleeping Beauty FSR. Trucks and SUVs can make it just fine, but I wouldn’t recommend driving a small car along this road. Once you arrive at the signed trailhead, there is a small parking lot suitable for a few vehicles.
As noted above, the hike up Mount Raymond (Tarundl Trail) is tough; in fact, the only real flat part of the trial is the 2 minutes you get right at the beginning, after crossing the small hand bridge. Once you reach the “Tarundl Tr” sign, it’s up, up, up! The good news, though, is the trail’s well marked the entire way; thus, there is virtually no chance of losing your bearings. Just make sure to bring plenty of liquids and some light snacks to keep your energy levels up ;)Written September 26, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Ken HKamloops, Canada188 contributionsWe recently toured Haida Gwaii and drove through Skidegate. This is a quaint native village with a lot of history. Take the beach drive through Skidegate and take the time to watch the beautiful eagles in the trees at shores edge. Low tides will have more eagles looking for food on the beach.Written July 21, 2018This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- PookyCakeVictoria, Canada14,940 contributionsSGang Gwaay has been a bucket list destination ever since I saw pictures of it in George MacDonald’s epic book, Haida Monumental Art, in the mid-1980s. Seeing these mortuary poles – the largest number of Haida poles still in their original location – was both haunting and enticing within the pages of MacDonald’s text. I cannot recall how many times I reviewed that book and, specifically, the section detailing Sgang Gwaay. I swore that I would visit the ancient village site . . . one day.
There were what I’d call “potential” opportunities to visit SGang Gwaay over the last few years, but they always seemed to fall through. Not wanting to come up short this time, I took a chance and viewed the Moresby Explorers website and saw an open spot (2, actually) for an upcoming multi-day tour. The rest, as they say, is history (see my review of Moresby Explorers on this site for a detailed account of the full adventure).
In any event, we arrived at SGang Gwaay – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated in 1981 – on day 2 of our tour. The weather really cooperated because we had mostly clear, blue skies. Landing at the beach, we had a light lunch before proceeding towards the Haida Gwaii Watchmen cabins to begin a tour. And even in that – the walk towards the cabins – we could sense and feel the weight of this place: Walking along the moss-covered boardwalk, it feels as though you’re about to step back in time and experience real history.
To see the poles of SGang Gwaay in person is an overwhelming experience. It doesn’t take too much imagination to think back and see a vibrant Haida Village as it was in the 1800s: The “big house” remnants, house pits, mortuary poles and nearby shell middens all hint at the complex civilization that once thrived here before smallpox forced the village’s abandonment in the 1880s.
It is worth noting that archaeologists were just packing up for the season during our visit. A massive storm churned up many an artifact on SGang Gwaay, necessitating further archaeological exploration. To know that potential village sites exist outside of the popular UNESCO site on this island is massively important.
It took a few decades to get here, but it was definitely worth the wait. To see SGang Gwaay – a site that so eloquently articulates the Haida’s relationship to land and sea – in person is a humbling experience and one I encourage all visitors to Haida Gwaii partake in, if possible.Written September 14, 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - TGB40Calgary, Canada439 contributionsHiked Tow Hill and the Blowhole Trails in Naikoon Provincial Park. Road to both are unpaved but very accessible Definitely do Tow Hill Lookout first and make a loop to the Blowhole and the east end of Agate Beach. The entire trails are on boardwalk but only the Blowhole is accessible by wheelchair as the Tow Hill trail has numerous stairs. If you can plan it, it is best to do the Blowhole during high tide so there is spray. Very enjoyable hike. Would highly recommend for the views and plant growth. En route to the trails you pass Agate Beach which is well worth a wonder along the beach looking for. On the south end of the park is a very doable hike to an old ship wreck. Some debate about wether it is 10 or 12 km. The park overall seems really well maintained and trails are clearly marked. Did not stay in the campgrounds.Written August 14, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Joy KAjax, Canada24 contributionsBeautiful hike to a beach with tidal pools and blow holes. The lookout hike was spectacular, too.We drove up from dajing giid taking an hour 40 minutes. Well worth the drive.Written August 29, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- rufusrastusEl Cerrito, CA13 contributions...and I saw this as a museum lover, and former spouse of a museum professional. Especially good on the geology, botany, and anthropology of the archipelago. We extended our trip a day, and rode dodgy bikes from Sandpit to Aliford Bay, and from the ferry landing to the museum just to see this and we Are Not Sorry! One of the highlights of our trip. Leave time to see the outdoor exhibits - the carving shed and the canoe. The Co-Op just up the road is your best lunch option, as there was not a lease holder for the nice catering space at the museum when we were there. Gift shop is well stocked with items of local interest, including work by local artisans.Written September 28, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- TGB40Calgary, Canada439 contributionsSpent two hours walking the outer most blue trail. Easy going. Interesting views. Can shorten or lengthen by adding the yellow or red trail. All trails well marked. Check the map for the two lookouts and be sure to include them in your route. Some boardwalk, gravel and tree roots. Good walking shoes or boots are recommended.Written August 14, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- PookyCakeVictoria, Canada14,940 contributionsNOTE: This review deals primarily with the “unmaintained” segment of the Golden Spruce Trail. To read more about the “official” portion, see my earlier review on this site.
The Golden Spruce Trail is a short, wide path that winds its way through beautiful moss-covered forest featuring awe-inspiring old growth red cedar and Sitka Spruce. Kiidk’yaas, the Golden Spruce, may be long gone but the massive trees that line this 400 meter trek still make the trail worthwhile. If one’s in need of some “forest therapy,” the Golden Spruce Trail will do you well: Take your time, amble about, and admire the leviathan-like trees before you. Consider how the forest itself is a living, breathing entity – everything depends upon everything else. The late Ben Davidson’s informative plaques – placed strategically along the trail – do much to educate and inform: “I am the grandmother of the Haida, one of thousands of trees [. . .] that grow to provide, nurture and teach.” And, importantly: “Look after me, and in turn, I will always look after you.” These are the lessons of the forest and we’d do well to heed these words.
Once you reach the end of the “official” trail (the viewpoint from which, once upon a time, you could observe Kiidk’yaas across the river), you’ll spy a small sign: “This trail is not maintained.” This marker indicates the start of the “unmaintained” section of the Golden Spruce Trail, which clocks in at over a kilometer in length. I couldn’t help but notice there are absolutely no write-ups about this section of the trail in any of the previous TripAdvisor reviews (I read all of them), Google, All Trails, Go Haida Gwaii, and various online blogs. How come? I know the skeleton of the Golden Spruce (what’s left of it), and the old growth trees along the official trail, are the main attraction, but surely the rest of the trail merits comment? Setting out with friends, I sought to answer that very question AND fill a void with respect to commentary on this trail.
In brief, this segment of the Golden Spruce Trail is quite easy to navigate. A small section of the trail – immediately behind the “unmaintained” signage – has been taken out by a previous storm, but an alternate path has been carved out presumably by people wishing to keep this route “user maintained.” The rest of the trail is fairly clear, with minimal deadfall; in fact, I’d suggest this route very much mirrors the “official” portion since it, too, is rife with lush mosses and beautiful old growth. Where it differs is in the occasional grassy field you’ll come upon + the attractive sandbank (about 10 minutes in). I’d argue this latter feature is the highlight of the unmaintained section and, therefore, represents an ideal place to picnic or simply take it all in.
In my view, the reason you may wish to hike the unmaintained route is for the golden opportunity it presents to explore more of the Yaaguun Gandlaay Conservancy. The Conservancy, as I’ve written elsewhere, has been used by the Haida for at least 10,000 years and is rife with historic, cultural, social and spiritual meaning. As you walk along the Golden Spruce Trail (“official” and “unmaintained”), you can capture glimpses of this: Ben Davidson’s information plaques highlight culture and spirituality; the Yakoun and its riverbank is rich and teeming with life, providing sustenance on numerous levels; and, the trail’s ability to bring us all together – to create dialogue about conservation – is an important social function.
Reviewing the unmaintained section of the Golden Spruce Trail in isolation, I’d probably rate it at 3 stars because, while a nice hike, the scenery doesn’t change all that much from the “official” portion of the trail. Reviewing it within the context of the full trail and Yaaguun Gandlaay, however, I’d rate it at a solid 4 stars because, taken as a whole, the trail highlights and reflects some of the Conservancy’s best features.Written May 18, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Ann_Brushy_RidgeCalgary27 contributionsLimited hours but a good place to shop for a wide range of local products and crafts. I made gift purchases to bring home to my family and bought an embroidered waist-wallet for myslef.Written August 1, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- BhynPrince Rupert, Canada764 contributionsWe went here just before going to the Visitor Centre in Queen Charlotte. We liked how the big anchor hints at how the islands were much into the fishing industry and have transitioned to travel and tours.
It takes less than 30 minutes or so to complete the whole Queen Charlotte Seawalk. You'll probably encounter more sculptures along the way. There are also picnic tables near the visitor centre area.
Beautiful views of the ocean and tiny islands abound along this short walk. On clear days, the sunsets are fantastic!
We had a bit of funny experience with the resident crows there - be aware they do take food so better keep a vigilante's eye.Written August 23, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Evan ADaajing Giids, Canada1 contributionAbsolutely phenomenal. This is definitely a must see if you are near Tlell. You'll understand when you get there.Written November 14, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
