North America is full of great nature vacations, places where it is possible to get away from people and tune into the rhythms our ancestors knew. One of the loveliest our continent offers is a great Northwest paradise off the coast of British Columbia. The good news is that however pristine, it is actually possible to find Queens Charlotte Islands accommodations that include a warm bed, a great meal, even a degree of luxury.
Unobtrusively, this natural wilderness is studded with small to mid-sized cottages and lodges, almost always more luxurious than they look on the outside. One rarely hears about them because no one visits this island group to spend much time around other people at the lodge. This isn't Aspen, it's a true wilderness where tourists often have an attitude of being nature pilgrims of some sort.
Increasingly, the Queen Charlotte Islands are reverting back to their first peoples' name, Haida Gwaii. The Haida remain in the archipelago they have inhabited for untold thousands of years. Visitors flock from all across the world to be in the presence of their culture, hiking through the ancient villages, measuring themselves next to the totem poles.
Today, the Haida Gwaii is likely known best for its population of black bears, many of them topping seven feet tall. Certainly they can be dangerous if one should come upon one suddenly. The safest way to view them is from the deck of a boat, observing the bears on a nearby beach. Wondrously, the bears' population is so healthy that bear-hunting is encouraged, and highly popular.
On one point, bear and tourist are likely in agreement. The salmon fishing is excellent, and was one of the earliest attractions to these islands. So is the deer hunting. It's rare to find a place of such easily abundant wildlife associated with the Pacific Northwest, from eagles to sea otters.
The archipelago consists of one hundred and fifty little islands, large and small. As one might imagine, this is wonderful if one is a boater. There are abundant streams and rapids, as well as innumerable coves to bring out the explorer in any boat's captain. In season, the salmon runs can be spectacular. There are all sorts of hidden gems to be found by water, such as the cove where Captain Cook dropped anchor and began the Islands' modern history.
The scenery is otherworldly, and it becomes clear why the archipelago have gained the nickname the Misty Isles. The fog is a living presence, sometimes swallowing up the mountaintops or whiting out trees in the forest. There are not just rainbows but magnificent "fog bows" here. There are whales, seals, and sea lions in the ocean, endless salmon in the streams.
This is a land of rocky beaches, hidden trails, and mossy tree-trunks. It gets cold, but it's still more Pacific Northwest than truly Arctic. It's a great place to camp, to hike or bike. You might be haunted and inspired. It's nice to know, though, that they aren't utterly remote. There are still nice, cozy lodges to crash in after your days in the wild.
Unobtrusively, this natural wilderness is studded with small to mid-sized cottages and lodges, almost always more luxurious than they look on the outside. One rarely hears about them because no one visits this island group to spend much time around other people at the lodge. This isn't Aspen, it's a true wilderness where tourists often have an attitude of being nature pilgrims of some sort.
Increasingly, the Queen Charlotte Islands are reverting back to their first peoples' name, Haida Gwaii. The Haida remain in the archipelago they have inhabited for untold thousands of years. Visitors flock from all across the world to be in the presence of their culture, hiking through the ancient villages, measuring themselves next to the totem poles.
Today, the Haida Gwaii is likely known best for its population of black bears, many of them topping seven feet tall. Certainly they can be dangerous if one should come upon one suddenly. The safest way to view them is from the deck of a boat, observing the bears on a nearby beach. Wondrously, the bears' population is so healthy that bear-hunting is encouraged, and highly popular.
On one point, bear and tourist are likely in agreement. The salmon fishing is excellent, and was one of the earliest attractions to these islands. So is the deer hunting. It's rare to find a place of such easily abundant wildlife associated with the Pacific Northwest, from eagles to sea otters.
The archipelago consists of one hundred and fifty little islands, large and small. As one might imagine, this is wonderful if one is a boater. There are abundant streams and rapids, as well as innumerable coves to bring out the explorer in any boat's captain. In season, the salmon runs can be spectacular. There are all sorts of hidden gems to be found by water, such as the cove where Captain Cook dropped anchor and began the Islands' modern history.
The scenery is otherworldly, and it becomes clear why the archipelago have gained the nickname the Misty Isles. The fog is a living presence, sometimes swallowing up the mountaintops or whiting out trees in the forest. There are not just rainbows but magnificent "fog bows" here. There are whales, seals, and sea lions in the ocean, endless salmon in the streams.
This is a land of rocky beaches, hidden trails, and mossy tree-trunks. It gets cold, but it's still more Pacific Northwest than truly Arctic. It's a great place to camp, to hike or bike. You might be haunted and inspired. It's nice to know, though, that they aren't utterly remote. There are still nice, cozy lodges to crash in after your days in the wild.
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If you need the facts about Queens Charlotte Islands accommodations, go to the web pages online here today. Additional details are available at http://www.haidahouse.com now.
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