Nootka Trail

Hiking – Hesquiat Trail – Nootka Trail

Air Nootka is recognized as the official carrier for transporting hikers to the Nootka Trail. We offer a convenient and reliable service that provides more efficient access to the trailhead via Gold River than any other transportation option. Your flight will depart from our floatplane base in Gold River, fly down Muchalat Inlet to Nootka Sound, and then out to the west coast of Nootka Island. We will fly you over the whole length of the Nootka Trail, so you can see the marvels that await you from above.

Louie Lagoon, (also known as Starfish Lagoon), the kick off point for hiking the Nootka Trail, is your next destination.

The trapped waters of Louie Lagoon provide an excellent protected landing area, which is only accessible by floatplane. The shallow and narrow northwest entrance (not accessible to boat traffic) to the lagoon makes for limited tidal fluctuation, and thus a floatplane can taxi to a small beach so hikers will only have to take a step or two in ankle to knee-deep water to gain access to the shore. A 30-minute hike along a flagged path through the high timbers and low fern growth of Nootka Island’s rain forest brings hikers to the rolling surf of the open Pacific Ocean at Third Beach, the true start of the Nootka Trail.

There are a couple of guidebooks for the Nootka Trail, and lots of information on the hike on the Internet. See our Links page for a start.

View Map here. This general interest map is not suited to navigation.

Rates

The flight into Louie Lagoon is a charter flight. You can book your flight to suit your itinerary, subject to aircraft availability. We have two types of aircraft, one Cessna 185 and two De Havilland Beavers.

Nootka Trail, HST Not Included

See chart below, to help you calculate rates according to your group size:

Cessna: takes up to 3 passengers and a maximum weight of 750 lbs (passengers and baggage)
Price: $495.00 (total for flight + HST) = $495.00 + $59.40 = $554.40

Beaver: takes up to 5 passengers and a maximum weight of 1100 lbs (passengers and baggage)
Price: $675.00 (total for flight + HST) = $675.00 + 81.00 = $756.00

Depending on the size of your group, you may need one, two, or even three airplanes. If you are a large group requiring a couple of floatplanes to accommodate your party, it is great fun to fly side by side!
There is also the option of flying from Friendly Cove back to Gold River, instead of returning by watercraft, and the rates are as follows:

Friendly Cove Pick-up + $10.00 Docking Fee
Cessna: $275.00 (HST not included) $308.00 Tax Included plus $10 docking fee.
Beaver: $375.00 (HST not included) $420.00 Tax Included plus $10 docking fee.

Mowachaht/Muchalaht Trail fees:

This $45 fee per person, payable to the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations Band is to allow access to cross their three reserve sites on Nootka Island and access to their facilities at Friendly Cove.

The Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation now offers youth and group rates.

You can pay this fee at the boat ramp just before our office. Please pay your fees first and then come and check in for your flight (allow 30 – 45 min. to get organized before your set departure time). You can pay by cash, VISA or MC. They will issue your group a receipt for your trail fees. Keep this receipt on your person for the duration of your hike. You will also need it to board the Uchuck III, the boat service back to Gold River, if that is how you choose to return from Friendly Cove.

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