3 Days on Cortes Island, BC

(Last updated August 2025)

I've always wanted to go to Cortes, it was thought about back during my trip to Quadra Island in 2020. However it was November when I was there and several people said there wasn't a-lot going on then, so we decided to save it for another day. Well fast forward to today - August 2025 it is my fourth wedding anniversary and I got tired of figuring out what to do. So I told my husband Cody wherever my finger lands in the backroad mapbook that is where we will go for our anniversary. It landed on Cortes! Perfect, I've always wanted to go.

Cortes is an Island located near Desolation Sound, it's key hubs are Manson's Landing, Whaletown, Squirrel Cove, Gorge Harbour and in the three days we were here, we did all of it. So if you'd like to know how it went and wants tips of places to visit if you ever go - then keep on reading.

Starting our trip from Nanaimo, we arrived in Campbell River and got onto the ferry to Quadra that goes to Quathiaski Cove then we drove to Heriot Bay. We have went and got lunch at the Heriot Bay Pub when I was here back in 2020, so while we waited for the ferry for Cortes, we had a nice lunch and then quickly ran to our car. Note: when the ferry says 3:25 it will be leaving at that time, so make sure you are in your vehicle well before lol. Tip if you are going onto the Quadra ferry, make sure you tell them you are going to Cortes as you will pay for both here. The ferry ticket is good for a return as well. The ferry to Quadra is not long at all, maybe 15 minutes whereas Cortes is around 45 minutes.

DAY 1:

Target for this evening was to find a camp spot, as the Provincial Park (Smelt Bay Campground) was all full. (I recommend booking well in-advance as flying at the seat of your pants like us isn't ideal) I was able to score one night the following day by constantly refreshing the wesbite. We hung out at Yulia Beach for awhile. The night here was so pretty, we swam lots and took a nice stroll where I took my drone out and got some sweet pictures. This spot was nice because there was nobody to really bother us and I could swim naked once it got darker out lol.

We checked out Coulter Bay & the Gorge Harbour. We talked to this older man at the Gorge Harbour - he was living in this shack on the water and he looked so happy. He didn't have much but you could tell he was living the life he desired. Bonus he doesn't have to pay a mortgage.

DAY 2:

We woke up and stopped at the COOP Cafe, I later the next day got a delicious iced caramel latte and breakfast sandwich here. There are groceries here as well and basic supplies. Across the street is Cortes Market which is where I got some alcohol and Cody got a lottery ticket. (I hope he wins big!) There is also Burger Barn right there too. Refer to the hours and time you're visiting as some places won't be open.

We first ventured to Red Granite Bay, I flew my drone and the colours on the beach were super cool. There's a private yacht club in the back as well. There is a little hike you could do here, looks like it has some nice bluffs but we were off to do the Easter Bluff hike. The Easter Bluff hike was perfect for my son as it was super hot already and it's only 1.6KM out-and-back. It's 94M of elevation gain and the views are so gorgeous. It overlooks Granite Bay and has stunning views of the mountains surrounding it. We spent some time at the top and admired the views and had some snacks.

We got back to the car and we drove out to Tiber Bay. This was probably one of my favourite beaches. It was secluded, not many people there except some cabins that were pretty cool to see. We strolled down to the beach, swam and ate some cherries. It was a beautiful and hot day. This Island is so stunning with the landscapes and towering mountains in the background. From here we pointed out the Sunshine Coast being Lund.

We hiked back to my vehicle and drove to Squirrel Cove, where there is a childrens park, a gas station and general store. We had plans to head to the food truck at the Gorge Harbour Marina Resort. I had a really yummy BLT sandwich and Cody had a pulled pork sandwich covered in onions which he does not like, that was entertaining to say the least. This resort has camping, domes and cottages to rent. They were all full during this week as I had emailed them the night prior to see if they had an availbility for the tenting spots. There is a pool and hot tub here and several other amenities.

We left the resort and it was time for a swim, I had been told by a friend about Hague Lake. This whole area is so beautiful and the lake is a really nice tempature. We went to the day use area and it was beautiful, it is the most white sand, I've ever seen at a lake. After swimming in the ocean the night before and this day, it felt really good to feel the lake water. We then went to Smelt Bay Provincial Park where we checked in to our campsite for the night and set everything up yet again. The campground is really well kept. It's no where near the beach but still really nice in a forest setting. We got campsite #15 and it was honestly the best. Super private and I loved how it is tiered, where we park the car and the upper part is where our tent was. The camping fee is $20 a night which isn't bad. They do have an overflow area down below near the beach in a gravel parking lot for campers if you weren't able to snag a spot. The first night camp spot definitely takes the cake but it was nice to go somewhere different for our last night. It just wasn't fun setting up and taking our stuff down twice. We went down to the beach and marvelled in the sun, sun-bathed and where I went swimming.

We had the most amazing sunset at Smelt Bay Beach and there were a ton of people here, listening to music and sitting down watching as well. We stayed for a long time until we called it a night. We sat up for a bit with our propane fire and enjoyed one another's company and talked about the objectives for the next day.

DAY 3:

Woke up went to COOP Cafe as I mentioned above after leaving Smelt Bay which we packed everything up. We parked at Green Mountain Trailhead. This trail was super pretty, you followed an old logging road for awhile until getting into the trees. It was around 4K out-in-back and there is an option to do a loop, we did counter clockwise and the view was better at one point then the actual summit. It took us around 1 1/2 hours to complete and was the last thing we did before getting into the ferry line up to go home. The views were really pretty and I'd say this was my favourite view from this Island.

The ferry doesn't run all day,I think the last one to Quadra is at 5:55PM. So plan your trip according to that. We were in the line up for the 11:45AM but didn't get on until 2:30PM. We hung out at the little beach there for a bit while we waited. We had even seen whales or orcas breaching in the distance on the ferry! And just like that our trip is over and we are back to Quadra then to Campbell River all the way back to Nanaimo. We unpacked everything and came home to our fridge not working and everything had spoiled in it. So that wasn't super fun but part of life and the adventure. We had an amazing time and I would definitely go back some day. My son also really loved it and felt it was super kid-friendly. Especially the hiking there, it was perfect for him.

OTHER THINGS I WOULD DO IF I GO BACK:

• HANKS BEACH

• MARY POINT

• THE BEACH AT MANSONS LANDING

• CARRINGTON LAGOON

• K'WAS PARK

I hope you enjoyed reading about Cortes Island, it was a super amazing way to spend our anniversary exploring an island we all had never been to. I hope you all get to see it one day as well! As always remember to Leave no trace, pack in pack out and have the BEST time.

See you all out there, until next time!

LYSS x