Hiking – Hesquiat Trail – Nootka Trail
***The following is an excerpt from Philip Stone’s chapter on the Hesquiat Peninsula from 
his book Coastal Hikes – A Guide to West Coast Hiking Trails in British Columbia and Washington State.***
What sets the Hesquiat Peninsula hike aside from most treks is that almost the entire 50+ km hike is along the shore. There are only a handful of short sections of forest concentrated at both ends and the fact that there are very few significant cliffs or other obstacles. The geology of the shoreline is remarkable throughout with expansive tidal shale rock shelves, wild sculpted conglomerate and sandstone formations, endless boulder fields and stunning sandy and pebble beaches that run for miles.
Much of the land on the Hesquiat Peninsula is now Provincial Park from Escalante Point all the way around to Hot Springs Cove which is part of Maquinna Marine Park. This region is the ancestral home of the Hesquiat First Nation who are part of the west coast Nuu-chah-nulth people. The Hesquiat have an indelible relationship with the land and sea of their territory.
Points of interest along the route include the beaches at Escalante, Estevan Point lighthouse, Hesquiat village, beaches around Anton’s Spit and Cougar Annie’s Garden in Boat Basin.
At the time of writing the Hesquiat trail is one of the least trodden paths along the coast of 
Vancouver Island but destined to become one of the most popular.
The name ‘Hesquiat’ is derived from the Nuu-cha-nulth word heish-heish-a meaning to tear with the teeth. This references the technique for stripping off herring spawn from the eel grass around the shore of Hesquiat village.
Distance and Duration: 50 km with options 4-6 days
Rating: Easy, remote expedition
Permits/Fees: Ask permission before entering the Indian reserve near Hesquiat.
Advance Logistics: Flight reservations for your group’s transport to and from both ends of the trail must be made well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Access: The Hesquiat Peninsula trailhead can be reached from Gold River. The usual direction is to start at Escalante and hike counter-clockwise around to Hesquait Harbour and Boat Basin.
Rates
Flights to the Hesquiat Peninsula Trail from Gold River are all charter flights, and the rates are as follows
Hesquait Trail, HST Not Included
Drop Off & Pick-up X 2
Cessna: takes up to 3 passengers and a maximum weight of 750 lbs (passengers and baggage)
Price: $346.20 (total for flight + HST) = $346.20 plus HST $ 41.54 = $387.74 X 2 = $775.48 for return flight.
Beaver: takes up to 5 passengers and a maximum weight of 1100 lbs (passengers and baggage)
Price: $472.20 (total for flight = HST) = $472.20 plus HST $56.66 = $528.86 X 2 = $1057.72 for return flight.
See chart below, to help you calculate rates according to your group size:
| Passengers | |||||
| Aircraft | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Cessna | $346.20 | $173.10 | $115.40 | n/a | n/a |
| Beaver | n/a | n/a | n/a | $118.05 | $94.44 |
Cessna – max. weight 750 lbs
Beaver – max. weight 1100 lbs
The same rates apply for the return leg from Hesquiat Lake/Boat Basin back to Gold River.
Your flight can be booked to suit your itinerary and aircraft availability. However, note that it is best to fly into Escalante Beach (trailhead) in the morning, because of wind and swell conditions.
