STUNNING San Josef Bay Tour in Cape Scott Provincial Park

On June 24th, 2026 my friend and I were picked up in Port Hardy for the San Jo Bay tour. Our guide/driver June was awesome and expertly handled the gravel forestry road. The drive was very bumpy/shaky and rough and the scenery was mostly trees. Along the way June pointed out a few highlights along the drive as well as giving us some history about the area. After arriving at the parking lot we were given a delicious sandwich & orange for lunch and began the 60 minute walk to the beach. The walk was glorious and was as much a highlight for me as the beach. It’s an easy well maintained trail and a beautiful scenic walk. June was helpful, taking pics for us at memorable stops along the way. As we emerged from the forest, we were greeted by the stunning expanse of San Jo Bay. We spent about an hour exploring the beautiful beach, taking pics and having lunch. The beach and sea stacks did not disappoint and we loved every minute of our time spent there. The hardest part of the trip is the 2 hour drive on the forestry road and we were so glad we did this with a tour and did not take our own vehicle. My friend and I are seniors and this was an easy tour/walk for us and we highly recommend it to anyone with a desire to visit San Jo Bay. It was a day well spent and we left with wonderful memories.

This excursion was sensational. Since apparently only we had booked the excursion that day, we had our guides and the tour van all to ourselves. Unconditional recommendation: always book the tour and never try to go alone with the vehicle = failure would be guaranteed (road conditions & navigation). June & Adriana (our guides) were a perfect match. Many stories and information along the route were simply excellent. On the short hike to St. Joseph Bay, we were able to discover a lot. From the forest grouse sitting by the roadside to various slugs, everything was included. When we encountered a huge black bear at a distance of 2 meters on the way back, this excursion became the perfect trip. 👍🏻

Our trip to San Josef Bay with Cove Adventure tours was well worth every penny!!!

Our friendly knowledgeable guide June met us in the lobby of our hotel in Port Hardy at 8:30 am on Saturday and we headed out in the van. Luckily there weren’t any big rigs on the long bumpy dusty road with us that day but if there had been we would’ve been in great hands with June at the wheel. On the way out we all chatted and enjoyed each others company, stopped to see a couple interesting sites on the way and even saw 2 bears. When we got to the parking lot June offered snacks and water. The trail wasn’t difficult at all and the beach was amazing. We had a picnic lunch with delicious sandwiches that June made. On the way back to the van we rescued some salamander eggs from a big mud puddle that was drying up and relocated them to a nicer spot along the path. On the drive back, after we stopped at the most remote pub on the island for a tasty beverage, we saw two more bears! All I can say is that we were very lucky to have sunshine, great company and honestly I couldn’t stop myself from smiling the whole day. So - if you’re into that kind of thing then I highly recommend the trip!

Absolutely wonderful trip! Our guide was June and she does such a fantastic job! She is so friendly, patient, informative. I went with my mom and sister and we all had a fantastic time!

My wife and I really enjoyed the whole tour. The trip involved a long bumpy and challenging drive to the beginning of a relaxing hike to the beautiful San Josef Bay beach. Getting to the beach involved an investment of time money and energy. We were happy that we left the driving and leadership to the capable expertise of June, our driver and guide. She was awesome!

We took the trip with Cove Adventures to San Josef Bay in September. Unfortunately our day was a wet one but this didn't stop us having an enjoyable day. The road to the Bay is a long and bumpy journey and a stretch of your legs is definitely welcome. The walk down to the Bay is lovely and seeing the old trees and mossy areas was brilliant. The Bay itself was very atmospheric with the rain and the mist - a great day but do take into account the long bumpy journey which wouldn't be for everyone- we were glad we did it.

Great day out. The road is very bumpy and that is part of the fun, glad we didn't attempt it with our hire car. It was a shame that because the tide was in we couldn't get to the second beach. Otherwise a great trip

It was a beautiful tour. Even with the rain it was very worth it. The guide told us exciting information about the villages and the inhabitants. Thanks for the great tour.

Enjoyed the day & our guide but it could be improved. It’s a long drive in & out so a bit of commentary from our guide could have been great, history, animals, stories. It could have helped pass the time on a very long & bumpy road. For the price there could be a bit better food, a small granola bar & a chicken roll sandwich was basic, no love was put into this. Even an apple on the way back would have been appreciated. We asked to stop at the pub mid point on the way back which should be included normally as a break is needed from all the bumps. The beach is amazing.