Premier Listings for Read Island Park
Read Island Provincial Park is located on the southern tip of Read Island in the Discovery Islands, situated between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. Read Island is part of the BC Marine Trail Association network, a series of campsites, resting areas and safe havens designed and cared for by recreational boaters and paddlers. Once connected, this marine trail will extend from Vancouver to Prince Rupert in British Columbia, and down into Puget Sound in Washington State.
The 639-hectare Read Island Provincial Park (625 hectares upland and 14 hectares foreshore) encompasses old-growth and second-growth forest, bog and fertile lowlands, and protects important high density Bald eagle habitat. This variety of habitat allows a wide array of wildlife to flourish, including river otters, seals and sea lions along the water’s edge, and black-tailed deer, weasels, mink, beaver, cougars and wolves in the uplands. Although cougars and wolves are there, they are seldom seen. The park is an excellent spot to see Bald eagles, who nest in the tall trees.
Wildlife and nature enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to Read Island, located off the east coast of Quadra Island. Visitors to the park will find plenty to do, including kayaking, wilderness camping, scuba diving, and swimming in the ocean or in fresh water at Rosen Lake. The area is a popular destination for paddlers, who come here to experience paddling in the sheltered waters and see a variety of wildlife. Paddlers should be cautious of the extreme tidal conditions in Surge Narrows to the north of Read Island.
There are no facilities available in the park, and there are no developed hiking trails or designated campsites, although random wilderness camping is allowed. There is no fee for camping in summer or winter. Bring your own drinking water, as potable water is not available in the park.
Read Island Provincial Park is located on the southern tip of Read Island, off the east coast of Quadra Island. Access to this remote and wilderness area is by boat and kayak only. The nearest boat launches are at Whaletown on Cortes Island, and on Quadra Island at Heriot Bay and Hoskyn Channel Landing (kayaks and rooftop boats only). The shoreline of Read Island is mostly steep and rocky, but there are a few locations for landing small boats and hauling kayaks out. Boaters can reference marine chart #3538 and #3539.
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Spirit of the West Kayaking
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Kayaking British Columbia is the ultimate way to view BC’s abundant wildlife.
We want you to fall in love with kayaking and our unique coast, and our passion shows in everything we do. Choose among several professionally-guided 4-8 day trips for all experience levels around Vancouver Island. ‘Glamping’ basecamp-style with wood-fired hot tub overlooking the Pacific Ocean, or expedition-style paddling from camp to camp and paddling between 100s of islands through the Broughton Archipelago, famous Desolation Sound and the wild Great Bear Rainforest on the Central Coast. Savouring a fresh salmon BBQ in the open air, explore and view fascinating wildlife and wilderness and wake up on remote islands with the sound of the whales. Unique and breathtaking.
Our adventures are for everyone and are designed to cater to all levels of experience and abilities. We take care to introduce you to the sport in a fun and safe manner. All that we ask is that you welcome adventure with an open mind and are able to laugh and have fun when encountering the unexpected. Our groups are small, ranging from 8 to 13 people, depending on the trip, in order to provide you with the best experience possible. We provide everything you need for a once in a lifetime kayaking adventure. We provide high-quality fiberglass kayaks, paddling equipment, camp cookware, eating utensils, and camping gear.
Our guides take care of you for the entire duration of your tour, prepare delicious, organic and local meals, and have extensive training and experience in sea kayaking and in sharing the natural and cultural history of the area.
During the Northern Hemisphere winter, we also offer kayaking trips to the glacier-fed South American wildlife paradise, the Chilean Patagonia Archipelago, and multi-day escapes to sun, sand, remote beaches and the warm crystal clear waters of the Bahamas. Please contact us for all details of these amazing winter getaways!
