Unique Things to Do in Haida Gwaii
Looking for something different? You’ll be spoiled for choice!
Attend the Haida Festival
This annual event celebrates Haida art, culture, food, and heritage. Held each August, it features storytelling, canoe races, drumming, dance performances, local cuisine, and more. Immerse yourself in the living culture of Haida Gwaii at this lively gathering.
See Totem Poles Up Close
Haida Gwaii is renowned for its iconic totem poles, which represent clan crests and important stories. Two of the best places to view them are SGang Gwaay UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the poles are left to decay naturally, and the Haida Heritage Centre at Kaay Llnagaay. The Centre actively preserves one of the largest collections of poles in the world.
Take an Ethnobotany Tour
The islands contain a diverse landscape with many plants of cultural significance to the Haida Nation. By joining an ethnobotany tour, you’ll learn how the Haida people have traditionally used regional plants for food, technology, medicine, and art.
Free Things to Do in Haida Gwaii
There are several scenic Haida Gwaii hiking trails to explore:
Walk Along the Cape Fife Trail
Located in Tow Hill Recreation Site, this trail features striking views over Rocky Pass, Virago Sound, and several small islands off the northeast coast of Graham Island.
Naikoon Provincial Park
Encompassing the northeastern tip of Graham Island, Naikoon Provincial Park protects the largest provincial park on Haida Gwaii. Along with showcasing sandy beaches, coastal wetlands, forests, and dunes, the park provides critical habitat for wildlife.
Keep your eyes peeled for grey whales offshore, black-tailed deer walking the shoreline, black bears fishing for salmon, and bald eagles soaring overhead. The Agate Beach area offers one of the best places to comb for agates along the coast.
Cape Fife Trail
Situated near Tow Hill Recreation Site, the Cape Fife Trail offers captivating views over Virago Sound and several small islets.
The relatively easy trail traverses seaside meadows before winding through pine and spruce forests. Ambling along the Cape Fife Trail allows you to experience both cultural history and natural beauty as you take in panoramic vistas of rocky shores and glittering sea.
Tow Hill
Rising above the town of Tlell, Tow Hill offers rewarding views after a steep forest hike. This popular trail switchbacks through moss-draped trees and salal brush before breaking out above the treeline. Panoramas include the Tlell River Valley and the surrounding islands, such as Kunghit Island.
Ambitious hikers can continue beyond Tow Hill to the summit of Vista Mountain. However you choose to explore this landscape, Tow Hill’s heights deliver breathtaking scenery as a reward for the uphill trek.
Enjoy Arts and Crafts in Haida Gwaii
If you fancy something more relaxed, try the local arts and crafts scene:
Crystal Cabin Gallery
Nestled along a quiet inlet, Crystal Cabin Gallery makes a fine stop while driving the Yellowhead Highway south of Masset Inlet. This unique gallery specializes in quartz crystal, agate, and gemstone artwork, as well as impressive mineral specimens from around the world.
Handcrafted jewelry and carvings add creative flair. You can take a peaceful stroll along the inlet shoreline behind the gallery while enjoying dozens of pieces highlighting the exceptional talent of Canadian lapidary artists.
Enjoy World-Class Fishing
If fishing is your thing, you’ll love Haida Gwaii!
Chrome Coast Fishing
For outstanding fishing opportunities on Haida Gwaii’s scenic north shores, look no further than Chrome Coast Fishing. Their experienced guides can lead you to superb fishing spots for salmon, halibut, and bottom fish around the archipelago.
Friendly and knowledgeable, they customize charter trips to match the preferences of every angler.. And since they operate from a mobile fishing lodge at various remote outposts, Chrome Coast Fishing promises an exceptional Haida Gwaii fishing adventure no matter when you visit.
Stay at Our Eco-Friendly Accommodation in Hadai Gwaii
With so many exciting things to do in Hadai Gwaii, a visit here makes for an unforgettable trip that inspires respect for both the Haida Nation and the wild landscapes they call home.
