BC Cycle Tourism Society
Photo: BIKEPACKING.comTree to Sea Loop, Vancouver Island

Tree to Sea Loop, Vancouver Island

Epic Expedition scale. Many demanding factors stacked, or 1,000 km and up, or 10,000 m of climbing.

Difficulty Our overall read of how demanding a route is. We score surface roughness, climbing, singletrack, and how far it runs from services. The route publisher's own rating, a lot of busy road riding, or sheer scale can push the tier up, never down.

Derived from OpenStreetMap. Good data, not perfect. Spot something wrong? Tell us.

How we describe routes →

“The Tree to Sea Loop takes advantage of the gravel roads north of Campbell River, linking together small coastal villages, incredible landscapes, and impressive granite mountains into a 1,000-kilometre bucket-list bikepacking route. Along the way, riders tackling the route will have the chance to whale watch, explore caves, and unwind at some of the best waterside camp spots in the province.”

BIKEPACKING.com

Note the 2026 Strathcona Dam closure reroutes the early kilometres around Campbell Lake; see the publisher's updated GPX.

Where this ride goes#

Map key & layers
Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesCampingAccommodationBike Services

Riding near fast trafficFastest stretches

Dashed line = our rough sketch of where the ride goes. The rideable route lives at get the route from BIKEPACKING.com.

Fast-road stretches#

We believe these are the fast, unprotected roads on this route. We can tell you which roads and roughly how far, but not the order you will ride them. If you see an error, tell us and we'll fix it.

  • about 37 km of Zeballos Forest Service Road · near Atluck
  • about 16 km of Island Highway · near Fort Rupert
  • about 13 km of South Island Highway · near Stories Beach
  • about 6 km of Port Alice Highway · near Jeune Landing
  • about 5 km of Waveland Road · near Little River
  • about 4 km of Douglas Street · near Port Hardy
  • about 2 km of Sayward Road · near Sayward
  • about 2 km of Marine Drive · near Port Alice
  • short stretches on other roads · 2 km total

and 3 more

Stops worth stopping for130 along this route

Aboriginal Journeys Wildlife and Adventure Tours: Indigenous-guided whale and grizzly tours on the Salish Sea from Campbell River. · Campbell River

At The Water's Edge Adventures: Guided kayak day trips and expeditions into Johnstone Strait orca waters. · Telegraph Cove

Coastal Rainforest Safaris: Indigenous-led boat tours to Great Bear Rainforest wildlife from Port Hardy. · Port Hardy

Grizzly Helicopters Ltd: Helicopter glacier-landing tours and charters from Port McNeill and Campbell River. · Port McNeill

Haig-Brown Heritage House: Riverside heritage home of writer and conservationist Roderick Haig-Brown. · Campbell River

Port Hardy (24)

Coastal Rainforest SafarisInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$
k'awat'si ToursInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$
Kwa'lilas HotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale
Glen Lyon InnInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget
Hotel 19Info· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range
nax'id' pubInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual
Port Hardy MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free
Port Hardy Visitor CentreInfo· Visitor Centre
Quarterdeck InnInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range
Café GuidoInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, McDonald's, Subway

+11 more in Port Hardy →

Campbell River (22)

Aboriginal Journeys Wildlife and Adventure ToursInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$
Haig-Brown Heritage HouseInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free
Naturally Pacific ResortInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale
White TowerInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual
Swicked CyclesWelcoming· Repair Shop
Carve Kitchen + MeateryInfo· Restaurant · $$$ · Upscale
Chateau Riverside Boutique HotelInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale
Driftwood RestaurantInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual
Island GrindInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats
Metro LiquorInfo· Liquor Store

Plus the fast-food chains — McDonald's, Papa Murphy's, Ryan's Pizzeria +2 more

+7 more in Campbell River →

Port McNeill (19)

Grizzly Helicopters LtdInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$
Mackay Whale WatchingInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$
Sea Wolf AdventuresInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$
Black Bear ResortInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range
Devils' Bath Brewing Co.Info· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual
Haida Way Motor InnInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget
Port McNeill & District MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free
Port McNeill Visitor CentreInfo· Visitor Centre · Free
Dalewood InnInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget
Gus' Bar and GrillInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Plus the fast-food chains — Subway

+8 more in Port McNeill →

Saratoga Beach (11)

Mattone Italian KitchenInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual
Miracle Beach Provincial ParkInfo· Park / Nature · Free
The Breakers Beachfront ResortInfo· Resort · $$$ · Mid-range
Coastal Sands ResortInfo· Private Campground
Island Silver Sands CottagesInfo· Resort · $$ · Budget
Pacific PlaygroundsInfo· Private Campground
Salmon Point Resort RV ParkInfo· Private Campground
Saratoga Beach ResortInfo· Private Campground
Taylor's Sandy Beach ResortInfo· Resort · $$$ · Mid-range
The Beach Retreat at SaratogaInfo· Resort · $$$ · Mid-range
+1 more in Saratoga Beach →

Gold River (6)

Baymont By Wyndham Gold RiverInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget
FieldsInfo· Grocery Store
Gold River Library BranchInfo· Library · Free
BC Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store
Gold River Liquor ExpressInfo· Liquor Store
Uptown CappuccinoInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Tahsis (5)

Leiner River Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground
Marina Grill & PubInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual
Tahsis Library BranchInfo· Library · Free
Island Attitude CaféInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats
Seaside RV ParkInfo· Private Campground

Bloedel (4)

Brewster Camp Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground
Gosling Lake Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground
Loveland Bay Provincial CampgroundInfo· Public Campground
Brittany BayInfo· Private Campground

Oyster River (4)

Ocean Resort Hotel & Event CentreInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$ · Budget
Discovery Foods Oyster RiverInfo· Grocery Store
Oyster River Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Plus the fast-food chains — Forbidden Zone Pizza

Black Creek (3)

Miracle Beach CampgroundInfo· Public Campground
Timberlane Beach ResortInfo· Resort · $$$ · Mid-range
Driftwood Marine Regional ParkInfo· Park / Nature · Free

Little River (3)

Copes' Islander Bed & BreakfastInfo· B&B / Inn · $$$ · Mid-range
Little River Regional Nature ParkInfo· Park / Nature · Free
Seal Bay RV ParkInfo· Private Campground

Port Alice (3)

BC Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store
Family FoodsInfo· Grocery Store
Port Alice Library BranchInfo· Library · Free

Rock Bay (3)

Alder Grove Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground
McCreight Lake CampgroundInfo· Public Campground
Stella Lake North Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground
Slice and dice these stops in the directory →
These stops come from our directory of welcoming places across BC. Spot something wrong, missing, or closed? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Getting here, bike and allPort Hardy

Getting to this ride, bike and all#

Port Hardy is the handiest transit doorway for this ride. Buses, rental cars, and ferries will carry you and your bike there:

Also on the bike-transit map: Campbell River · Port McNeill · Comox

Or pick any two places on To & Fro →

🪶Traditional territories