What is near Port Hardy
Distances are straight-line from the centre of Port Hardy, not driving distance. Roads can double the trip, and some places need a high-clearance vehicle or are closed in winter.
Parks and protected areas within 60 km (10)
- Marble River Park (provincial park), about 20 km away
- Quatsino Park (provincial park), about 34 km away
- Lower Nimpkish Park (provincial park), about 40 km away
- Raft Cove Park (provincial park), about 54 km away
- Lawn Point Park (provincial park), about 55 km away
- Nimpkish Lake Park (provincial park), about 55 km away
- Hisnit River Watershed Protected Area (protected area), about 57 km away
- Cape Scott Park (provincial park), about 59 km away
- Brooks Peninsula Park (provincial park), about 59 km away
- Muqqiwn Park (provincial park), about 59 km away
Parks have their own camping rules and often need a reservation. Camping on Crown land is not allowed inside parks and protected areas.
Named lakes within 30 km (34)
- Beard Lake, about 3 km away
- Cunningham Lake, about 3 km away
- Songhees Lake, about 11 km away
- Quatse Lake, about 12 km away
- Frances Lake, about 13 km away
- Georgie Lake, about 13 km away
Being near a lake does not mean you can camp there. The shore can be private land, a park or a protected area.
Where you can and can't camp near Port Hardy
- Crown land outside towns: you can generally camp on unoccupied Crown land for up to 14 consecutive days without authorization, with no permanent structures. The rules in full.
- Inside Port Hardy: camping on Crown land is not allowed within municipalities, and local bylaws apply, so ask the municipality before sleeping in a vehicle on public land.
- Not allowed: protected areas, leased land, land with an existing granted right, Land Act reserves, and areas posted as closed to camping.
- Recreation sites: the province runs recreation sites with a 14-consecutive-day limit, fees where posted and quiet hours from 11 pm to 7 am. More.
- Private land and First Nations land: these are not Crown land, so you need the owner's permission.
Fires
A campfire (the rules call it a Category 1 fire) can be no bigger than 0.5 m high and 0.5 m wide. Build it on level ground away from tents and trees, clear it down to bare dirt, and keep a shovel, axe or 8 litres of water within reach. Never leave it unattended. During a campfire prohibition you can use only an approved stove, and bans change quickly, so check the BC Wildfire Service fire bans and restrictions the day you leave. Full open fire rules. To report a wildfire, call *5555 on a cell phone or 1-800-663-5555.
Camping near other BC towns
Campbell River · Tofino · Courtenay · Powell River · All towns
Sources: BC Geographical Names (GeoBC), Open Government Licence – British Columbia. Rules summarised from the province's Crown land guide, recreation site rules and open fire rules. Campable is not a government app, and rules change, so confirm with the official source.
Check the exact spot. Campable checks the land, the road in and today's fire bans and closures for your dates.