Perched on the edge of the Pacific, the North Coast and Cape Scott trails form a 70-kilometre wilderness journey through some of Vancouver Island’s wildest scenery and obscure history, from the Kwakiutl aboriginal culture to the Danish homesteaders and their ghostly abandoned farms near Hansen Lagoon. But change is afoot. Under the provincial government’s “fixed-roof accommodation policy,” Cape Scott is the first of B.C.’s parks to be opened up to private tourism businesses. Park advocates and the wilderness experience will be compromised by economics.

Time Left

If you like your parks wild, you’d better make haste. In February, the government selected Vancouver Island-based Strategic Forest Management Inc. to plan for five yurts with 10 beds in each to be set up in Cape Scott.

See It

Currently, the North Coast Trail is still under construction. The trek to Cape Scott is a 47-kilometre round trip excursion starting at San Josef Bay. At the best of times it’s a soggy walk, and until private enterprise ups the luxury ante, the Cape Scott and North Coast trails remain a demanding, multi-day trek. Camping ranges from $10 to $24 per party, per vehicle, per night.

Save It

A coalition of environmental groups has banded together to lobby against private for-profit development in B.C. parks. Log onto savebcparks.com, or call Gwen Barlee at the Western Canada Wilderness Committee (800-661-9453).

This story was originally published in the June 2007 issue of up! magazine as part of the See It Before It’s Gone feature, profiling 11 of Canada’s must-see natural and man-made tourist attractions on the brink of extinction. Take a look at more of Canada's Endangered Destinations.