Holberg: Ronning's Garden and trails in Cape Scott Park

Holberg's history has two unusual aspects: In its early days, the town was a floating camp for forestry workers and, for a time, the largest floating camp in the world. Ronning's Garden represents another chapter in the town's history. The surrounding area also offers hiking destinations: Cape Scott Provincial Park and Raft Cove Park provide different options for active days.

Ronning's Garden and the History of Settlement

In the early years, Bernt Ronning cleared more than five acres of rainforest to create Ronning's Garden. The garden was designed with seeds, cuttings, and exotic plants from around the world. This project therefore brings together the land cleared locally and the international origins of the planting material. The Ronning's Garden homestead was established in 1910 by Norwegian settler Bernt Ronning near the end of the old San Josef Wagon Road. A road plan is also part of the history of the Cape Scott settlement colony: it planned a road from Fisherman Bay across the San Josef River to Holberg.

Hiking in Cape Scott Provincial Park

Holberg is a gateway to Cape Scott Provincial Park and the last stop for backpackers setting out on the Cape Scott Trail or the North Coast Trail. In the park, visitors can choose between a day hike and a backpacking trip to explore sandy beaches, rainforests, and lowland bogs and muskeg. Both the type of trip and the landscape are practical considerations when planning.

The trail lengths also make it easier to compare the routes: the Cape Scott Trail is 15 km each way and has numerous camping options. The North Coast Trail is 58 km each way and begins at the Cape Scott Trailhead or Shushartie Bay. The two routes therefore differ in length, and the North Coast Trail also has two possible starting points.

Raft Cove and the Drive to Holberg

Raft Cove Park is also nearby. Wilderness beach camping, surfing, fishing, and hiking are popular there. The park can be reached from Holberg via a gravel forest road. While Cape Scott is described in terms of day hikes, backpacking trips, and varied landscapes, Raft Cove combines beach camping with surfing, fishing, and hiking.

A 50 km gravel forest road leads west from Port Hardy to Holberg; the drive takes about an hour. Actual travel time varies with road conditions, which can change. Plan your drive using this approximate travel time and check road conditions before setting out. When choosing where to stay in Holberg, both the forest-road connection and nearby park destinations are useful points of reference.

The Scarlet Ibis: Adventure Huts, Restaurant, and Pub

The Scarlet Ibis in Holberg rents Adventure Huts for overnight stays. It has been a much-loved local landmark for more than 50 years. There is also a restaurant and pub near the turnoff to the park, where hikers returning from Cape Scott can stop in. Menus and services may change. If you plan to stop there, check in advance what is currently available.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Port Mcneill, Port Hardy, Port Alice, Sointula, Alert Bay, Mount Waddington A, Telegraph Cove, Coal Harbour

For the broader travel overview: Mount Waddington.