Telegraph Cove, BC

Know the town

About Telegraph Cove

Telegraph Cove is a tiny boardwalk village on the edge of Johnstone Strait, one of the best places on the coast to see orcas and other whales. Its colourful historic buildings stand on stilts around a small cove, and in summer the community comes alive with visitors setting out on wildlife tours in the North Island.

A historic village

The settlement began in the early 1900s as the northern end of a telegraph line along the coast, then grew around a salmon saltery and a sawmill. Many of the original buildings have been restored and are now used as accommodation, shops and cafés, with interpretive signs along the boardwalk telling the stories of the people who lived and worked here.

Whales and wildlife

Johnstone Strait is the summer home of the northern resident killer whales, and humpbacks, dolphins and porpoises are also common. Whale-watching tours leave from the cove, and kayak trips explore the shoreline. The Whale Interpretive Centre, on the boardwalk, displays skeletons of whales and other marine mammals and explains their lives. Tours also travel up the coast to see grizzly bears in the inlets in late summer and fall.

Planning a visit

Telegraph Cove is small, and most services operate seasonally, roughly from late spring to early fall. Accommodation and tours book up quickly in July and August, so plan ahead. There is a campground and marina nearby for those bringing their own gear or boats.

Getting here

Telegraph Cove is about twenty minutes from Highway 19 near Port McNeill, along a paved road through the forest. Port Hardy is about an hour away.

The cove’s verified tour operators, places to stay and other businesses are listed below, with North Island events.

For council, permits, garbage and recycling, parks bookings and other local services, visit Regional District of Mount Waddington.