Tow Hill — Naikoon Provincial Park Basalt Headland Viewpoint

Tow Hill is the most recognisable feature on Haida Gwaii’s northeast shore: a sheer-sided basalt intrusion punching up from the beach at the mouth of the Hiellen River, just inside Naikoon Provincial Park. The hill has a well-maintained trail to the summit — roughly 20 minutes — and the top delivers a full panorama of North Beach stretching toward Cape Fife, the open Pacific, and Hecate Strait on a clear day. It’s a genuine orientation point for anyone running the Cape Fife trail or scouting the beach drive access north from Tlell.

The access road off Tow Hill Road is gravel and suitable for any 4×4 — high-clearance 2WD manages in dry conditions. The Blow Hole, a sea cave tidal feature at the base of the hill, is worth checking at the right tide. Cell service is effectively zero out here. Visit in the shoulder seasons (May–September) for the best visibility; summer beach fogs roll in unpredictably.

Basalt plug rising from North Beach.