Road Cycling on Haida Gwaii

Though there are only about 150 kilometers of paved road on Graham Island, many have remarked that our stretch of highway is the loveliest road for cycling in all of BC.

Members of Derailleurs in the Mist, the local cycling club, can be found almost daily riding along the roads, and many local people cycle to their jobs and errands. Traffic volumes are relatively low, and drivers are almost universally respectful of cyclists and walkers. The slower, quieter pace of cycling allows you to take in the views, find interesting places to stop along the way, and see more wildlife than you would from a motor vehicle.

Queen Charlotte to Tlell

This stretch of road, about 50 kms to the Tlell River bridge, runs right along the shore, affording beautiful views of the ocean and access to beaches for walks or swims. The round trip from Queen Charlotte to Tlell and back is a favourite half-day ride for the cycling club – ‘the cinnamon bun run’, with a stop at the bakery in Tlell before turning back.

From Queen Charlotte to Skidegate is a distance of six to ten kilometers depending on where you start and stop. Just past the museum, keep an eye out on the water for whales and cormorants; even the occasional sea lion still shows up here. Continuing on, just before the road veers left there is a great view of an eagle’s nest in the dead tree up on the rocky cliff on the inland side of the road. From there, you can continue on the highway as it veers up a short hill, or take the lower road on the right to go along the water through Skidegate Village.

If you are up for some hill-climbing action, take a left from the highway onto Balance Rock Road just north of Skidegate. This will take you past a waterfall and up into Skidegate Heights, with panoramic views of Skidegate Inlet and its islands, followed by an exhilarating descent back down to the highway.

Further along the highway, about 24 kilometers from QC, there is a good rest stop at Jungle Beach, which is marked by a carved bear. Bring a picnic and go for a walk or a swim along the long, sandy beach. Your next landmark is the pullout at St Mary’s Spring on the inland side of the road, 27 kms from QC. Though this is a freshwater spring that has long been used for drinking, the water is untested. To be on the safe side, remember to bring along enough snacks and drinks to manage the 30 kms between the shops and restaurants of Skidegate and those in Tlell. A third rest area is Halibut Bight, a pullout with lovely views on the shore side of the road at about 31 kms from QC, just 10 kms outside of Tlell.

Tlell to Port Clements

Upon crossing the Tlell River bridge, the road straightens out and heads inland for the 20 kms to Port Clements. This stretch can be a bit of a wind tunnel, usually with coastal thermals blowing from Tlell towards Port Clements. If the wind is particularly strong, you might see an aerobatic show put on by ravens over the road. Keep an eye out, also, for river otters as you cross the various rivers and creeks along the way. Mayer Lake is a good stopping point for a picnic or a freshwater swim, and is also roughly the halfway point along the Graham Island stretch of highway.

Port Clements to Masset

On this stretch of road, you get to do some hill cycling as the road descends to a series of riverbeds and ascends on the other side. It will pass through beautiful forest, with bears frequently sighted along the road, not to mention dozens of tiny island deer. You will also cycle by acidic wetlands with stunted trees – natural bonsai forests. Twenty kilometers outside of Masset you will reach Pure Lake, which is one of the first lakes to warm up in the summer and makes for lovely swimming. From there it is downhill until the road once again parallels the coast, this time that of Masset Inlet.

On a cautionary note, the road north of Port Clements is still pending repavement, so the ride is not quite as blissfully smooth as on the southern part of Graham Island. The shoulders are also narrower; do not try to ride on the unpaved shoulder, as it tends to be soft, slippery sand that makes it difficult for a cyclist to stay upright!

Just past the harbour, there is an intersection with a bridge that crosses the Delkatla tidal slough. A left turn takes you in to Masset, and then along Masset Inlet just a few kilometers to Old Masset. Continuing straight will take you out Tow Hill Road. At this point, there are only a couple dozen kilometers of paved road left. Take a side trip down Cemetery Road to a beautiful sandy beach with dune trails, or continue out Tow Hill Road, which parallels beautiful, long, sandy North Beach, crossing the single-lane Chown and Sangan River bridges.

Those with bikes capable of traveling on unpaved roads can continue along Tow Hill Road as it narrows, passing through beautiful dune forest to reach Tow Hill. Cyclists have been known to ride on the firm sand beach at low tide all the way out to Rose Spit. However, keep in mind that if your bike goes near the sand and salt of the beach, meticulous cleaning and lubrication will be needed immediately after the ride to avoid rust and abrasion.

Racing!

The Derailleurs in the Mist Cycling Club annually hosts The Race at the Edge, usually the first weekend in August. It consists of a 5 km time trial on Friday evening, then a 100 km road cycle race on Saturday morning. All skill levels are welcome, and there is always a mix of very competitive athletes as well as folks just there for the beautiful ride and to socialize with other cyclists along the way. The race is followed by a barbecue, with prizes for Men’s, Women’s, Masters Men’s, Masters Women’s, and Youth categories. Check our blog for registration and contact information!