Walks, Hikes, Points of Interest
Sayward Valley has many different activities suitable for all interests and fitness levels. Choose a leisurely guided garden tour or the famous challenging Kusam Klimb. Go caving or Kayaking. Catch Pink Salmon off the public pier or go whale watching. Shop at the Saturday public market or buy produce from local farmers. Sayward has something for everybody!
Whale watching: Discovery Marine Safaris is now operating out of Kelsey Bay. Enjoy a guided cruise in a new, washroom equipped purpose built tour boat. Reservations required. Meet them at the dock or ride up with them in their private coach. 1 866 501 6722 adventurewhalewatching.com
Salmon Fishing: Got a casting rod? Head down to the public pier at Kelsey Bay and cast your line out. Be ready to pull in a 8 lb. Pink Salmon or a 28 Lb. Spring! From Mid July until into September the salmon are here. Best time for catching is from slack into the start of the tide change. Keep your eyes open as whales, seals and eagles will be your competition for the fish! Need a lure or advice? Stop in at the Fisherboy store as we have a complete fishing tackle section for rods, lures and line. Local guided charter boats are also available with guaranteed results. Check the links page for details A cleaning table is available on site.
Halibut Fishing: Our waters are famous for Halibut, snapper and cod. Local guides know all the hot spots and can guarantee a catch. Using your own boat? A short 6 mile drive to the fish and game boat launch takes only 10 minutes. No need to leave it unattended over night as we have lots of room for boats. Wash facilities are available at no charge, by request.
River Fishing: The Salmon River is a popular fishing river for both salmon and trout. Drift fishing from Big Tree or near the salmon hatchery down towards the highway or even farther is popular, as well as fly fishing off the banks. Different seasons bring different fish. The Eve river is another hot spot for fish. Exit at mile marker 260 and head 19 km. towards the ocean. There you will find a pool that is a favorite of both locals and travellers.
Hunting: The local hills abound with deer, elk and bear. If you have a limited elk draw, Fisherboy is central to the hunting areas. We can hang your bounty for you to allow you to keep hunting, if desired.
The Pier: Head down to the public pier at the end of Sayward road. There you will have the perfect spot to enjoy the best Sayward has to offer. Fish or just admire the beauty. From the pier you can see killer whales, dolphins, seals, eagles and all sorts of marine mammals and birds. Watch as the cruise ship head up or return from the Alaskan inside passage cruise. See mighty tugs working both with local freight or the Alaskan Marine line barge service. Time it right and you can see all this in one outing! Be sure to bring your binoculars and camera.
Cable Cook House Located just past the bridge, 1/4 mile from the hwy on Sayward road, the Cable Cookhouse is a iconic landmark of the area. Still in use today as a resturant. Built in 1974 by the Duncan family, it was made by wrapping used logging cable around a steel frame. It boast an out door logging equipment museum and a steam donkey.
Geocaching Many fine caches exist in the area. Take a minute to explore. Geocaching Website We have a special one at our park. Can you find it?
Port Kusam Trail: A pleasant 45 minute walk to the original settlement in Sayward. Take the Port Kusam Trail Road from Sayward road (Just south of the large bridge across the Salmon River near Sayward Village.) and drive to the end. Park and cross the bridge across the creek and follow the old road up the hill. An easy 500' elevation change and then down to the shore. There you will find the ruins of the old Kelsey Bay settlement. There was originally a general store, fishing camp and a sawmill. The shelves of the original store are now in use in the Fisherboy Store at the junction in Sayward.
Fish & Game Boat launch: This is the best boat launch in the area. It has a dock, deep concrete ramp and lots of free parking. Payment by donation. Turn right at the start of the dryland sort. Watch for logging trucks as you cross the haul road and then proceed to the end of the breakwater. You will have to navigate around the log booms as you leave this shelter bay.
“M’ branch logging road: You need a 4 wheel drive for this one. Turn left into Sayward Village from Sayward Road. Immediately turn left at the yellow gate. From the gate, the road climbs steeply and goes up a long steep hill.. Stay right. A short distance up there is a spot to pull over allowing you a panoramic view of Kelsey Bay and surrounding area. A great view of the valley and the wharf is visible way below. There is a shortcut trail in the village that connects near the dam. This is an active logging road. Watch for logging trucks! Link to map
Kusam Klimb Trail System Trail Map Page 1 Trail Map Page 2
(a) Bill’s Trail – Sabre road. There is a parking place at the trail’s beginning; maps are available. Easiest route is the “Cottonwood Loop”, if you can park another vehicle to return with up past Cottonwood road; 4WD vehicle is needed. The climb gets steep above the outhouse but then veers to the south onto an abandoned logging road; downhill mostly; at least 2 hours.
(b) Bill’s Trail, not Cottonwood. This gets progressively steeper. Checkpoint 1 has a shelter and picnic table and view. Viewpoint 2 has a better one at 1500. Continue for the day on up to Springer Peak (5261) or Keta View Rock (much lower) or the lake. Trail is generally well marked, but sketchy below KVR.
(c) Bill’s trail “4” – New loop trail under construction; follows old skidder road; the uppermost part of the aforementioned “abandoned logging road; “Go to 300 and meet trail again near the top.
(d) Stowe Trail – You need 4WD; go up the road behind Dyer Logging, near the Stowe Creek bridge; there are about 117 cross ditches in 4 miles and the creek to cross; park at the big end; you’ll climb over a small red gate on the trail at 2000’ elevation; be prepared for bears; A fast hiker can be on top of H’Kusam in 2 hours from here. April 2011 “ plane crash is on route”
(e) Stowe 300 – the Cottonwood Loop trail doubles back sharply at the “Cottonwood Junction”, but the continuation is Stowe 300 which meets the road behind Dyers at the Kusam Klimb CP4; there is a shelter, table, benches and outhouse; one of the up trending abandon spurs ends in the rock slide on the side of H’Kusam; this was once a helicopter logging setting.
Mossy Bluffs and Pines Trail – Again park at Bill’s Trail; (Top of Sabre road), and hike out the old logging road to the North. After crossing 2 creeks, each having locally made bridges, continue to the bottom of a long steep hill where a spur road on the left with a big root system in the way leads into a third “Strong back” homemade bridge; Signs direct you to the Spur’s end and a steep trail lends access to a maze of moss covered rock, bluffs, cliffs, cracks and views. Warning: Heavy cougar sightings in this area
White River Prov. Park - Old Growth forest and remnants of the Scarlet Letter movie set. Cross the highway at the junction, (go south on old Sayward Road), and then make an immediate right turn onto Dyer Road. Follow Dyer about 1/2 km. and turn left, (south) onto Salmon river Main (F Branch) Cross the bridge and then take the first right. White River Provincial Park is about 22 kms. Beware of logging trucks as this is an active logging road. At about 10 km. mark, a road turns off to the right. At this point the road you are on is now the Victoria Main. and then crosses the White river. If, after leaving the park, you want a loop drive. Continue south and just follow the road until it crosses the White River. Just after that, you turn right onto White River Main and head north. Continue north until you see the bridge back over the White River that you drove past earlier. Cross the river and go just a short distance until you meet the road you came in on. Turn left and go north towards the highway. This Park was created as a result of a falling crew refusing to log it. They put their jobs on the line when they reconized this accessable natural grove. Check out the coming movie, "Against the Lean." The story of White River Park.
Link to information and maps: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/wht_river/
Mount Victoria An icon of North Vancouver Island, Mount Victoria towers above White River Park. Viewable from Victoria Main on the way to White River Park.
The Dalrymple Trail Head 10km south of the Sayward junction towards Campbell River. The parking lot is on your left hand side of the highway. It is well marked. Named after Mr. Dalrymple a hermit who lived there in the 50's, it is a easy loop trail with 100 meter elevation rise.
Salmon River Main Take Salmon River main south from the junction. Drive about 20 kms. to where it meets big tree main and then turn left. Follow Big Tree Main back out to the highway, (15 kms.). This is a level wide gravel main logging road. Watch for trucks. It follows the Salmon river and crosses it at Big Tree. Fishermen often put in here for floating down the river. Head up Big Tree 400 and discover a old rail right of way at the top of the mountain. All along this easy drive bear, elk, deer,cougar, eagles and buzzards may be spotted.
Steam Train Anyone? Drive to Woss and marvel Engine 113, a 2-8-2 135 Ton Alco Rod Engine. It is stored here at the Western Forest Products Woss train yard and was in use as late as 1988. It is paired with the Grey Ghost, a passenger car used in the 50's and 60's by the CPR. Hopes are that one day the locomotive will be restored. Western Forest Products Nimpkish Logging Railway
