Hi there... I am wondering if anyone has any information on hiking from Hesquiat Lake (Boat Basin) to Hot Springs Cove. In looking at the map, it appears there are several beaches that can be accessed, but it looks like you would need to go in-land as you approach Hot Springs Cove. I have heard that it has been done. Any information anyone could provide would be helpful.

My gang of cousins, their dad and me hike from Hesquiat Lake to Hotsprings Cove last June, all along the logging road.


We missed out on the beach section from Rae Bassin to Hesquiat Point.


Peter Buckland, owner of Cougar Annies Garden described the route as spectacular and mentioned a section Henry Moore Beach due to natural sandstone sculptures.


There are a few headlands that needs to be bypassed by inland trails.


At Hesquiat Point leads a good trail up to the logging road that runs along the shore of Kanim Lake towards Stewardson Inlet.


make a right turn at the junction at the east end of the lake and after a while, there is good camping in an old quarry with an abandoned pier for easy fetching water and swimming in the lake.


So far the logging road was quite level, but after the quarry you can expect lots of ups and downs with a few good climbs before it leads eventually into Hotsprings Cove Village.


The logging road from Hesquiat Lake to Hotsprings Village is about 30 ks, doable in a day but we camped at the quarry for one night.


it was easy for us to follow the road with maps.me


The Folks at Hotsprings Cove are very friendly, but it was impossible for us to get a ride across the inlet to the campground.


there might be an overland route from the point where the logging road hits the inlet the first time.


However, we called the owner of the Inncanter B&B and they are running a water taxi between the village and the dock at the springs.


I am planning my next hike around Hesquiat from Burdwood Point starting July 31st arriving with Shorebird Water Taxi out of Tahsis and will also hike all the way to Hotsprings Cove again.


If anybody wants to share the watertaxi just send me a p.m. for details.

Alain,

did you make it thru this way?

Planted trees @ Hesquiat numerous times late 70's to early 2000's (actually met Cougar Annie in the late 70's) and stayed @ Stewardson Logging camp many times while planting.
Days off always we hired a boat, out of Tofino, to the Hot Springs and back to Stewardson after a few hours @ the Springs.
Met Peter a year or so after he took over Cougar Annie's place, but he, the loggers nor anyone else knew of a route from Hesquiat Bay to Hot Springs Cove.
Used to fly in here and camp by the springs in the late 70s to late 80's after tree planting to unwind for a few days.

Now I'm interested!

Westcoastwill,
any more specific trail info on this?

thanks.

My watertaxi from Shorebird Expeditions out of Tahsis, leaves July 31st at 6 a.m. with a drop off a Little south of Burdwood Point


Since this is the hardest section of the route, i am planning 2 days for Burwood to Big Escalante.


Next camps are


Barcester Bay
Homais Cove (a little north of the reserve)
Smokehouse Bay
LeClaire Point
Boat Bassin (flyout option to Hotsprings Cove and Gold River)
Hesquiat Point
Hotsprings Cove


Fly out to Tofino


Will either hike or paddle to Hotsprings Cove from Hesquiat Point.


We dont have to hike all the way together, but can share the water taxi!


anybody interested just send a p.m.


seruvs


Willi

Westcoastwill,

can't do this trip within yr timeframe, tho much appreciative of yr route.
Got 2 weeks off in September and am doing the Juan de Fuca, with an overnight into Carmananh/Walbrun trees.

hope you will keep the Forum posted about this trek.
give me a pm with yr thread on this.

thanks for the quick reply

ps, planted up the Big Esclante early 90's..
flew in by copter and hiked down @ end of day.

a most beautiful river from way up and even more stunning when you get to it.

good trek and look forward to reading...

thanks
ed

Hey edrfy,


too bad that we can not meet! But JDF will be a great hike too, they just opened up the whole trail again after working west of Sombrio.


it must have been quite an experience to meet Cougar Annie, not to mention the backbraking work as treeplanter!


you must know the area pretty well from your times!


Talked to Peter a few times on previous hikes, he is a great guy and his cabins are masterpieces! the amount of work he has put in the area is unreal!


However, there used to be an old telegraph trail, from Boat Bassin to Hotsprings Cove, what i hear closer to the shourline as the newer logging road, but long overgrown since.


Peter sent me a message recently, he thinks that the shorline from Burdwood Point to Big Escalante River is almost impassable due to thick underbush, created from big storms that has hit the coast in the last years.


Looking at Google maps, it seems to be not impossible, we will see.


Will give it a try and relax a few days later on Escalante River...


The shoreline from after Hesquiat Point to Hotsprings Cove is impassable after the first headland, it would be possible to scramble up a landslide to gain access to the logging road before Kanim Lake.

Westcoastwill,

Camped (Treeplanting Camp) across from Boat Basin in the late 70's/ early 80's and, on days off, bushwhacked some of this coast and found a lot of the telegraph wires.
(There was an article in the Georgia Strait Newspaper back then, about Cougar Annie and her telegraph Trail)

Later in the 90/s, Treeplanting from Stewardson Inlet logging camp, went back to Hesquiat to see if I could find them.
Found some, but the bushwhacking was near impossible with over and undergrowth, so went and wandered the Hesquiat (and south around the point) beaches at low tide.

You could probably bushwhack this trail, but you'd definitely need too maps and gear for it.
Would be a good trip, even if you didn't make it all the way.

cheers
ed

Ed, thanks for your report!


it would be interesting to see fotos from your days and adventures!


Yeah, i hear that the old telegraph trail used to run close to shore from Boat Bassin to Refuge Cove.


It must be total overgrown by now, leaving as only option to hike the loggingroad.


I have hiked from Little Escalante up to Big Escalante River and found remenants of telegraph whire in the bushes of the headland that seperates the bays.


i am getting ready for the hike and have booked my watertaxi for July 31st

back from my hike around Hesquiat, latest News on the logging road between Boat Bassin and Hotsprings Cove


Huge washouts from last Novembers rainstorm happened on a few places, the biggest one on the bridge over Hesquiat Point Creek!
it is possible to hike along the beach to Hesquiat Point, there is a good trail to the logging road, but this is before the wash out, i did not try my luck and hitched a flight on a float plant over to Hotsprings Cove.


So if you are attemting to go, check with the Ignace Family in Hesquiat Village or Peter Buckland in Boat Bassin before you go!