Coal Harbour, BC, Canada
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Coal Harbour, BC Vancouver Island

Coal Harbour is a small waterfront community on the north-central tip of Vancouver Island situated on the shores of Holberg Inlet.

The community's past is varied and has gone through many changes in its lifetime. In the 1800's, Coal Harbour was a coal mining town. Then in 1940, Coal Harbour transformed itself into a military base, which operated until the late 1960's. And then the community reverted back into a coal mining town in the 1970s when the Island Copper Mine moved to Coal Harbour.

Today Coal Harbour is a trip intot he past with many of the buildings still available for viewing. There are military buildings like the old Royal Canadian Air Force Station. There is also a 6.6 metre (20 Ft.) jaw bone of a Blue Whale in recognition of Coal Harbour's whaling days.

The natural environment of Coal Harbour on Vancouver Island attracts many outdoor enthusiasts like salmon and halibut fishing, birdwatching at the local estuaries and tidal flats, kayaking Quatsino Narrows or hiking. Another big draw to the village is the internationally recognized backpacking adventure, Cape Scott Trail and the newly developed North Coast Trail.

Coal Harbour facilities and services include a general store, post office, government wharf and boat launch, campground, B&Bs, fishing and floatplane charters, a water taxi service, community parks and a scenic waterfront walkway.

How to Get to Coal Harbour, Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada:

From Campbell River you travel Hwy 19 ( North Island Hwy) to Port Hardy. It is a 238 km (147 mi) section of the highway traveling through rugged forests, over rumbling rivers, zigzagging through valleys. Just south of Port Hardy, on the left hand side, is the turn off to Coal Harbour. It is approximately a 15 minute drive from Port Hardy to Coal Harbour depending on how many stops you take to observe the views and wildlife.

The drive to Holberg and Winter Harbour from Port Hardy, BC is along a 60+ kilometre gravel logging road. Along the road look for the unique shoe tree where worn down shoes are retired after hiking the Cape Scott Trail.